Serving Teen Evacuees in Libraries

Throughout the Gulf Region and beyond, school and public library staff are reaching out to those displaced by the recent hurricanes. If there are teen evacuees in your community, here are some ideas for programs and services that you can provide:

AT SHELTERS

• Providing teens with books and magazines to keep
• Presenting a different type of entertainment each evening. Consider collaborating with other community groups to coordinate activities. Examples include:
  • Movie Night
  • Craft Night
  • Game Night (low tech: board & card games, high tech: video and Internet games)
  • Manga & Anime Night
  • Creative Writers’ Forum
  • Open Mic Night
  • Trivia Contest
• Presenting booktalks, readings, poetry slams and/or book clubs at the shelters Possible activities include:
  • Reading excerpts from high interest books
  • Reading short stories, or a chapter a day from a chapter book
  • Recruiting and coordinating teens to help provide storytimes for younger children. Have them help with:
    • Action rhymes
    • Using puppets
    • Dramatizing a silly skit
    • Presenting a puppet show
    • Group circle games with physical and vocal participation
  • NOTE: It can be very difficult to find a quiet place in the shelters. Be prepared for background sounds and for foot traffic.
• Giving out bookmarks, pencils, school supplies
• Encouraging teens to put their feelings on paper by providing writing materials such as journals and diaries
• Listening sympathetically

AT LIBRARIES

• Issuing temporary library cards to teens, children and their parents (policies vary)
• Showing age appropriate movies at public libraries so teens and children are occupied while parents and caregivers apply for FEMA and Red Cross assistance online; serve refreshments when possible
• Helping high school students get signed up for college entrance exams
• Providing information to parents and high school students about applying to colleges, technical schools, etc. Include information on applying for financial aid.
• Making school supplies available
• Inviting teens from shelters to regularly scheduled teen events when shelter is in walking distance from library
• When shelter is in walking distance from library, recruit and train teen evacuees to help in the library. Possible activities include shelving books and assisting patrons on computers
• Displaying books that may help teens deal with their experiences
  • See YALSA’s "Dealing With Tragedy & Terror" resources.
• Displaying books that may help teens take their mind off of their recent experiences:
  • See YALSA’s booklists 
• Conducting craft programs for teens in shelters within walking distance of library
• Presenting family read aloud and book discussion programs with copies of books for all families to use at the library; program includes a school counselor who can refer families to appropriate services
• Inviting teens to attend after school book clubs when shelter is within walking distance
• Collaborating with a local school to provide homework help and tutoring
• Expanding maximum number of registrants for special library programs to accommodate evacuees
• Providing time and assistance on the computers so teens can write letters and/or send emails to relatives and friends. When possible, provide stamps and envelopes
• Asking your Teen Advisory Group (TAG) to come up with ideas for meeting the needs of the teen evacuees in your area, and help them implement the best ones
• Listening sympathetically

AT SCHOOLS: PUBLIC/ SCHOOL LIBRARY COLLABORATION

The influx of evacuee children and teens necessitated reopening schools that had been closed for some time. Hence, there is an unanticipated need for books for these schools.

• Giving donated books to libraries and/or classrooms in need
• Coordinating deliveries of donated books to libraries
• Coordinating author visits
• Organizing and giving booktalks
• Providing instruction to teachers and /or students on library resources (such as databases) that students can use for school assignments and homework
• Collaborating to celebrate events such as Teen Read Week. For Teen Read Week ideas click here.
• Providing resources and/or information sessions to teachers relating to how to successfully meet the physical and emotional needs of the evacuees that have been placed in their classes

For more resources relating to helping teens cope with tragedy, please click here. 

For general resources relating to hurricane relief efforts and libraries, please click here. 

This resource is adapted from the State Library of Louisiana’s "Evacuee Children and Louisiana Public Libraries," compiled by Rose Anne St. Romain, Early Childhood Services Consultant.