Presentation outlining steps taken by Hillingdon Libraries to engage teenagers in their programmes.

1. Inspiring Teens

2. Why bring Teens in libraries?
• There are approximately 17.5 million young people aged under 25 in
the UK today.
• 46% of 16 to 24 year olds don't read for pleasure. (
Taking Part 2011/12 Adult and Child Report, Department for Culture
Media and Sport, 2012)
• More young people volunteer than any age group; in fact, 40% of all
young people volunteer. Despite this, only 12% of media stories about
young people are positive, almost half the articles about young
people are crime related and only one in ten stories about young
people actually bothers to quote a young person.

3. • The UK has the lowest child wellbeing of all UN countries surveyed in
2011, below Hungary, Poland, the US and virtually every European or
Western Nation.
• 15.9% of all 16- to 24-year-olds in England are not in education,
employment or training.
• Reading books is the only out-of-school activity for 16-year-olds
demonstrably linked to securing managerial or professional jobs.
• 70% of pupils permanently excluded from school have difficulties in
basic literacy skills.

4. Key things that have worked in Hillingdon
• Right Stock
• Right Events
• Right Environment
• Links with Secondary Schools
• Refreshments!

5. Stock for Teens
• More Study Books
• More Graphic Novels
• Better Teen Fiction Selection – move with
trends
• Effective Transitioning to Adult Fiction

6. Bite Night!
Author Event
Hillingdon jumped on the
Paranormal Romance
bandwagon back in 2010
and managed to find an
author ‘Rachel Caine’ who
was promoting her latest
series about Teen
vampires.
We linked it with the
Twilight series by hosting a
quiz, providing various
book prizes and a talk on
Gothic fiction.

7. Over 60 people
came to an event
in a small village
library that
normally gets a
footfall of 180
people a day.

8. Rachel Caine
sold over 100
books that
evening and
signed them
all. We had a
local
independent
bookseller
from Uxbridge
there selling
her books for
us.

9. Free pizza and soft
drinks provided by
local kebab shop.
This was in
exchange for
English Language &
TEFL courses for
the staff there,
provided free of
charge through the
library – this went
down a treat!

10. TokyoPop Re-Con at Ruislip Manor
Library
Ruislip Manor Library
hosted a Manga event
promoting the
TokyoPop books –
people could show up
in fancy dress. It was a
mini comic con. This
was very popular with
young adults – over 80
attended.

11. Moving with Technology
One Library is trying to launch the ‘Next Generation’
of reading group and tying this in with watching the
film version of the book too. FLASH – Film & Literary
Appreciation Society – Harefield. The premise is that
you read the book then watch the film and discuss.

12. Comfortable Environments for Teens &
Students

13. Book of the Year Awards
Secondary Schools
Every year the Schools
Library Service works alongside local
secondary schools to host a ‘Book of
the Year’ award.
The ceremony for this culminates in
all participating local secondary
schools doing a performance in front
of the library service, the school and
the mayor as well as other
prominent local figures.

14. After the performance, a
winner is selected and
then the winner for the
Secondary Book of the Year
is announced.
This has really encouraged
good links with local
schools, and we can get in
touch with them directly
to promote events.

15. Refreshments!

16. Comments? Questions?

17. Thanks very much!
Lara Marshall – Hillingdon Libraries