Putting teens in charge of their own library program is a formula for success

How do you create a successful book club for teens? Ask them what they like, let them choose their own titles, and put them in charge of the program. That was our formula for success at the Phoenix Public Library.

Two years ago, teens at our library came up with Read What You Want, a program that allows high school students to read, discuss, and promote books that they choose themselves. The program is totally teen driven and adults play no specific role. In the past, several of our book clubs for teens failed because kids were routinely given a reading list to choose from that was put together by adults. We quickly discovered that the last thing kids wanted was another assignment. Giving them control of their own program made a world of difference.

It all started when Alex, Will, and Holly, three of our library’s teen council members who wanted to form a book club, hooked up with our intern. Amy was a library school graduate student at nearby University of Arizona who was assigned to train teens in booktalking. She understood that in order for our book club to spark authentic conversations about topics teens related to, they needed to find books that they—and not adults—found interesting.

To get the program started, Alex, Holly, Will, and Amy created a program flyer, which we featured in our calendar of events and promoted throughout our library system. “Are you sick and tired of people telling you what to read? Well, we’re not your Mom! Read what you want!” the flyer read.

The program meets twice a month for about 90 minutes, and teens are free to read different books, while our library staff participate by reading their favorite titles. A core group of six teens typically attends, but it can double in size during the summer months. Teens moderate discussions by having members introduce themselves, and anyone can begin by talking about a book that they’ve read. If no one jumps in immediately, Holly usually starts with “Tell us what you liked or hated.” After that, there’s never a lull in the discussion. Once the ice is broken, discussions usually expand beyond books to include movies and life experiences.

The books the kids choose are wide-ranging. Brave New World (HarperCollins, 1990), which presents Aldous Huxley’s vision of the future; My Story: A Child Called 'It’ (Orion, 2002) by Dave Pelzer, about a child beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother; and Goodbye, Chunky Rice (Turtleback, 2004) by Craig Thompson, about a small turtle who leaves his home, are just some titles that were hits with our group.

Not only is it a thrill to have our library provide a forum where high schoolers can talk openly and honestly, but it offers insight into our teen patrons’ reading habits.

One member, an immigrant from the Middle East, was very shy and listened, but didn’t speak to the group when she first started attending. But she knew that our club was supportive and nonjudgmental. Now she’s an active contributor in the program and is a volunteer in our Spanish family storytimes. Another reserved teen who would sit and listen now eagerly participates in our discussions. He recently told us about Alex Sanchez’s Rainbow High (S & S, 2003), a novel about being gay in high school. The book spurred a discussion about sexuality, including how gay students are treated in high school and whether the book was an accurate portrayal.

Our teens even booktalk frequently assigned school titles such as John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby because they feel they can talk about the historical, political, or moral implications of these books without being bound by teacher prescribed questions or being tested in the end. Often, discussions will expand to topics ranging from gender roles and high school cliques to or personal courage.

Read What You Want works because kids have control and leadership of their own program. In the end, they learn to love reading—if it’s done by teens for teens.