Cloquet Public Library will soon hire a youth worker to work with tweens and teens after-school to increase teen use of library services and materials, and develop protective factors such as social competence and empowerment. The Cloquet Public Library is heavily used by tweens and teens who are less affluent, less well-integrated into the larger community, and at greater risk of negative outcomes such as substance abuse and mental health issues.

The youth worker will offer a consistent schedule of engaging programs and increase the capacity of library staff and the larger Cloquet-area com...