Volunteers or Employees: Finding the Right Fit for Teens at the Library

Wondering whether you should pay teens as library employees, or engage them as volunteers? You're not alone! The distinctions can be tricky, and there are pros and cons to each. This Shop Talk session explores the types of roles that paid and unpaid teens tend to fill at public libraries and provides guidance on how to decide which teen experience will work best for your library. The presenter will also share her experiences managing paid internships and volunteer programs at the New York Public Library, and will share what she has learned from those experiences. You'll learn practical tips on how to structure volunteer programs and paid teen experiences, the activities that work best for each category, how to fund teen employment if that's the path you choose, the pitfalls to avoid, and finally, the valuable learning opportunities volunteer and paid positions offer to teens.