BELLOWS FALLS — Sam Maskell didn't plan to become a librarian.
But when her daughter entered preschool, they began to come to the Rockingham Free Public Library to find books to read together.
Maskell was disappointed by what she found.
“They had some kids' books, but the collection was as big as that corner, upstairs and stuck in the back,” Maskell said, indicating a small three stack area of the library in one corner.
The Youth Department now has its own space and entrance in the basement of the historic Carnegie-built library and its breadth spans the length of the building. The stacks are divided into age appropriate sections.
Maskell got her B.A. in English at the University of Vermont in 2000. “I've always worked with computers, like from forever,” she said.
As her daughter spent more time there, she started volunteering helping kids get started on computers in 2000.
In 2001, a position opened up so she applied and was hired. Her job description changed after a few years, and eventually she became the youth librarian.
Over a period of years, Maskell participated in a unique state program through Vermont public libraries which allowed her to accrue 150 credits and receive a public library certificate.
“I don't have a background in library sciences,” she smiled. “I'm so grateful for that program.”
Through a combination of internship and study, an advisor or mentor helps guide the applicant to accruing the experience and necessary requirements for the certification.
“It was a wonderful program,” Maskell said. “It took awhile [to complete] and my predecessor, Caitlyn Wilkinson, really helped me understand what developing the children's programs means to the kids.”
When Maskell came on board, she and Wilkinson “did surveys about what kids thought of the library. It was just awful. There were no books and they thought the librarians were mean. We asked ourselves how we can address this and make the library a place they can come to.”
Through a Paul Post grant in 2003, they took a bunch of the youth to a bookstore where they picked out and bought books for the Young Adult section.
The Youth Department library has a special corner dedicated to a private, quiet place for teens to read on “the roost” - away from the rest of the room. “Perceived privacy is big for teens,” Maskell smiles.
The room is quiet at the moment but there are programs for all ages throughout the year. Maskell is very much about making the library a friendly extension of youths' lives. “It's like a big living room,” she said. “I like to listen to the kids, find out what they are interested in.”
Listening to the patrons
Maskell said her priorities in her job are “teaching information literacy, promoting the mission of the public library, providing equal access to quality and high interest materials, supporting literacy and skills in technology, making sure that the library experience is relevant.”
“One of the reasons the programs in the Youth Department succeed is that a large part of what I do is create opportunities for kids, teens, and the community to shape the programs and influence the collection.” Maskell explained.
“We have a book group where [youth] can read and keep the book,” Maskell said. “We partner with the Middle School so the kids will have something to do after school. We do things that appeal to them like the detective club. We have movie night, crafting night. Average ages are 8 to 12 year olds. It's enormously popular.”
“We collaborate with the Boys & Girls Club too,” she added, “We support one another with information sharing and we let each other know what events we're doing.”
“I see my job as ensuring that the public library is the community's library - to listen to and actively seek out requests, interests, and needs and make sure all of that is available in the collection and represented in programming and services.” Maskell said. “So, using social networking technology helps facilitate that sharing because it's where a large number of our patrons - especially teens - are already and it has provided new outlets for connecting and engaging with them.”
Maskell has her own Facebook page where she interacts and hears from her youth patrons about what they are reading and would like to see in the collection, or may help them find something online.
She frequently uses instant messaging and e-mail as well. “Sometimes you have to be a bit more clever,” she smiled. “There might be a test on the other end [of the question]. I try not to answer specifically but direct them where they can find the answer.”
Maskell's involvement with teens through new technology means she becomes part of the conversation. She hears a book mentioned that youths like and she'll find a way for it to become part of the collection.
“We're starting to look into downloadable audio and e-books,” Maskell said. “I think it's important that we incorporate our services with mobile technology.”
“It's a lot cheaper to get a cell phone with a plan than it is to get a computer nowadays,” Maskell pointed out. “Here in particular, a lot of youth can't afford a computer but can afford a cell phone.
Maskell said that accessibility - to a library and to one another - “is a big issue in this economy and society. It's important to remove as many obstacles as possible We have volunteers who help with the programming. We strive to make it friendly and [age] appropriate.”
Maskell is also involved in the Teen Advisory Council through the library. “The TACteam is an interesting group and has changed shape … over the years and embodies [the] spirit of teens creating their library,” she said.
“With the first Paul Post grant to fund [a] teen program, I had a handful of teenagers willing to join the TAC…[that] meant getting together once a month, talking books, coming up with program ideas, and basically figuring out what they wanted their library to do and helping to make it happen. That first book group … came out of …TAC along with the first book buying trip for the [young adult] section.”
More than books
To Maskell, involving young people in the library goes beyond just books.
“TAC has been huge in our annual Halloween planning – [youth] deciding what [to] do and then taking part in presenting something for the community,” she said. “Our craziest Halloween event ever was a game of community tag [typically played out on campuses] called Humans vs. Zombies. We adapted it for a community game and had hundreds of people – including a majority of the middle school – involved.”
“No worries - the humans won in the end,” she added.
“We're thinking about a haunted house [in the Youth Department library], a Halloween storyteller [favorite storyteller, Simon Brooks has done this in the past], and perhaps a guided walk in a cemetery,” Maskell enthused.
The TAC has been the engine behind many of the most successful programs for youth at the library.
Maskell describes, “One year [we] planned and fundraised [and sent] a group to the AnimeBoston convention … where …teens were able to meet some of their favorite anime and manga writers and illustrators – it was a great weekend.”
“Another year [we] planned, fundraised, and organized a bus to see The Producers on Broadway – not only did [the kids] organize the trip and the bus, they fundraised enough to reduce every teen's ticket price to $50.”
Maskell says the teens are directly involved with planning and programming as well as what books are in the library's young adult section.
“On a regular basis they read up on new books and make direct book requests for the collection.”
“They help plan the very popular teen lock-ins - [which are] overnight events at the Library.”
Scheduling is perhaps the most important factor. Offering programs teens and their families cannot attend makes them moot.
“When I plan my programming sessions they are directly involved… [programs are] based on what they would attend or what they think other teens would like.”
“My job with the TAC is to help them make their ideas happen,” she said. “Most importantly they learn how to locate, use, and evaluate information within the context of a real project. This is at the heart of information literacy. Because of the Internet and the availability of all sorts of both accurate and questionable information…, [this is] one of the most important skills I can help them develop … in the public library.”
Technology has played a central role in how the group meets.
“The first few years we met monthly over a pizza at the library,” Maskell said. “We started meeting and holding some discussions over e-mail. At one point we had a private forum where we had threaded discussions.”
Now they have face-to-face meetings over specific projects which most often happen over Facebook groups, instant messaging, emails, or over the desk when the teen volunteers are in the library on their own.
“This change happened largely because of scheduling; between sports, other club activities, and school and family obligations it became difficult to schedule times that everyone who wished to be involved could meet. Plus, they are all comfortable with the technology, so it really was an easy move.”
Maskell's ease with the technology has played a central role in how this developed.
“I've always been on computers,” she said.
Maskell also spends time developing outreach “providing services for youth, families, and developing partnerships with community organizations like the schools.”
Maskell said that this summer, “People aren't going away and the kids aren't necessarily going away to summer camp.”
Usage and circulation has gone up about 34 percent.
The library provides free passes to youth to go to museums, historical sites, parks and nature museums. Emily Zervas, historical and reference librarian, said that use of those passes is up about three times what it was last year.
Family and child events at the library are well attended. A recent “do pirates like ice cream?” event had 40 participants. “We'd planned for 42 pirate ice cream hats,” Maskell laughed.
Maskell said that right now, “my big push is to make sure that all students have a library card. I'll be visiting elementary school classrooms to [talk] to younger kids about what the library can offer …and how the public library is really theirs.”
Maskell began visiting classrooms as her daughter went through the system.
“I began this job just before she really got into the school system and have been visiting classes in the schools every year,” she said. “It is getting [to the point that] every graduating class will have had a public library visit … at least once a year since starting school in Rockingham.”
“Some of the [original] teen volunteers have now graduated college and moved on in their adult lives,” she added. “[I'm] really proud of all of them.”
The longevity of her involvement and its effects is seen in that, “so many former library teens that were active in programs with me have stayed in touch.”
“A number of them are still involved,” she said. “All of the adults that volunteer as chaperones for the Lock-Ins or lead games in our Friday night gaming program … were former teen volunteers and kids that just hung out.”
Maskell recalls a line from a picture book in her own youth, “I've never worked a day and I never will."
“I know what that means,” she said. “I really love [this] job … and what I get to do for this community. It doesn't feel like work and it never has.”