Meet the Teen Squad Volunteers - Main Library Edition

by Becca

I’m Becca and I am the Teen Librarian at the Main Library. I absolutely love working with my Teen Squad volunteers. They are truly the most inspiring, community-minded, and driven people I know. They are making a difference every day and I am so lucky to be able to spend my time with them (even if we have to do it virtually!). We are working on so many great projects together this summer and I can’t wait for you to see what amazing work they are doing to improve both our Library and our wonderful Salt Lake City community!
​

​Hello, I am Nate, a volunteer at the Teen Squad program at the Salt Lake City Public Library system. I am 13 and chose to become a Teen Squad member because I love books and the library and want to help out during this unusual summer. To help the library community this summer I am creating a project focused on helping kids stay occupied in the summer by making a series of crafts people can do. This is a fun and creative activity focused on tweens, (though most age groups will be able to do the crafts). There will be at least one craft posted a month this summer for people to do. I look forward to people doing my fun crafts this summer! (P.S. Here is a sneak peek of the first craft coming out in late June!)

Hello, my name is Anna. I am fifteen and I’m so excited to be a part of Teen Squad this summer! I chose to be part of Teen Squad this summer because the library has given so much to me and the community and this is just my way of giving back. Something I think is very important is learning how to be inclusive and kind to everyone. Books are a wonderful way to take a peek into different people's lives and perspectives. By reading and learning about other people's struggles and differences we can become a more inclusive society that values everyone equally. This summer I will be working on a zine that will be focusing on how books teach us how to become a more inclusive and accepting society. My hopes for this project is that it will inspire someone to pick up a book that shines light on a different culture, ethnicity, or sexuality.
​

​Hi, my name is Trinity, I’m 14 and a Teen Squad volunteer for the Main Library Branch. I wanted to volunteer for Teen Squad because I love the library community, and this specific library has been a place that I have been going to and cultivating my love for reading for my entire life. One of the things that this library, and the entire library system has given me is a sense of community and chances to meet people that I can relate to, so with the objective of doing the same for others, I planned my project to do just that. My Teen Squad project is a zine that is based off of interviews that I have been conducting in regards to people’s self-appreciation/self-love and their mental health, in an attempt to show people that they aren’t alone. This zine is made for tweens, teens, and adults, so 10+.
​

Hi! I’m Avi, I’m sixteen, go by they/them pronouns, and work for the Main Library branch! I decided to volunteer for Teen Squad because for the past two summers, the program has been my highlight from my time off school, and I wanted to continue the trend, even during this unusual summer. For my project, I decided to create a presentation focusing on the positive aspects of the world, and how to improve your mental health during these trying times. Every month, I will share 5 positive news stories that relate to current world events or stories that are local. I will also share 5 mental health tips including, but not limited to, self expression. I will be presenting these tips and stories once a month during Alphabet Soup, the Main Library’s LGBTQ+ Club for teens. I hope my project can improve the lives of those who listen.

Thank you for reading! By the end of the summer you will be able to find these incredible projects on our City Library Teens Blog, Biblioboard, and at your local library!

Stay tuned for new posts each week about more of our Teen Squad teens. Next week: Anderson-Foothill Branch Teen Squad!
​