Strategic Planning » Children and Teens

Children’s Library & Teen Room: Johnson Building Improvement Project

Christine Schonhart — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 12:30:52 +0000

Since our last update on the Children’s Library and Teen Room, library staff and users have been hard at work in the design stage of these spaces.

A few things have changed since the summer, mainly the orientation of the Children’s Library which is now planned to occupy two quadrants of the second floor along Exeter Street. This will allow for dedicated space for toddlers, school-age kids, and tweens; a large program space within the room, stroller parking, and collections and computers for all ages.

The Teen Room is also progressing in the design stage as we look at different options for the shape of the room as well as developing ideas for a digital makerspace for teens. The Teen Room will be on the second floor of the Johnson Building as well.

Over the summer, library administration met with youth services staff and gathered feedback from teens who use current Central Library Teen Room. We have also used the recommendations from our system-wide programming report to help inform decisions.

You can be part of the conversation in a number of ways: post comments on this post, visit the project exhibition now at the Central Library in Copley Square, attend a roundtable meeting, send an email at compass@bpl.org, or mail a letter to Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.

Systemwide Youth Programming Study complete

Christine Schonhart — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 18:05:53 +0000

In July 2012, the Boston Public Library Foundation put out a request for proposals to assist the BPL in reviewing systemwide youth programming, program spaces, and gathering best practices from peer libraries across the country. The team from Wondercabinet Interpretive Design process included a staff survey, site visits, staff meetings and a public survey. Hundreds of comments were gathered over several months and the final report (PDF), published in June 2013, is now available.

Teen Zone: Johnson Building Improvement Project

Gina Perille — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Building a new teen zone is also part of the first construction phase of the Johnson Building Improvement Project. It is envisioned that the teen zone will be located on the second floor of the Johnson Building, a move from its current location on the Mezzanine level. Read this description of an enhanced teen area that we shared last year. Although the latest thinking on specific location has changed, the defining characteristics of a successful teen space remain.

Teen Zone

Collaborative and flexible
Group study pods
Hi-tech resources
Teen books, magazines, and zines

The first image below shows the location of the new teen zone (highlighted in green) on the second floor of the Johnson Building. The teen zone is not yet designed; the diagram shows what could fit in the available space.

The second image shows some concepts for major design elements that the design team assembled through research and discussion. The categories are lounges, quiet spaces, media, and maker space. Your responses and suggestions are welcome, too. Please feel free to comment directly on this blog, send an email to compas s@bpl.org, or send a letter to Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.

Children’s Library: Johnson Building Improvement Project

Gina Perille — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 11:30:04 +0000

The Johnson Building Improvement Project got its start from discussions of how to improve library services for the Central Library’s youngest visitors, so it is fitting that the first phase of the project will begin with the design and construction of a new children’s library. At the beginning of the master planning process, we shared this description of what a successful children’s library would include. And below, we have highlights of the key ingredients along with a diagram that demonstrates what could fit in the available space. The new children’s library has not been designed yet. It is envisioned that the children’s library will move to the second floor of the Johnson Building with its own entrance and restrooms.

Children’s Library

Family-friendly destination
Interactive learning environment
Age-appropriate zones, infants thru tweens

The first image below shows the location of the new children’s library (highlighted in blue) on the second floor of the Johnson Building. The second image shows some concepts for major design elements that the design team assembled through research and discussion. Your responses and suggestions are welcome. Please feel free to comment directly on this blog, send an email to compas s@bpl.org, or send a letter to Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116.

Systemwide Youth Programs Review & Assessment

Christine Schonhart — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:43:25 +0000

In July 2012, the Boston Public Library Foundation put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consulting services that would result in a program of systemwide library services for youth in Boston. This programming review and assessment fulfills two of the principles in the Library’s Strategic Plan:1) Children and Teens and 2) Community Gathering.

After reviewing the RFPs and interviewing respondents, Wondercabinet Interpretive Design, Inc. was selected to lead this process. During the months of January and February, BPL youth services staff were surveyed to help determine current practices in BPL programming, space availability and options, best practices from other libraries and to gather feedback on what works best and what needs work. In the coming weeks, the public will be invited to participate in a survey to help determine their favorite programs, ideas for new programs, and feedback on what they think works best and what needs work.

In the meantime, do you have a favorite children’s or teen program at the Library or elsewhere? What are your favorite places for youth programming and what makes them special? Please share in the comments.

Johnson Building Improvement Project: Enhanced Teen Area

Gina Perille — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:00:52 +0000

The same Compass Principle guiding the children’s library also guides the Boston Public Library to offer a slate of services that provide academic support and intellectual growth for teens. The goal is to create a best-in-class library for teens to advance these efforts.

The teen room could remain where it currently is on the mezzanine level of the Johnson Building. The space could be redesigned to allow for collaborative work, enhanced and expanded technology, a refreshed collection, and updated furnishings. In addition, the current Mezzanine Conference Room could be renovated to become the teen programming room. A review of current teen programs would inform the needs of this space which could include new furniture, carpeting, paint, and a media creation booth.

A successful teen area would include:

Book collections that respond to the educational and entertainment needs of Boston’s teens
Comfortable, bright, furniture for lounging and studying
Enhanced technology offerings
Quiet study rooms for young people to gather in small groups to do homework or work on projects
Staff work space in the public area as well as an office space
Static and/or electronic display boards
Wayfinding and signage
Other services identified by teens.

Johnson Building Improvement Project: Children’s Library

Gina Perille — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:00:08 +0000

The Boston Public Library fosters a love of reading and skills in critical and creative thinking among children and teens – from early literacy through mature readership – by offering a slate of services that provide academic support and intellectual growth. This is the Children and Teens BPL Compass Principle. The BPL’s goal is to create a new and larger best-in-class library for children to advance these efforts.

The new children’s library would serve the youth of Boston from birth through elementary school. Dedicated spaces for babies, toddlers, and schoolage kids would ensure that each age group is given the collections they need, technologies to help prepare them for our ever!changing environment, and programming that is responsive to their academic and entertainment needs. The proposed new children’s library would be located on the street level of the Johnson Building.

A successful children’s library would include:

Book collections for all ages, from board books for our youngest readers to chapter books, nonfiction and summer reading titles for school-aged kids
An early literacy nook with learning manipulative toys to help with infant and toddler brain development
Program space for story time, sing-alongs, puppet shows, and more
Quiet study space for homework and reading
Collaborative work spaces for kids to explore reading, learning, and gathering with family and friends
Innovative technology and flexible space to allow for the next generation of technology
Computers to help students prepare for the digital world
Family restrooms with infant changing tables
Staff work space in the public area as well as an office
Comfortable furniture for children and their caregivers
Stroller parking
Static and/or electronic display boards
Wayfinding and signage
Bright, cheery, welcoming design that stimulates creativity.

Johnson Building Improvement Project: Goals

Gina Perille — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:00:58 +0000

The goals of this study and project are in line with BPL’s Compass principles of Community Gathering, Children & Teens, and Sustainable Organization. They include:

1. Enriched library services and user experience

Improved user services through better access and adjacencies
Collections thoughtfully presented and accessible to meet demand
Expanded and improved youth services through reimagined children’s library and teen room
Expanded engagement opportunities through new functional spaces such as a conference center, “living room,” and potential commercial-use space

2. Improved visitor first impression

Improved exterior transparency and engagement, with clear paths and intuitive wayfinding
Reinvigorated entrance and lobby, and connection to the streetscape

3. Positive financial impact for BPL

Leveraging of public investment with private investment
Optimal and maximum use of the existing physical asset
Revenue generation and cost sharing from commercial tenants
Leveraging benefit of previously-deferred maintenance projects to support library service improvements

Profiles – Angela P. Bonds, Children’s Librarian, Boston Public Library

Gina Perille — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:30:55 +0000

Although she was 24 before she realized her true calling, Angela Bonds has always loved the library. “It was librarians who got me enthusiastic about the library,” she recalls. Early in her career, when she worked in circulation and shelving, she loved spending time in the teen room of the Central Library in Copley Square —“even when I wasn’t working,” she says. “I liked watching the interactions of the kids, and even shelving books in the children’s room was so much fun. I liked the hustle and bustle and being asked for book suggestions.”

Today, Angela is thrilled to be a new children’s librarian for the Boston Public Library. “I want to make sure kids have a good time in the library,” she says. To accomplish that, she hopes to find “fun ways to connect” with young people, from story hours and showing movies based on books to providing out-of-school time experiences.

Serving a mix of age groups is one of the rewards of her job. “Seeing kids go from babies to teens is exciting,” she says. “Maybe someday one of them will become a librarian.”

Out-of-school Time Survey Highlights

Gina Perille — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:30:55 +0000

During the development of the Boston Public Library’s strategic plan, community members expressed a desire for a reimagined and enhanced Homework Assistance Program (Principle V, Outcome B, Strategy 1). Since the spring, the Boston Public Library (BPL) has been engaged in a process to fulfill that very request by discussing and analyzing a range of out-of-school time program options.

In addition to the planning work of library professionals on the BPL’s Youth Services team, the library administered a survey to gain input directly from children and teens, along with a separate survey for parents and caregivers. The staggered survey roll-out schedule made it possible to incorporate comments from the children and teens survey (May 2012) into the adults and caregivers survey (June 2012).

Below are highlights from both survey instruments utilized. Adult and caregiver responses appear in blue; children and teen responses appear in orange. For the chart immediately below, survey takers were allowed to choose multiple program types in their response. The numbers along the left-hand side represent what percent of respondents chose a particular program type.

For the chart immediately below, survey takers were allowed to choose multiple activities in their response. The numbers along the left-hand side represent what percent of respondents chose a particular activity.

Work continues on the library’s out-of-school time program offerings. The surveys have direct influence on the out-of-school time programming model the BPL will unveil in September of this year. Programming will focus on themes such as arts, writing, science, math, and robotics each month during the school year. From September to May, the Boston Public Library will partner with other Boston-based organizations offering those types of programs. The library’s calendar (www.bpl.org/calendar) will list out-of-school time programs beginning in September.

Thank you to all who completed the surveys and who offered comments in the open response sections in addition to the objective questions. Ninety-five (95) young people completed the May survey and 191 parents and caregivers completed the June survey.