Words of Wisdom

Gayle Roberts - Youth Services Librarian, Blair Public Library

How long have you been in the library profession, and in what capacity have you served?

If I go way……. back, I was actually the law librarian for the firms I worked at during the 1980s; and then served as archivist and law librarian during my tenure at Ag Processing Inc, amongst a few other hats. It wasn’t until 2001, however, before I began working reference at UNO’s Criss Library.

What do you enjoy most about working with teens/youth?

I love the adventure we have every single day. There is never a dull moment! With the adventure, though, come moments of trust, respect, and truth. Teens teach us every day that life in our world has changed, and they challenge you to keep up with it.

What do you consider your greatest success so far?

As a Youth Services Librarian, I serve all ages, and my biggest success involving all of our youth has been the opening and operation of our “toy library” – a/k/a educational resource center. We have resources for kids up to age 19, and it has been a huge success with the kids and the parents. On a more behind the scenes level, I am even more pleased with the bridge building and community partnerships I have been able to procure during the last year and a half. This has allowed our youth activities to expand, and has given the library a more permanent place in the youth community. Teaching research and information literacy never felt so good!

What one issue should teen/youth librarians be prepared to address?

Automatically, my brain jumps to technology. Kids love the new techie toys and websites. We, as librarians, need to know how to help them navigate their technical world. However, I think youth librarians need to be prepared to address the unexpected. As an example, our community just dealt with a teen suicide. Thus, we had students flocking both to talk and to find information and books to comfort them. Some days, it's bullying. Some days, it's teachers and harassment. Some days it's sex. We have to ensure that our library and collection will serve our youth for all those unexpected happenings that they encounter everyday in their unsure world.

What are you currently reading? Are there any books you recommend?

Everything! I'm just starting Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman. I love sneaking in my "adult reading". Lately though, I've been finding books on topics mentioned above, and thoroughly recommend What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles and The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf