Jeffco teens have got it going on. They’re event planners and leaders; writers and gamers; creatives and left-brainers; athletes and AP-scholars; murder-mystery solvers and laser-tag victors. They’re volunteers. And they’re pretty passionate about it.
“I love volunteering,” eighth-grader Camdan says. He’s been a volunteer for the Golden Library Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for the past two years. “I get to meet new people, talk to other TAB members, and have fun.”
Teens can get involved with a TAB at most Jefferson County Public Libraries (Conifer and Wheat Ridge don’t currently offer TAB). TABs meet once a month so local teens can get to know other teens from the area, talk about important Library issues, and help plan and promote upcoming programs at the Library.
“We have some amazing and involved teens in our community,” Arra Katona, teen services coordinator for JCPL says. “The TABs help the Library become more of a valuable resource for our community and develop and design our services to have the greatest impact for teens in Jefferson County.”
TAB members want you to know that they’re not just sitting in the corner reading books. They write murder mystery parties, develop escape rooms, plan Teen After Hours, and host fashion shows and art exhibits. They hold gaming nights, movie marathons, Stranger Things parties, anime proms and science cafes. They’re all about community.
“You get more of a voice in TAB,” says freshman Belmar TAB member Helen. “You get to contribute, and then your opinions have a lot more influence in things like events.”
For those who can’t make the monthly commitment to TAB, the Library offers other ways to get involved, like awesome events, internships and even more opportunities to volunteer, such as Camdan’s favorite, during the Library’s Summer Reading program.
“The Library is one of my favorite places, so when I get to volunteer and be there and get more people into it, it’s great,” Camdan says.
His fellow Summer Reading volunteers agree. They love things like “seeing the kids’ faces when they get their prizes”, “registering everyone and showing them something new” and “interact[ing] with all kinds of people.”
“I think it’s a really great program,” Helen says. “It’s really nice to be a part of it since it really motivates people to read more. It’s [also] really nice seeing kids talking about how they read this or that.”
Explore Library services and resources specific to teens, opens a new window or apply to be a volunteer, opens a new window.
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Introducing our new Connect magazine! Keep up with the latest stories and happenings about JCPL. There’s something for everyone. And it’s all free at your Library.
Published four times a year, Connect is free and available at grocery stores, all JCPL libraries and online at jeffcolibrary.org.
