We saw an opportunity to influence positive behaviors among parenting teens and tailor library services to a group not well served by traditional storytimes or teen services. Our goals include building relationships with teens ages 15 to 20-plus and their teachers, to increase teens’ access to library services and to improve literacy outcomes and completion of educational goals for teens and for their children. Improved trust relationships with library staff enhanced program delivery.

In partnership with seven teen parenting programs located in Minneapolis Public Schools and alternative learning centers in three suburban cities, librarians work with teachers or social workers to engage teens in developing goals for themselves and their children, and then to learn to use library resources to meet those goals. During monthly meetings, librarians lead activities around early learning, demystifying the library and literacy activities for the teens, including book talks and homework help.

In data collected from 66 teen participants at the end of the 2016-17 academic year, 43 percent said they sing, play, read, talk and write with their children because of the library program. They also said they were more likely to check out books and use technology at the library. Participants also said they made it a daily point to read, talk, draw and sing with their children.