San Jose public libraries have a lot to offer, but are you aware of the benefits that it could give you as a teen?

The Rose Garden Branch Library has recently introduced a new member to their staff, Emily Lowell. Ms. Lowell is extremely dedicated to helping teens show what they really have to offer, especially in the community. “TeensReach is a program for teens offered through the San Jose Public Library,” she said. “It is important for me to foster the growth of this program at Rose Garden because it provides teens with an opportunity to develop leadership skills and it provides the library with valuable feedback from the teens on how to improve our services,” she said. She also mentioned wanting to provide a safe and comfortable environment for students who choose to go there after school.

She believes that providing these types of skills and benefits can “help lift barriers to information that teens might encounter elsewhere,” such as for college or even for a future job.

TeensReach also gives you the opportunity to receive community service hours, which are a school requirement. Not only does it help with school requirements, but it also will help you gain experience. A regular volunteer at the Rose Garden, Anthony Torres, a 10th grader at Lincoln, said he started “cleaning children’s books and helping by cleaning shelves,” and volunteered in a Doctor Seuss themed event, which Ms. Lowell “noticed that several who helped with the event walked away feeling more confident in working with the public, and working with children and their parents.”

The library also offers a new type of library card called the “Teen Card.” It is available to students starting from age 13 to age 17, and does NOT require a parental signature to open. It limits teens to one item per check out, but provides an array of benefits for any student! Students are also able to have access to the computers with these cards.

What most students do not know is that the The San Jose Public Library system has several online databases easily accessible. For instance, if a student needs sources for a research paper, they can search these databases for scholarly articles.  These articles are even cited properly. If the student has internet access at home they can also use that card to access those benefits from home. Ms. Lowell says, “Students who utilize these resources will be better prepared for college, where they are often expected to know how to use a database for search needs.”

This teen card is being piloted in Mr. Alpers’ English classes. Lincoln is among the first high schools in San Jose to try it out!

Visit this website for more information:  https://www.sjpl.org/teen-card.