Managing Your Library's Afterschool Crowd

The hours of 3-5pm Monday-Friday can be a busy time for libraries. This is where libraries may get an influx of young people, and an increase in behavior incidents. But this is also a time of great potential impact, where libraries can be a safe place and reach out to teens. In this webinar you'll hear from a former teen services librarian whose library typically had 100-150 teens most days after school. She and colleagues learned from their partners and experience how to manage these chaotic (and fun!) hours.

In this webinar you'll learn:

- Teen developmental stages and how that can affect behavior
- Tips on setting policies and guidelines
- Setting and enforcing behavior expectations that make the library a place for everyone
- Suggestions on partners and programs after school
- Communication techniques to deescalate behaviors

Instructor: Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Founder & CEO of Digital Respons-Ability

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead is a former librarian and currently the founder of Digital Respons-Ability, a mission-based company that educates tens of thousands of students, parents and teachers on digital citizenship. She continues to work with teens, particularly in secure settings, and has written two books for librarians on adolescents: Teen Fandom and Geek Programming: a Practical Guide for Libraries and the ALA-award winning Serving Teens and Adults on the Autism Spectrum: a Guide for Libraries. She lives with her family (including a teen of her own) in Utah.

This project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan.