Engaging youth, especially teens, in public libraries has been a struggle even before the pandemic. Since Stark Library has reopened to the public in summer 2020, the youth department at Main Library has observed a significant decrease in teen attendance at programs and within the dedicated teen space in general. When planning for our new Main Library, one of our design drivers is to create a destination that will draw people into downtown Canton, and one of the groups we are particularly interested in designing for is our teen patrons; however, gathering feedback and generating ideas for this demographic is challenging, particularly when teens are not actively using the Main Library currently.

In late 2023, library leaders began working with TomTod program designers to co-plan an eight week series for middle schoolers that introduced them to library operations, introduced building projects, and sought their input on guiding questions. Examples include:

How can we …

• Explore the current library’s services and buildings?
• Create a draft design for a new library tech and maker space?
• Create a draft design for a teen space that kids want to visit and has resources kids need?
• Draft designs for a usable and inviting outdoor space?

For the first week, students were guided through a design meeting with HBM Architects. For subsequent weeks they were introduced to key library staff who highlighted current library services in their area of expertise. The remainder of each session allowed students to brainstorm and / or research ideas for that week’s question. At the end of the series, students created a Student Idea Book with findings and recommendations.

By including youth voice in the planning for the new Main Library, we engaged a valuable and often difficult demographic to reach as well as helped students feel a sense of ownership of the community resource. The robust Student Idea Book has proved useful as a springboard for design conversations and interior planning for our new teen space and maker studio. As a result of the initial eight-week program, the relationship between Stark Library and TomTod Ideas has deepened resulting in library staff participating in each of their regular programs (Camp What If Canton and McKinley 21st Century Summer Program) and engaging more students in the design process. Engaging youth participants in this project has also provided them a unique opportunity to witness a significant community project in its earliest design phase, empowered their voices as they shared their perspectives, and educated them on the inner workings of a public library.

Additional Materials:

• Video: "Creator Club"