Public libraries have well documented the challenge of ensuring that staff reflects the community it serves; this disparity is especially pronounced in rural communities. As a three-county regional library system covering a rural area facing significant economic challenges, Neuse Regional Libraries (NRL) researched and developed the Teens Lead program, which provides paid learning opportunities with an emphasis on opening the door to positive learning experiences in the field of librarianship for diverse individuals. The Teens Lead internship program focuses on developing life skills and immersing teens in real-life work experiences through community volunteering initiatives in partnership with our local public school systems. The Teens Lead initiative is a workforce development program for teens entering 11th or 12th grade. As part of the internship, participants are required to complete a capstone literacy project that exemplifies the library and promotes lifelong learning in the community. Each internship program offers information sessions on librarianship career pathways through professional guest speakers in the academic, public, and school library fields; financial literacy education; leadership development training; entrepreneurship workshops; and work etiquette instruction using a toolkit platform that can be shared nationally for replication for all types of libraries. The toolkit centers on a community-focused approach that allows users to adapt the program to the specific representative needs of their community. Students who complete the program receive a monetary stipend and earn a Career and Technical Education (CTE) credit in conjunction with public schools. The Teens Lead program has opened the door for young adults in our communities to gain positive learning experiences in the librarianship field, thus building a more sustainable future for libraries and the library profession.
