At their annual convention, Mt. Laurel Library’s teen librarian, Samantha Marker, received a “Rising Star Award” from the New Jersey Library Association for her creative and innovative work with teens at the library. The award was presented on Tuesday, June 5 at an awards dinner.
Under Marker’s leadership, the Mt. Laurel Library’s teen program is teen driven and includes an active Teen Advisory Board (TAB) who are involved and care about the library. A Teen Space remodel in 2009 was done with teen input on all decisions, from paint to furniture, and decorated with teen produced artwork.
Marker coordinates a successful summer teen volunteer program of about 65 teens per summer who handle all summer book club registration and prize distribution. Volunteers are recruited through school visitation and community outreach.
Marker started the Mega Mega Teen Tunes concert series, which is now in its fifth year. Performers are teen bands, publicity is done by teens (video promos, T shirt campaign in school day of the show, teens help administer the Facebook group), hosted by teens and are attended by more than 100 people.
Marker also championed creative teen programs focused on physical activity including Dodgeball Lockdown, Humans vs. Zombies, Parkour class, LARP (Live Action Role Play) and Nerf battles.
She has forged an active partnership between the Friends of the Library and the Teen Advisory Board. The Friends support teen programs through funds donated in a coin vortex “wishing well” at the library, which garners about $800 a year in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. In turn, members of TAB provide help with the Friends quarterly book sales by assisting with the set-up and clean up.
“We are so pleased that Samantha’s hard work with the teens of Mt. Laurel was recognized in this way,” said library director, Kathy Schalk-Greene.
Marker leads an active, vibrant teen program and contributes to create the overall face-to-face and online experience of the library for all Mt. Laurel Library customers.
Mt. Laurel Library is located at 100 Walt Whitman Ave. in Mt. Laurel. For additional information, call (856) 234–7319, ext. 333.
