How can libraries become safe, supportive spaces for teenagers?
Like many libraries across the country, Norfolk Libraries has been facing challenges reaching and engaging teenage audiences. As part of the Reading Well activation project, North Walsham, Norwich Millennium and Costessey Libraries have developed innovative strategies to create welcoming, supportive spaces for young people while supporting their mental wellbeing. We spoke to Valentina, Reading Well Community Coordinator and Emily, Library & Information Assistant at Norfolk Libraries to find out how they’ve been promoting Reading Well for teens locally and getting more young people through the doors.
At North Walsham Library, Valentina explains how they redesigned the teen area by removing computers and adding bean bags, trying to make it inviting and welcoming. The goal has been to create a space “where you can just chill with your friends” and encourage young people to make use of the space and the wider library offers.
One tactic that proved particularly effective was using Heartstopper to create an interactive display. This helped Norfolk Libraries to increase awareness of Reading Well for teens. Emily notes the strategic approach, explaining how they placed Reading Well leaflets alongside the display so that “you could be looking at Heartstopper with your friends, but you could also pick up a leaflet that had other recommended reads and support helplines on it.” This approach is deliberate, recognising that there may be social barriers to accessing mental wellbeing support. “You might not want to be hovering around a display about suicide prevention, but it feels more okay to be hovering around a display that’s got lots of colourful graphic novels and positive messaging.”
Creative workshops have become another key engagement strategy. Friendship bracelet workshops, inspired by Taylor Swift, attracted teens into the library. Emily describes how these events worked: “You catch them and get people in to do the fun craft. But then after they were finished making a bracelet, they were just browsing the Reading Well collection, and a couple of them took some home.”
The approach was rooted in a deep understanding of how to address mental wellbeing with young people. Valentina continues: “people don’t want to talk about mental health in that way. So I think a lot of the time approaching it […] through craft, through art, through social events, through physical events, is better. All of that is also mental wellbeing, but it’s not stating it on the box.”
Another invaluable activity has been school visits and outreach. Valentina shares her experience of visiting a local secondary school, where she issued library cards to a group of young carers and talked about the library’s offers. She acknowledges the challenges, noting that organising the trip took months, but remains committed to reaching young people.
The results are promising. At North Walsham, the Reading Well collection now makes up about half of their teenage non-fiction circulation. As Valentina pragmatically points out, “the numbers are small, but still, it’s half the teenage non-fiction after that display, which is better than zero or one.”
The libraries recognise they are addressing a critical gap. Valentina and Emily both acknowledge that young people are a missing demographic in their libraries, and they’re an age group that libraries across the country are struggling to engage. Yet they remain optimistic, recognising that with the rise of BookTok and podcasts, especially in recent years, teens love to read.
North Walsham, Norwich Millennium and Costessey Libraries’ experience demonstrates that engaging teens requires creativity, empathy, and a willingness to meet young people where they are. By creating welcoming spaces, offering relevant resources, and using innovative outreach, libraries can become vital community resources for teenagers, offering much more than just books – they provide support, connection, and a sense of belonging.
Reading Well for teens supports the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers, providing information, advice and support to help them better understand their feelings, handle difficult experiences and boost their confidence. The books cover topics including wellbeing, anxiety, depression, body image, neurodiversity, bereavement, life experiences, sexuality and gender identity. As well as being available to borrow through public libraries, the books can also be recommended by GPs, school nurses, counsellors, link workers and other health & care professionals.
Norfolk Libraries are one of four authorities taking part in the Reading Well activation programme, funded by Arts Council England, amplifying engagement with people at risk of health inequalities across England.
