As a public library, we strive to serve all of our communities; however, not everyone is able to access our services, including youth in our county’s juvenile probation facilities. By bringing books and materials and meeting youth where they were, we created a community of readers and writers outside our library’s walls. In the process, we also helped convey the understanding that the library was a valuable resource and a space where they were welcome.

During the first memoir workshop, youth read and discussed a diverse array of memoirs, wrote and shared their own mini-memoirs with the group, and responded with feedback to their peers. The second workshop revolved around literary letters, which were written back and forth between the youth and our library staff members, allowing both correspondents to reflect upon the books they were reading. The workshops built bridges on both departmental and personal levels between our organizations.

During the workshops’ celebrations, youth expressed that the programs helped them like reading and writing more. On the literary letters workshop survey, 100 percent of the youth strongly agreed that they wanted to get a library card so they could continue reading in the future. These programs also led to new partnerships within the department, and we are currently working with one facility to weed, organize and supplement their collection and to provide regular library services.