In the last year, our Teen Volunteer program (VolunTeens) has continued to grow as we strive to bring work experience to our teen demographic. They have put in some hard work during this time, and we can’t thank them enough for their help with assisting at programs, putting together Baby Book Boxes, and signing up our patrons for the Summer Adventure Challenge. As things continue to change at our library, so do our state laws.
Changes to the VolunTeens
As of April 2nd of this year, the State of Michigan has amended the Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA), which affects the operations of not only employed youth, but also youths who do volunteer work. To coincide with the new law, we have made some changes to our VolunTeen requirements, which state the following:
- Teens must be 14 years old and up to be able to volunteer at the library.
- Teens between the ages of 14 and 17 must fill out our LTPL Waiver and a work permit, which can be turned in to the school district they attend.
- Teens who are homeschooled must turn their work permit in to the school district in which they reside (Example: If you live in Lincoln Township, you must turn your permit into Lakeshore School District).
Ways to get Involved
While there have been some challenges, LTPL strives to make our library a welcoming space for teens. For who teens under 14, or are not able to volunteer, there are plenty of ways to make your voice heard:
- Fill out your suggestions: We have teen surveys available in the teen area as well as an online version here. Let us know what kinds of programs and services you would like to see at LTPL
- Submit content for our Teen Newsletter: Share your opinions on books and media with a review that will be featured in our Teen Newsletter, Between the Shelves. You can also show off any projects you are working on, whether it is in art form or video form.
- Peruse our collection: Checking out books at the library helps us to know what our patrons are reading and interested in; that way, we can add more of what you like to our collection.
- Attend a program: Sometimes the best and easiest way to support your library is to show up. We offer a variety of programs year-round. Check out all of our upcoming events on our online calendar.
