TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Public Library this week announced the launch of a new Teen Advisory Board (TAB) program that runs from December 2022 to March 2023. As a part of TAB, teenagers gain leadership and teamwork skills, create a teen-led community service project, give input on programs, services and new initiatives, earn service-learning hours and make new friends. Applications are open through November 13, and the library encourages any 13- to 18-year-old to apply.

“We are excited about the possibilities the Teen Advisory Boards can bring to our system and to the community. We find it as a win-win, not only are we keeping teenagers interested in the library during a time many lose interest, we’re also getting a fresh perspective on what the next generation wants the library to look like,” said Youth and Family Engagement Manager Conni Strittmatter.

The library’s 19 branches are broken into three regions: west, central and east, with 15 teenagers selected for each region. Requirements for the board include attending a monthly meeting from December through March at a branch in their local region, actively participating in the creation of a community service project, working well in a team and independently and having excellent communication skills. TAB members selected based on a variety of criteria, including proper and thoughtful completion of the application, timely submission of the application, availability and the number of teens that apply per branch. All applicants notified of their application status by November 28.

Region Breakdown:

• West Region: Arbutus, Catonsville, Lansdowne, Pikesville, Randallstown and Woodlawn
• Central Region: Cockeysville, Hereford, Loch Raven, Owings Mills, Parkville-Carney, Reisterstown and Towson
• East Region: Essex, North Point, Perry Hall, Rosedale, Sollers Point and White Marsh

The full schedule is available on the Baltimore County Public Library website.

Photo by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash