Fairfield library receives grant for teen resources

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Public Library has been selected to receive a $3,000 grant to develop new resources for teens.

The grant comes from the American Library Association. The Fairfield Public Library is one of 300 libraries participating in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an ALA initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities.

The grant will help the Fairfield library purchase resources to draw teens to the library and encourage them to become lifelong library users.

As part of the grant, Fairfield youth services librarian Alecs Mickunas will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Mickunas will then host a conversation with teens in September 2021 about what resources teens would like to see the library provide and use the grant funds to decide how to use the funding for developing a teen space or programming for teens.

“Through this project, I’m hope to get to know the teens in Fairfield and in Jefferson County better and begin to learn how we can support them in developing a greater sense of community for teens at the library,” Mickunas said. “Young people are our future, and I’m committed to doing all I can to help them feel prepared to take responsibility for the future of our world.”

Mickunas said the library has seen a notable decrease in teenagers using the library during the past 10 years, and he hopes to figure out why and how the library can reverse the trend.

“Through developing understanding and trust with the teen participants in these conversations, I hope to find a group of young people who will become Teen Advisory Board members for the library,” Mickunas said. “These teens would contribute their perspectives for teen programming and suggest purchases for young adult materials.”

Those who are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation may contact Mickunas at alecsm@fairfield.lib.ia.us, or visit fairfield.lib.ia.us/ for more information.

Since 2014, the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have used free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.