YALSA is a subspecialty of the American Library Association, the world’s largest and oldest library organization, and a financially stable 501(c)3 not-for-profit. Through its member-driven advocacy, research, and professional development initiatives, YALSA builds the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve, and empower teens and young adults. The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to expand and strengthen library services for teens. The national guidelines that follow are intended for all library personnel working with and for teens, so they can fully understand the mission of library service to this frequently underserved age group and the importance of dedicated physical and virtual teen spaces for their continued engagement, growth and achievement. All of these factors contribute to the need for distinct teen spaces, both in-library and virtually. They offer the resources and the environment that foster positive intellectual, emotional and social development of tomorrow’s adults. Libraries are vital to today’s teens in order for them to achieve a successful transition from childhood to adulthood. Teens experience rapid physical, emotional and social changes while developing their intellectual capabilities and personal values, understanding and accepting their sexuality, and identifying their educational and occupational options. Not every element of the guidelines may apply to every public library situation, but the guidelines can serve as a place to begin the conversation about what constitutes excellent public library space for teens. Potential users of these national guidelines include library administrators, library trustees, teen services librarians, community members and job-seekers hoping to assess a library’s commitment to teen services. This is a tool for evaluating a public library’s overall level of success in providing physical and virtual space dedicated to teens, aged 12-18. It is intended that the National Teen Space Guidelines will be reviewed for revisions every five years. The Teen Spaces Guidelines Taskforce wishes to thank the library community for their contributions to this document. After the public comment period closed, the taskforce reviewed the feedback received and refined the draft guidelines as appropriate. This draft document was approved for dissemination via a call for public comments period on Oct. The feedback was carefully considered by the Taskforce additions and revisions have been made accordingly. At this meeting, the taskforce solicited feedback on the draft In order to finalize the guidelines, the taskforce presented a draft document to YALSA’S Board of Directors in June 2011. YALSA’s Board of Directors adopted the guidelines on May 24, 2012. Members of the task force were Katherine Trouern-Trend (chair), Audrey Sumser, Kathy Mahoney, Caroline Aversano, Samantha Marker, and Kimberly Bolan Cullin. These guidelines were created in 2011 -2012 by a task force of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) with feedback from the library community achieved through a public comment period in the fall of 2011. ![]() Download the print version of the Teen Space Guidelines (PDF).
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