What are some suggestions for putting together a great teen program?

• Assess the interests and needs of the audience that you are attempting to reach, and determine who the audience is that you’d like to attend the program. (Are you targeting tweens or older young adults, for example. Are they interested in gaming? Arts and crafts? Anime and manga?)
  
  
• Poll the young adults that you’re attempting to reach. If you have a teen advisory council or teen volunteers, use them.
  
  
• Determine the time of day and the day of the week that will work best for increasing the number of participants, as well as the length of the program. What location will work best for the program you’re planning?
  
  
• Will you need to limit the number of participants by number and/or age? Will they have to register in advance?
  
  
• Young adult programs are of two types: informational (a program on helping teenagers find summer jobs, for example) and recreational (a gaming program). Are you attempting to inform or to entertain?
  
  
• Compose a checklist of activities that you’ll need to complete in order to successfully deliver the program. Save the checklist and use it as a template for future program planning.
  
  
• Is there a budget/funding? What supplies will you need?
  
  
• Will you use a staff presenter or bring in an outside presenter? In-house presenters are inexpensive; outside presenters bring expertise in a particular area.
  
  
• Is the program you’re planning a stand alone, one-time event, or can it be packaged and used again at another time or in another location?
  
  
• Provide effective publicity to your target audience, using both internal publicity (e.g., library newsletter or Web site) and well as external publicity (e.g., local newspaper).
  
  
• Food is a draw, so be sure to provide it if you can. Giveaways are also crowd pleasers.
  
  
• Incorporate library materials into the program to promote the use of the collection.
  
  
• Use teens as presenters, program aides, or promoters. The more teen involvement in planning and implementation, the better.
  
  
• Use evaluations, even if they’re informal, to get feedback from program participants about their reactions to the program.