Tween Services at Fairfield Library

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Public libraries typically divide their collections and staff into service areas aimed at children, teens, and adults to meet the needs of their users as they age. The transitional time between childhood and teenage years can be challenging for young library users, who may be too mature for the children’s area while not yet ready for teen books and programs. This can lead to a loss of engagement and discontinued library use at a critical age for young people. To address this issue, Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) took a holistic approach to implement Tween Services at its new Fairfield Area Library, a state-of-the-art building replacing an aging facility. Adjustments to item catalog records increased discoverability and helped users find materials online, and helped all HCPL locations develop browsable Tween collection displays in their buildings. Fairfield hired a Tween Services librarian to host Tween programming, create interactive displays, and provide on-site reference services. These inclusive innovations were cost-effective and have proved highly popular. By increasing access to library services for Tweens, from reading material, to programs, to a dedicated space within the library, Tween Services at Fairfield Area Library has increased engagement for library users ages nine to 12.