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Teen librarians can be a trusted source of support for teens as they navigate adolescence, and starting a new role as a teen librarian can feel both exciting and daunting. Where do you start? Should you prioritize setting up a Teen Advisory Board? Should you put on an Xbox tournament? In reality, it’s okay to take a breath and take your time before jumping into programming or big projects. The key to working with teens is building trust: show up in their spaces, listen, demonstrate that you value them, and follow through on things that you say you’ll do. Teens need adults in their lives they can trust, and that takes time and consistency to build.

If you are new to teen librarianship, these eight tips can offer a road map to build confidence, strengthen key skills, and begin to establish trust with teens that will be the foundation for success. 

1. Learn about the teenage brain and the developmental stage of adolescence.

Teens are a work in progress and often engage in risk-taking behavior as they are forming their identities. Peer opinion is paramount, helping frame their behavior as developmental rather than personal. Explore some options in our “For further learning” section below to brush up on the latest understanding of the teenage brain.

2. Observe how and when teens engage in the library. 

Let this guide your work and priorities. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the rules that might create friction with teens. Think about any ways to simplify the language of the rules so they can be clearly understood and consistently applied. 

3. Offer something for teens regularly—consistency is important. 

If you do not have dedicated teen space, you could regularly schedule a library space for teen use. That shows they are expected, valued, and planned for. Having a shelf or materials that are labeled for grades 7-12 communicates that the library sees them and values them. For more thoughts on how to make space for teens, check out this ALSC blog post.

4. Be the affordable third space for teens that offers new and different experiences. 

Teens want to be independent but often lack the funds to do so. They also crave novel experiences. Think about those needs and desires as you begin to think about programming or services.

5. Introduce things in a low pressure way so teens can engage without too much commitment. 

Teens might be interested in what the library offers, but they often want to check it out in a low-commitment environment. That might look like passive programming, putting out games, art-making supplies, or a volunteer kit they are invited to do as they have time. This is a way to warm teens to the idea of library programming.

6. Listen to their ideas. 

As you develop relationships with teens and they are showing up in the library, listen to their ideas. Could you find a small budget to use to plan a program with their input? What about involving them in collection suggestions? They know what they like, and they value being heard.

7.  Be authentic. 

How you build authenticity will be different for everyone, but teens value authenticity and have a keen radar for insincerity. Authenticity builds the foundation for trust and opens the door to relationships.

8. Connect with your state library. 

Find out who at your state library supports your work and can offer additional resources. Most state library agencies have a youth services consultant who can assist you.

It all comes down to showing up and following through 

All of these strategies add up to one thing: Show, don’t just tell, that you’re here for teens at the library. At the PLA 2026 session entitled Activating Teen Services in Rural Communities, staff from King County Library System in Washington noted, “The teens are always watching. So all the other work that you're doing remembering their names, going to their schools, finding programs for their areas of interest, being willing to change and adapt when things don't work out the way they were planned, coaching other staff on best practices and how to interact with teens. All of these things add up and show teens that you're trustworthy.” And that is what can really make a difference for teens in your community.