Local youth have expressed feeling disconnected from public services and that they lack a voice in community decisions. MPL wanted to find a way to engage with teens and ensure that this action was not a symbolic power exchange but carried significant weight in guiding future programming. MPL chose to partner with another youth-serving organization, BRIDGES, to form Youth Action Councils at five neighborhood branch libraries serving large numbers of young people from historically excluded backgrounds.

Through the training with Bridges, adult advisors at each pilot branch learned about creating councils where adult/youth equity as the foundation. All participants agree to leave all biases at the door and work together to create real change at the library. Youth and adults share full responsibility in making this collaboration work and all opinions are equally valued and respected. A community agreement of what’s expected of everyone is established and we hold everyone accountable for meeting that agreement.

This program has given young people a voice and vested interest in MPL’s future. They have presented their first round of recommendations to leadership, and staff is working to implement components that can be incorporated immediately and to raise funds to enact the longer-term goals presented by the team. YACs will become a permanent part of MPL’s structure so youth can help guide our future and keep services relevant to the ever-evolving wants and needs of teens. We are preparing to launch an additional five YACs.

Learn more from recent media coverage:

• Pilot program centers Memphis teens in library decision-making | High Ground News
• Students Get Involved in Memphis Public Libraries | Memphis Flyer