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In 2017 I launched The Youth Desk to collect program plans and favorite book recommendations all in one place so I could easily reference them no matter which public library service desk I happened to be working from on any given day. I also hoped perhaps another youth librarian or two might stumble upon it and find the content helpful in their own library life. My updates to the site have ebbed more than flowed over the years but the feedback and questions I've continued to receive from readers via comments and email have meant so much to me. As a result, I am so excited to add The Youth Desk blog with new program outlines and bookish inspiration every week to help librarians, educators, and parents engage, entertain, and inform!
A note about programming posts
While many posts here feature full lesson plans or event outlines, I hope you can easily skim and collect activities that work best for your audience and young readers. When I'm personally searching for ideas, I don't often need a full plan, just an extra craft or two to round out the program. I've designed the posts with that in mind.
A note about me
I love sharing library resources! I don't love sharing information about myself. That said, I have 15+ years of experience working in public libraries, held just about every public library position available, and loved every single one.
Library Page, Circulation Assistant, Customer Service Manager, Youth Librarian, Interim Community Relations Manager, Youth & Teen Services Manager, and my current favorite, Substitute Librarian. I've worked with programming budgets ranging from zero to “let's rent three live reindeer this weekend,” served population sizes from 10,000 to 240,000, and in locations from city strip malls to historic villages. Each community comes with idiosyncrasies but my favorite commonality is that all serve readers looking to get lost in a book for the first or hundredth time.
The experiences and opinions shared at The Youth Desk are my own and do not reflect those of my current or past employers.
Life is short, and the moments we've been given are precious, so thank you for choosing to spend a few of yours with me at The Youth Desk. I'm so excited to learn from you and spread the joy of reading together.