DPL goes to OLA

I recently attended the Oklahoma Library Association Conference in Norman with the library director, Amy! Our goal was to be inspired and to update ourselves on all the things that would help us make the library better for those we serve—you! I got a lot of information on different library products and updates on services from many vendors—lots of swag! Most importantly, I was able to attend sessions that I felt could make me a better teen librarian. My sessions included one on successful mobile libraries, another on being unafraid to protect the library's collection from censorship—because the library is for EVERYONE, the collection's function is to have books you can see yourselves reflected (mirrors) and books that give you a view into the world and perspective of others (windows), and it's my job to help EVERYONE feel good about this balance! Finally, I attended a session on how to have a successful teen space! While I can't do anything about the location of the library and its proximity to schools or recreation centers, I CAN do my best to add more of what you want to the teen space (requested books, games, and food) while eliminating things you don't want in the teen space (loitering adults, adorable children, and lack of food). I will work on trying to figure out how to make things work with the space we have and present my ideas at the next TAB meeting, so if you'd like to know more, come hang out with us on March 27th at 4:30 pm—there will be food and we'll also have our TEEN READS book discussion on The Hunger Games!