Library Takeover is a unique intergenerational training programme. Library staff and young people work together in a team to learn the process of being a creative producer from marketing to budgeting, after which the young people take over their local library for an event which they plan and produce themselves.
What happened at our last Library Takeover event?
We ran a creative programme involving young people working with artist Kat François and library staff to support the delivery of the Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) during the school summer holidays. By the end of Library Takeover, the young people had produced a celebration event with artists and poets in recognition of children’s reading achievements.
When this did programme run?
The programme ran from 25th July – 3 September. Young people (aged 12 – 15 years) committed to 4-5 hours a week in total by working with and meeting the artist twice a week at Wembley Library (as part of Brent Libraries)
What did they do?
Young people worked with an established artist and library staff to:
- Create marketing materials and distributing them
- Plan and deliver story & craft workshops
- Design eye-catching library displays and shelving stock
- Collect data for evaluation
- Create a SRC celebration event for Saturday 3 September
What did they learn?
Young people gained work experience including customer service skills, working with children, project management skills, event management, knowledge of stock and basic marketing.
Library Takeover provides an experience that is great for job, apprenticeship and university applications. As ever, all participants received a completion certificate.
Presented in partnership by Apples and Snakes and Brent Libraries. Supported by John Lyon’s Charity.