Team charge

Youth Development provides leadership, strategic vision, and support for Library youth and family initiatives, and ensures youth have access to Library resources and services. It coordinates and consults with systemwide staff on services and partnerships to support youth ages 0-18, focusing on brain development, literacy skills, school readiness, school support, life skills, teen leadership development, connected learning, and reading for fun.

Youth Development is part of Community Services.

Responsibilities

Manager

Youth Development Manager, Danielle Jones

The Youth Development Manager oversees the Youth Development team’s charge. They serve as subject matter expert for the learning, development, and service needs for youth ages 0-18, their families and the community that serves them. 

• Member of the Public Services Management Team
• Member of the Community Services Management Team
• Manages the Youth Development Team
• Oversees youth services provided in locations and provided by location staff
• Oversees Youth Services budget
• Sponsors the Youth Services Action Teams
• Supports the onboarding process for new youth and teen librarians
• Provides direct support and consultation to location leaders around location based youth services and youth services staff
• Serves as subject matter expert for library spaces 

Youth and family bilingual services

Youth and Family Bilingual Services Specialist, Delia Palomeque Morales

The Youth and Family Bilingual Services Specialist facilitates systemwide services for youth, teens, and their families prioritizing Latine and immigrant communities. They serve as the subject matter expert on youth and teens for the library as well as County departments and partner organizations. 

• Listos para el Kínder (Listos)
• Family Newsletter
• Immigrant family support navigating the U.S. school system
• Program development that supports teens and their families for college and career readiness prioritizing immigrant, first generation, and/or undocumented teens
• Bienvenidos a la Lectura kits
• Active member and ad-hoc member of youth services action teams and committees
• Member of the systemwide Spanish translation team, including the development of the Official Multnomah County Library Spanish Style Guide
• Develops training and classes in Spanish for staff, caregivers, educators, including Library Services, Family Engagement and School Partnership, and Talking About Race and Racism with Children

Early childhood (birth-preK) services, storytimes, and programs

Early Childhood Services Librarian, Natasha Forrester Campbell

The Early Childhood Services Librarian facilitates systemwide services for young children ages birth - 5 and the adults who care for and educate them. They serve as the subject matter expert on early language and literacy for the library as well as County departments and partner organizations.

• Early Kindergarten Transition
• Storytime training
• Early learning and child development classes for staff, educators, caregivers, including Early Childhood Essentials, Talking with Kids About Race and Racism, and Storytime Training.
• Consult on early childhood programming including coordinating systemwide storytimes
• Member of Early Literacy Action Team
• Co-chair of Storytime Training Team

Youth and family (K-6th and families) services and programs

Youth and Family Services Librarian, Jackie Partch

The Youth and Family Services Librarian facilitates systemwide services for children ages 5-12 (grades K-6) and their families. They serve as the subject matter expert on elementary age children for the library as well as County departments and partner organizations.

• Family Newsletter
• Homeschooling liaison
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• Virtual Tutoring
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• member of Early Elementary Action Team and Tween Team
• School Age Essentials training
• Teen/Tween Facilitation training

Teen (7th-12th) services, councils, and programs

Tween & Teen Services Librarian, Mandy Tuthill

The Teen Services Librarian facilitates systemwide services for teenagers. They serve as a subject matter expert on working effectively with teens for the library as well as County departments and partner organizations.

• Teen Council
• Book groups grades 7-12
• Teen Essentials training
• Teen/Tween Facilitation training
• Member of Teen Action Team

Library Connect

The Library Connect Librarian oversees the services of Library Connect. Library Connect is ​a student ID / library account partnership with school districts in Multnomah County, serving K-12 students. 

• School district liaison, sharing Library Connect information with librarians and educators, and facilitating assistance with Library Connect rollout at the school and classroom level.
• Resources, training, and support for staff who support Library Connect at the school level, and staff serving students, families, and educators in library locations.
• Information Services Training Team (ISTT) - youth services representative 

Youth Reader Services

 Youth Reader Services Librarian, Kate Carter

• Summer Reading Program
• Booklists for youth
• Book groups grades K-6
• Follow the Reader
• Read to the Dogs
• Welcome to Reading, Zoom storytime and Leyendo aprendo
• Oregon Battle of the Books resources
• YS Commons
• Knowledge Tracker

Youth Services Assistant

Youth Services Assistant, Nic Bilyeu

The Youth Services Assistant provides systemwide support for youth services.

• YS Dispatch
• Supply ordering
• Meeting minutes
• Scheduling
• YS Google groups and YS commons maintenance
• Coordination of Youth Services Knowledge Tracker questions
• Coordination of YS laundry services
• Managing circulation of systemwide youth services kits and shared items
• Rentals and room reservations