Hello! I’m Sarah Amazing, a teen librarian from Ohio. I firmly believe you don’t need hours of prep time to put on a successful program, nor do you need to do hours of research to find out what your teens crave.

My teen services philosophy is built around respect. Respect the teens you serve, respect the collection you create, & respect the community you work in. I offer this blog as a way to share my ideas; take what I offer, mix it with your own philosophies, & create a unique experience for the teens in your area.

I graduated with a degree in Music Education from The Ohio State University in 2006, & received my MLIS from Kent State University in Summer 2007. I was lucky to find a teen librarian position shortly after graduation, & have been there ever since.

When I first arrived, teen services was little more than an odd collection and a monthly teen advisory board meeting. Since my arrival in 2007, I’ve cultivated the teen experience through regular programming, creating the “Teen Central” brand, & curating the largest teen collection in the county.  Currently I serve as the teen services supervisor, coaching teen services staff that serve our systemwide philosophy and vision through strategic planning and collaboration.

In 2009, I was honored to receive the Diana Vescelius Memorial Award which recognizes Ohio’s library leaders of tomorrow. I’ve served on a variety of committees, including the Ohio Library Council’s Teen Services Divison Action Council, chairing the most recent OLC Children’s & Teen Conference, and as chair of the 2014-2015 Teen Read Week Committee.

I’m available for workshops & presentations – feel free to contact me via email at sarah.amazing1 AT yahoo.com. Thanks for stopping by!

Wait, is that your real name?

A lot of people seem to think that my surname is made up for the teens or something, but my last name is really, truly, actually Amazing. Here’s the story:

My husband and I changed our last names together when we got married in 2010. He legally changed his name about two weeks before the wedding, and then I took his name as my own. Our wedding invitations simply said “Sam & Sarah become AMAZING” with the time & place beneath.

To be perfectly honest, I’ve never really felt like I was my last name – I’m just Sarah! (on a side note, did you know that a group of 3 or more Sarahs together is a ‘Storm of Sarahs’?) So if it seems a bit weird, don’t worry – I always ask everyone to call me by my first name.

For the record, my former last name is Pillivant.

Articles:

“Get the Word Out: Marketing your teen summer learning program”, American Libraries, May 2019

“‘Tis the Season for Passive Programs!” Voices of Youth Advocates, December 2016

“Level Up Your Gaming!” Voices of Youth Advocates, October 2016

“Challenge Them with STEAM!” Voices of Youth Advocates, August 2016

“Let’s Play!” YALSABlog, March 2016

“The Beautiful Simplicity of Teen Read Week”, Young Adult Library Services, Summer 2015

“A Fresh Start”; YALSABlog, September 14, 2014