Welcome to the San Francisco Public Library’s Youth Advisory Board, the school year leadership program for teens.
Passionate about teen spaces and services at the library? Interested in developing your leadership skills? Want to get paid to lead the future of teen services at the San Francisco Public Library? Keep reading below for details.
What is the San Francisco Public Library’s Youth Advisory Board?
San Francisco Public Library’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is a paid, 10 hour/week internship program for 11th and 12th grade San Francisco students during the school year.
The 10 intern members of the San Francisco Public Library’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) serve as Advisors and Ambassadors for the Library. As Advisors, Board members provide information about trending topics and give direct feedback about spaces, services and resources for teens at SFPL. As Ambassadors, Board members promote relevant resources as well as upcoming programs and events to peers in teen spaces all around San Francisco.
Youth Advisory Board members develop skills including leadership, facilitation, advocacy and more while helping shape teen services at San Francisco Public Library.
What are the requirements for Youth Advisory Board?
To be eligible for the San Francisco Public Library’s Youth Advisory Board, you must be:
Attending 11th or 12th grade in Fall 2025 AND
Must be between 16 and 18 years old as of Fall 2025
Board members are required to attend weekly meetings and trainings that support the successful completion of all Advisor and Ambassador responsibilities. Board members work 10 hours/week. This internship opportunity is a great fit for people interested in developing leadership skills, learning more about the Library, supporting our Strategic Plan, and working to make our community and Library better for teens.
What are the dates of YAB?
The Youth Advisory Board will run from late October through early May. Check back shortly for more information about internship dates and deadlines to apply.
Is this a paid internship?
Yes, interns receive a stipend every two weeks. Every participant who completes the requirements for YAB will also be awarded a scholarship deposited into their K2C or ScholarShare529 account in the spring after the internship is completed.
How does a teen apply for the Youth Advisory Board?
We are proud to partner with JCYC and SF YouthWorks to coordinate application submissions. 11th and 12th graders who live in San Francisco are invited to apply.
Applications are now open! Applications close on September 12, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline will be Waitlisted.
In order to be considered for the San Francisco Public Library Youth Advisory Board be sure to:
- Create an account with JCYC to start your School Year 2025-2026 Application.
- Select “SF Youthworks” (SFYW) under “Which program(s) are you applying for?” on page 1.
- Include “I want to work as a Youth Advisory Board member” in your response to the question “Explain why SFYW would be a good fit for you and how it fits with your future goals” on page 5.
- Select “San Francisco Public Library” from BOTH drop-down menus in response to the question “What is the primary department you are interested in?” on page 5.
We hope to work with you this school year!
Where can I learn more about YAB?
Email youthservices@sfpl.org. Please put “Youth Advisory Board” in the subject line. We can't wait to hear from you.