The post Social Justice Symposium for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Photo Courtesy of Jenny Adams Perinovic.

Jenny Adams Perinovic is taking public library outreach services to another level at the Free Library of Philadelphia. As the outreach coordinator for The Field Family Teen Author Series[1], she has the enviable job of working closely with trending authors and students of Pennsylvania’s school system. The program works by bringing authors into a school for a face-to-face discussion with students. Participants are given free copies of the author’s book, and get to ask the author questions. After attending a Teen Author Series session, many students discover a love for reading. The inspiring Teen Author Series is a rarity in the public library world. Outreach programs are fossilizing and bookmobiles are rusting. Perinovic’s work helps to reach kids who may have never had the opportunity to visit a library, let alone a chance to speak with an author about his or her book.

Perinovic is a recent graduate of Drexel University’s Master of Library & Information Science degree program. In addition to her role as an outreach coordinator since September 2015, she is an accomplished YA author. She published her debut novel A Magic Dark and Bright in 2015. Recently, it was an Amazon #1 bestseller for Teen Sci-Fi & Fantasy/Horror. Below is an interview Andrew Hart did for Public Libraries Online via email with Perinovic on April 8^th, 2017.

PL: What is The Field Family Teen Author Series, and how long has it been in operation?

JP: The Field Family Teen Author Series is an invite-only program at the Free Library of Philadelphia intended to connect 7^th-12^th grade students in Philadelphia public, magnet, private, and charter schools with authors of books for young adults. We’ve existed system-wide since 2002, and we’ve been funded by Joseph and Marie Field the entire time. In addition to having the opportunity to meet an author, every single student who attends one of our programs receives a copy of the author’s book, which is theirs to keep. Our events are generally an hour and a half long (including an author talk, a Q&A, and a book signing!), and take place during the school day. There is no cost to participating classes besides their transportation to and from the library.

This is my second year as outreach coordinator, and in that time, we’ve hosted over 4,000 students and an amazing and diverse array of authors, including Becky Albertalli, Angie Thomas, John Lewis, Ta’Nehisi Coats, Matthew Quick, Colum McCann, Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Daniel Jose Older.

PL: What are the goals of the program?

JP: Our goal is to promote a lifelong love of reading by enabling a connection between students and authors. We also want the students who participate to become familiar with the Free Library of Philadelphia as a system, and we try to spread our events out across our 53 neighborhood libraries.

Another unique aspect of the Teen Author Series is our school outreach. A few weeks before every event, I visit each of our participating classrooms. During my visit, I introduce the book with a short booktalk, start a discussion about the book’s topic, and answer any preliminary questions they might have about the author or the event. These visits are probably my favorite part of my job – I get to know the students and build a relationship with them.

PL: What sorts of challenges do you face as the program’s coordinator, and how do you overcome them?

JP: In the beginning, the biggest challenge was trying to figure out how to schedule all of my events, classroom visits, and deliveries without driving myself crazy. Our events generally include between 100-400 students, which can be anywhere from three to twenty classes. I visit every single one of them, and depending on the discussion we have, they can take anywhere from twenty minutes to the entire class period!

The other challenging aspect is also related to my classroom visits. We don’t shy away from tough subjects in the Teen Author Series—one of my goals, as coordinator, is to provide our teens access to books that both accurately reflect the world we live in and make them think. This means that sometimes, during my classroom visits, we have to talk about these difficult subjects, and it’s my job to provide these students with an open, safe, and non-judgmental space to have these conversations. In the 2016-17 school year alone, I’ve held classroom discussions on topics including human trafficking and teenage prostitution (for E.R. Frank’s DIME), gentrification (Renee Watson’s THIS SIDE OF HOME), sexual assault (E.K. Johnston’s EXIT PURSUED BY A BEAR), anxiety and depression (Claire Legrand’s SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS), gender identity (Alex Gino’s GEORGE), and racism (Angie Thomas’ THE HATE U GIVE and John Lewis’ MARCH).

As uncomfortable as it can be for me to stand in front of a room of 15-year-olds and rattle off statistics about human trafficking, I’ve witnessed some incredible and thought-provoking conversations.

PL: How are authors chosen to participate in the Teen Author Series?

JP: Our team—which includes myself, two amazing teen librarians from the Youth Services and Programs department, our teen materials selector, and our Author Events staff—have two meetings a year where we sit down and talk about books we’ve loved that we think will resonate with our students. We then compile list of authors we’d love to host, and see who says yes to us!

PL: Are authors familiar with the program when they are contacted? (if that is how the process works). If not, what is their reaction when they discover the program’s mission? Is finding willing authors difficult?

JP: Our Author Events office handles booking our authors and arranging their travel. I’m not sure how it was in the beginning, but we haven’t had trouble finding willing authors since I’ve been here. The authors we’ve hosted over the last 15 years are incredible: John Lewis (twice!), Laurie Halse Anderson, Jerry Spinelli, Lois Lowry, Matthew Quick, Sharon Flake, Linda Sue Park, Kwame Alexander, the late Walter Dean Meyers, and many, many others.

PL: Are all schools in Philadelphia eligible to participate? How are schools chosen?

JP: Teachers and administrators who work with 7^th-12^th graders in public, private, charter, diocesan, and magnet schools located within the city limits of Philadelphia can join our mailing list by emailing me at teenauthors@freelibrary.org. Once they’re on my mailing list, they’re automatically invited to our upcoming season. We generally send out two registration emails per year – once in the fall, and once in the spring, as soon as our lineups are finalized. Registration is first-come, first-serve, and our events fill up quickly. Our event with Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, for their book Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, filled up within 18 hours!

PL: What kind of responses do you get from students and teachers?

JP: It’s been overwhelmingly positive. Of course, I think it’s best to hear from the students and teachers themselves. Here are some responses collected from our surveys:

• Teacher, on the event with Angie Thomas for The Hate U Give – “It brought to light aspects of our society that are hushed and finally gave my students a character they can relate to. Angie was REAL. She spoke to my students as humans and was personable. I would love to be friends with her! I thought it was great all around. I hope to teach this book!”
• “I now know that it is okay to stand up for what is right-peacefully. And I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.” -12th grade student, after meeting John Lewis at the event for March, Book 1
• “This book portrayed the saying ‘there’s beauty in the struggle’ very well.”  -10th grade student, on Dimeby E.R. Frank.
• “Thank you for having us. I love to go get books signed and talk to the author, and I hope we come here again for another event.” -10th grade student, after the event for Becky Albertalli’s Simon Vs. The Homo Sapien’s Agenda
• “It was amazing to hear about the book and meet an author who is a grown-up LGBT person. I’m in seventh grade and LGBT, too.” – 7^th grade student, on meeting Alex Gino at the event for George

PL: What do you consider the most beneficial product of the Teen Author Series?

JP: Oh, I have a few. It’s so hard to pick just one thing!

First and foremost, I think the kids really benefit from the books themselves. There’s a lot of economic inequality in Philadelphia, and so many kids don’t come from homes that can afford things like books. So it’s really special to be able to give every single participant a book, regardless of what neighborhood they live in or what school they go to or what they can afford.

It’s really incredible to be able to enable this connection between author and reader. Hopefully, this will inspire some of our students to go on a write themselves—a lot of them already do, and I think it’s important for them to meet someone who can provide an example of how to build a creative life.

It’s also special to be able to geek out with the kids over the books, and build a relationship with some of them. It’s gotten to the point where I’ll walk into a school and I’ll hear, “Hey, do we get new books today?” or I can’t leave the classroom without being asked about other books they might like. But I think the best moment so far happened a few months ago: After a visit, a senior boy was helping me find my way back to the office. He said, “I’m going to be real with you miss, I don’t really like to read, but that book sounds pretty good.” He promised to give it a chance, and when I saw him at the actual event (for Randy Ribay’s An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes), he came up to me and said, “Miss, you were right. That book was dope.” We high-fived and I gave him a list of a few more books he might like. And when I saw him the time after that, he’d read them all and asked for more suggestions, and just like that, he was a reader.

PL: What advice would you give to libraries interested in implementing a similar program?

JP: I realize that our endowment makes us a pretty unique program, and we’re so fortunate to have the support from the Field Family that enables us to host this incredible program and provide every one of our students with free books. But I think the heart of the Teen Author Series comes from the connections it enables—both the connection between students and authors and the connection between the public library and local schools.

Start small. Talk to the teens, teachers, and booksellers in your community and see what they’re reading and who they’d like to meet. Sometimes schools host authors on their own – see if there’s an opportunity for your library to get involved.  Approach a local bookstore that hosts authors and see if there’s a way to collaborate. Reach out to local authors, or see if you can host a virtual visit via Skype, and see if your school contacts would be interested bringing a classroom of students to participate.

Jenny can be reached at jennyperinovic@gmail.com.

Reference

[1] https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/teen-author/

The post Promoting a Lifelong Love of Reading: PL Talks With Jenny Adams Perinovic first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Editor’s note: This article is based on a lecture delivered at the Tenth International Symposium on Library Services for Children and Young Adults, in Seoul, South Korea, on June 28, 2016.

Public library policy in the United States is largely localized, with each of more than nine thousand public libraries and public library systems setting their own operational and service policies. Still, public libraries across the country operate in many of the same ways, and US public library services for teens exhibit many shared practices and emerging service trends. In thinking about the future of US public library services to teens, it is helpful first to consider the historic ways in which public libraries have served their communities. Evans and Carter suggested that there are four main historic roles of the public library:

Looking at library history, we see that libraries have served and continue to serve their publics, parent institutions, and society in four basic ways. First, libraries meet society’s information needs by acquiring the materials deemed valuable or useful to some or all the people. Second, they provide a physical location and an environment for storing and preserving those items. Third, libraries add value to the items acquired by organizing them in some manner to make access more efficient. Fourth, the library’s staff improves access by providing assistance to individuals in locating desired information.¹

Each of these four historic roles is closely connected to library materials, and together they paint a picture of public library services as tightly focused on library collections. This is a largely outdated view of US public library services, as libraries are increasingly moving toward viewing their communities as their core focus, not their collections.

This ongoing shift is particularly evident in teen services. Over the past few decades, US public libraries have typically served teens in three main ways: (1) as information gateways, with a focus on providing collections and information assistance services; (2) as social interaction and entertainment spaces, bringing teens to libraries for active and passive library programs and social interaction with peers; and (3) as beneficial physical environments, providing physical spaces for refuge, personal improvement, and volunteer or paid work experiences.²

Within these three service roles we see a core focus on library collections as well as on supporting teens’ healthy and happy
lives. While these three roles continue to define many current US public library services to teens, over the past decade many public libraries have been broadening their teen services even more, with an ever-increasing focus on understanding and serving individual communities’ information-related needs. Moreover, the concept of “information” in public libraries is taking on an increasingly broader definition beyond just books, web-based tools, and other traditional information resources, leading to a wider array of teen library services than ever before.

I will describe this ongoing shift in US public library services to teens, focusing on six current trends. These include increasing movement toward:

1. A focus on what the library does over what the library has.
2. An emphasis on information and information services in digital forms and formats.
3. A focus on the library as place.
4. Broadening literacy and learning goals beyond reading.
5. Greater teen involvement in service design and delivery.
6. Increased outreach and collaboration with non-library agencies.

Each of these six trends is discussed below, with examples from library policies and programs to show how they are playing out in libraries across the country.

Trends in US Public Library Services for Teens

1. What the Library Does over What the Library Has

The first trend involves a growing focus on what the library does over what the library has. While the vast majority of the US public tends to equate “books” with “libraries,” leading teen services librarians think in terms of leveraging library resources and services to support teens’ healthy development as their primary service goal, as opposed to focusing on building great book collections.³ This means that cutting-edge teen librarians view positive impact on teens’ lives as the ultimate goal of library programs and services, first analyzing youths’ needs and then designing collections, programs, and services to meet those needs. They think of their collections as just one part of a broader set of resources and services together intended to improve the lives of adolescent community members.

This impact-focused conceptualization of public library services for teens can lead to dramatic changes in strategic planning and daily library operations. For example, in preparation for building a new library, the city of Richmond (CA) oversaw a community needs assessment that involved asking community members from all major community groups what they wanted from their public library. The needs assessment led to the formation of a new strategic goal for young adult (YA)⁴ services at the Richmond Public Library, that “the ‘whole teen’ is nurtured by library programs and services; [and] teens have a distinct area of their own in the library.”⁵ Note that the YA collection is not mentioned in the strategic goal.

Analysis of data collected from community members as a part of the needs assessment further indicated that the library’s teen services priorities should be: “Services that support both the recreational and academic lives of predominantly middle school aged youth; a distinct acoustically isolated teen space with a teen-friendly environment; and constructive activities as an alternative to violence.”⁶ Again, note the absence of explicit mention of the library collection. This does not mean that the Richmond Public Library places little value on its collection. Rather, it means that the collection is just one aspect of teen services, with strategic goals guiding collection development and use, as opposed to aiming to collect the “best” available materials—those judged by professionals to be of the highest literary and artistic quality.

The needs assessment also led to identification of a suite of teen programs to offer, including “SAT preparation, computer instruction with emphasis on gaming and other topics of particular interest to youth, poetry slams,” and programs related to “all aspects of technology, music, writing, [and] public speaking.”⁷ Many of these programs will likely incorporate elements of the library collection, but regardless, all will be designed with the ultimate goal of supporting teens’ happy and healthy development and making positive impacts on teens’ lives.

2. Information and Information Services in Digital Forms and Formats

The second trend in US public library services is an increasing emphasis on information and information services in digital forms and formats. Both teen services and teen collections are moving more deeply into the digital world, with a strong emphasis on social media education and services. We know from the research that high school students use social media for collaborating on homework, organizing school club activities and sports practices, coordinating participation in civic organizations and volunteer activities, creative writing and other creative pursuits, and seeking emotional support from peers and family members.⁸ Recognizing the range of social and educational benefits that teens can derive from social media use, many teen librarians are incorporating it into their teen programs and services, offering homework help, leading book and other media discussion groups, and teaching teens how to be good digital citizens.

The Teen Zone Social Media Ambassadors program at the Lawrence (KS) Public Library (LPL) serves as a good example of a social media–based public library program for teens. The program was designed for teens to volunteer a few hours each week to promote the library via social media, performing tasks such as vetting book reviews, art submissions, and other contributions from teens in the community and posting them on the Teen Zone Tumblr; reblogging web content likely to be of interest to community teens; tweeting out library news and events; and taking and then sharing photos of library events online in any of the library’s various social media accounts. The program was intended to generate publicity to benefit the library, increase interest in the library among community teens, and benefit participating teens by giving them volunteer work experience that they could use as they build their college and career resumes.⁹

LPL recently completed the first year of the new program. According to Molly Wetta, collection development librarian and Ambassadors program supervisor, results from the first year were mixed:

We promoted the program to our older teen library users and reached out to the high school journalism and English teachers to pass it along to potential volunteers, but got zero applications except from one longtime volunteer who I knew was involved in journalism. She did well for a while but then got busy with school and other projects and had to leave the program. We are still contemplating ways to try it again next year, because in principle, it can be a great opportunity for both libraries and teens to have user-generated content. . . However, it really wasn’t a time saver for staff as we had intended. And we thought teens would respond better to teen-generated content and that the ambassador would promote the library’s accounts to peers, which did happen. We were better able to connect with high school social media accounts and got new high school followers because of it. So it wasn’t a total loss, it just didn’t turn out exactly how we had initially envisioned it.¹⁰

The Ambassadors program highlights the importance of creativity, flexibility, and persistence in developing teen library programs that use new and emerging digital information forms, formats, and environments as libraries explore how best to provide teen services in these new information environments.

3. The Library as Place

The third YA service trend is a growing focus on the library as place. Despite the emphasis on the digital world, US public librarians continue to stress the value of the physical library as a place for teens to gather and for individual use as well. Many librarians are thinking about the importance of the library as place even more strongly than in the past.

In one of my past studies, Kuhlmann et al. studied how US teens use public library spaces and why they value libraries as physical places.¹¹ We found teens to use teen spaces in libraries for access to technology, for study space, as places for conducting leisure pursuits such as reading and game playing, and as places to socialize with peers. The emphasis on the library as place can be seen in the Richmond Public Library’s community needs assessment discussed above. In response to what they learned from the community needs assessment, the assessment team built the following service objectives into planning for the new library building:
The new library will have an acoustically isolated, visible, teen-friendly area with computers, lounge and table seating, and collections that are attractively displayed. Programs of all types will be offered regularly, including SAT preparation and computer literacy. A structured volunteer program will encourage youth to contribute to their community. Teens will be given an orientation to the Teen Center prior to using it to explain its use and expected conduct.¹²

Thus, recognition of the role of the library as a physical gathering space led to care in making the new teen space comfortable and inviting to teens. The role of the physical library space is especially important in economically disadvantaged communities such as Richmond, where teens often live in neighborhoods with inflated crime and violence. Public libraries are public buildings, open to all and therefore not guaranteed to be completely safe spaces. Still, with library staff providing adult supervision and watchful eyes, often they are safer places for teens from disadvantaged communities than most other places in their communities where they can go in their free time.

4. Literacy and Learning Goals Go Beyond Reading

The next trend is a broadening of literacy and learning goals beyond reading. Traditional reading and writing skills remain fundamental to literacy, but the definition of literacy has expanded. Teens today must be able to read, write, and interact across a range of platforms, tools, and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio, and film, to digital social networks. Literacy is no longer viewed as a mechanical process, but is understood as the construction of meaning. This expanded definition of literacy impacts the types of services, programs, and collections that libraries provide, as well as the nature of the work that library staff perform.¹³

Again the connection to information and information services in digital forms and formats is key. While most US public libraries continue to promote books and teen reading as a core focus, many are moving toward equal emphasis on digital literacy and “making” (creation activities, such as those occurring in makerspaces and learning labs). As a result, the role of the public librarian is becoming more fundamentally educational than ever before. This movement positions public librarians as public educators and public libraries as public education institutions, with a focus on public librarians as digital literacy educators.

What exactly is digital literacy? ALA’s Digital Literacy Task Force defined a digitally literate person as one who:

• possesses the variety of skills—cognitive and technical—required to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide variety of formats;
• is able to use diverse technologies appropriately and effectively to search for and retrieve information, interpret search results, and judge the quality of the information retrieved;
• understands the relationships among technology, lifelong learning, personal privacy, and appropriate stewardship of information;
• uses these skills and the appropriate technologies to communicate and collaborate with peers, colleagues, family, and on occasion the general public;
• uses these skills to participate actively in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community.¹⁴

This focus on public libraries as digital literacy educators is evident in the Seattle Public Library’s Strategic Plan, which states that:

Beyond becoming the source for practical information, the Library must seize the opportunity to become the place where anyone can become tech-savvy. For instance, the Library will develop places where teens can edit and develop audio, video and text for multimedia projects using state-of-the-art technology. Teens aren’t the only ones who want to sample the latest technology, though they are certainly a good group to start with. We see the future Library as a learning lab where people can experiment with a variety of tools to see what might help them to turn ideas into reality and share them with others.¹⁵

Over the past several years, YALSA (the teen services division of ALA) has also made promoting digital literacy a core campaign. YALSA has introduced programs such as Teen Tech Week, which encourages teen librarians to focus one week each year on teaching teens about the ethical use of digital information and on providing high-interest programs that promote improved digital literacy skills. The wide range of the programs participating libraries have offered during past Teen Tech Weeks is impressive, including such programs as: “robotics demonstrations, a Hollywood digital sound effects guest speaker, geocaching, a technology petting zoo, digital photography and photo editing, QR code scavenger hunts, retro technology and gaming events, and teens making their own library memes.”¹⁶ Creative librarians around the country are working to harness teens’ interest in entertainment and technology to devise creative informal educational experiences such as these that can build crucial literacy and digital literacy skills.

5. Teen Involvement in Service Design and Delivery

Next, in line with viewing positive impacts on teens’ lives, as opposed to building high quality library collections, as the driving goal behind library program and service design, the fifth trend is an increase in teen involvement in service design and delivery. Many US public libraries are working toward a vision of including teens as partners in both the design and delivery of teen services. Probably the most current common method for including teens in program design is the use of TABs—Teen Advisory Boards. Increasingly popular in small, medium, and large public libraries across the country, “a teen advisory board creates a specific role for teens in the library and formalizes their inclusion into the decision-making processes.”¹⁷

For example, at the Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Library, my own local public library, Teen Librarian Melissa Brinn runs an active TAB. Teens interested in participating must complete written applications, and interviews are held once each year to select TAB members. The TAB meets about two times a month during the school year to plan library programs and promote the teen department, to play book- and writing-related games, and to socialize as a group. TAB volunteers receive public service (volunteering) hours in exchange for their time. Many local schools have public service hours requirements, making service on the TAB particularly attractive to teens looking to fulfill volunteer work requirements. In past years, Cherry Hill Public Library TAB members have designed and delivered a wide array of library programs, from children’s storytimes to interactive murder mysteries. (See here for a sample TAB application form)

However, TABs and other similar groups only enable small numbers of community teens to play a role in program and service design. Subramaniam, among others, has argued that to meet the needs of more teens, especially teens from disadvantaged backgrounds,

surveys, interviews, and forming a teen advisory council [TAB] are no longer sufficient when designing teen programs. Instead, it is time to involve teens themselves as co-designers of programs and services. Teen services librarians need to apply interdisciplinary approaches to establish equal partnership and learning opportunities that facilitate discovery and use of digital media.¹⁸

As of yet, however, few US public libraries involve teens deeply enough to meet this ideal, and deep and lasting teen partnership in library services remains mostly a future vision.

6. Outreach and Collaboration with Nonlibrary Agencies

Lastly, there is a movement toward increased outreach and collaboration with nonlibrary agencies. To maximize service impact and efficiency, teen librarians are increasingly looking to offer joint services with other agencies that serve teens, often moving library services outside of library buildings to places where teens can be more easily reached. Katz discussed public library and school collaborations, suggesting that there are four characteristics of successful collaborations: communication, cooperation, respect, and practical ideas.19 Schools are probably the most common agencies with which US teen services librarians tend to form lasting collaborations, but some teen librarians collaborate with a range of agencies, such as local businesses, religious organizations, government agencies, and more.

For example, the Richmond Public Library community needs assessment described above establishes plans to collaborate with several community agencies to achieve their new vision of teen library services:

In developing a Volunteer Academy, the library will work with local middle and high schools that require students to do community service, to publicize the program and develop volunteer opportunities that meet school requirements. The Arts & Culture Commission and the Recreation Department will partner in providing programs for teens.²⁰

Each of these community partners—the schools, the Arts & Culture Commission, and the Recreation Department—shares with the library the fundamental goal of improving teens’ lives—a shared mission that leads to a natural partnership. In collaborating with the library, the other agencies can increase the impact of their services by sharing staff, knowledge, and other resources, and together with the library they can reach more teens more efficiently than on their own.

Bringing Teens into This New Library Scene

Although these six trends in public library services are occurring in many cutting-edge libraries across the country, there are challenges to implementing them more broadly and to helping teens move beyond the persistent view of libraries just as paper book providers. Indeed, my own recent research with high school students in a technology-focused public high school showed students to have “a widely held perception that libraries represent an outdated past, whereas technology represents these teens’ everyday reality. Few saw libraries as relevant to their daily lives, yet most saw social media as relevant.”²¹ More effective marketing to teens and adults is needed to make the public aware of these changes. The lack of public awareness of the full range of available teen services is compounded by an ongoing emphasis in the professional writing, which focuses predominantly on the discussion and promotion of books.²² The library field itself must embrace this future vision of broader, impact-based library services before we can hope to convince the public of its significance.

Moreover, these trends are occurring during a period of ongoing tight funding for most US public libraries. In the wake of the 2008 recession, many libraries have experienced multiple years of local and state funding plateaus or even cuts. The recession may now be over, but most public library budgets have yet to rebound. Now more than ever we must work to help the public understand
the changing nature of teen services to ensure future public support for stronger funding of our public libraries and to enable more libraries across the country to meet the powerful potential of public libraries as a fundamental social structure and beneficial influence on teens’ lives.

Still, US public library services for teens are by no means doomed to fail. The single most important element for future success is the potential for teens to develop deep interest and enthusiasm in their libraries. Luckily, this potential remains strong. As the title of this article indicates, when shown the full range of services that today’s public libraries have to offer, teens will often respond positively and become eager public library users. The quote that inspired the title of this article (“Hey! The library is kind of awesome!”) comes from my recent study of high school students in a technology-focused public high school, which I referenced previously.²³ The young woman who made this announcement hadn’t used a public library in several years and had assumed that they were outmoded and useless. One day she happened to visit her local library and realized that it had much to offer her, from leisure opportunities, to homework support, to social engagement, to a welcoming place she could frequent other than home, school, or commercial spaces. If we can spread this message of the broad range of available library services to teens across the country, we can ensure the continued healthy growth of the field, and more importantly, the continued power of US public libraries to enrich teens’ lives for many generations to come.

References and Notes

1. G. Edward Evans and Thomas L. Carter, Introduction to Library Public Services, 7th ed. (Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2009), 3.
2. Denise E. Agosto, “Why Do Teens Use Libraries? Results of a Public Library Use Survey,” Public Libraries 46, no. 3 (2007): 55–62.
3. To read about the national survey that showed the US public to equate books and libraries, see: Cathy De Rosa et al., At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries (Dublin, OH: OCLC Online Computer Library Center, 2014), accessed May 6, 2016.
4. In US public library services, the term “young adult” most frequently refers to youth ages 12–18. This article uses the terms “teens,” “adolescents,” and “young adults” interchangeably, with a preference for the term “teens” since it is commonly used by youth in this age group to refer to themselves. For a discussion of these various terms and their use in library literature and practice, see Denise E. Agosto, “Envisaging Young Adult Librarianship from a Teen-Centered Perspective,” in Transforming Young Adult Services, ed. Anthony Bernier (Chicago: Neal-Schuman, 2013), 33–52.
5. Richmond Public Library, Library Plan of Service: Needs Assessment for the Richmond Public Library, February 2009, p.0.1, accessed Apr. 22, 2016.
6. Ibid., p.0.6.
7. Ibid., p.3.7.
8. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Teens, Libraries, and Social Media: Myths and Reality,” Public Library Quarterly 34, no. 4 (2015): 318–327, doi:10.1080/01616846.2015.1106892.
9. Lawrence Public Library, “Teen Zone Social Media Ambassadors” (2015), accessed May 4, 2016.
10. Molly Wetta, email communication with author, May 5, 2016.
11. L. Meghann Kuhlmann et al., “Learning from Librarians and Teens about YA Library Spaces,” Public Libraries 53, no. 3 (2014): 24–28.
12. Richmond Public Library, Needs Assessment, p.2.16.
13. Linda W. Braun, et al., The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action (Chicago, IL: Young Adult Library Services Association, 2014): 4.
14. ALA Office for Information Technology Policy, Digital Literacy, Libraries, and Public Policy (Washington, DC: American
    Library Association, 2013): 2, accessed Apr. 29, 2016.
15. Seattle Public Library, My Library: The Next Generation, Strategic Plan 2011–2015, Feb. 23, 2011, p.10.
16. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Getting the Most from Teen Tech Week: Lessons from the TTW Survey,” Young Adult Library Services 12, no. 4 (2014): 5.
17. Natalie Houston, “Building a Foundation for Teen Services,” Young Adult Library Services 9, no. 2 (2011): 9.
18. Mega Subramaniam, “Designing the Library of the Future for and with Teens: Librarians as the ‘Connector’ in Connected Learning,” Journal of Research on Libraries & Young Adults 7, no. 2 (In press): 3.
19. Jeff Katz, ”A Common Purpose: Public/School Library Cooperation and Collaboration,” Public Libraries 48, no. 3 (2009): 28–31.
20. Richmond Public Library, Needs Assessment, p.3.8.
21. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Teens, Technology, and Libraries: An Uncertain Relationship,” Library Quarterly 86, no.3 (2016): 261.
22. Agosto, “Envisaging Young Adult Librarianship.”
23. Agosto et al., “Teens, Technology, and Libraries,” 259.

The post Hey! The Library Is Kind of Awesome! Current Trends in US Public Library Services for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

At Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, Colo., we started using a Tough Topics for Teens bookmark to get the word out about the resources that we have to help teens on a variety of issues, including abusive relationships, acne, LGBT, and sex. We were inspired by a post on the ALA Think Tank Facebook page of a bookmark with a list of hotlines, and my colleagues and I were excited to make something similar!

We decided to have the bookmark be double-sided. One side has call numbers for difficult teen issues. The other side has local and national phone numbers for teens to use in a crisis. We include numbers for AA-teen, child abuse prevention, Colorado Crisis Service, eating disorders, El Paso County Department of Health, Inside Out Youth Services, Mental Health Crisis Hotline, National Runaway Switchboard, Suicide Prevention Hotline, and more.

At first, the teens did not take the bookmarks too rapidly. The bookmarks were mostly used by staff when helping a teen with a sensitive issue. Many of our teens are comfortable in our space and with our staff, so they open up to us. Our staff cares a lot and wants to help, but we are not trained counselors or medical professionals. This bookmark provides excellent resources to both staff and teens.

We’ve done a few different things to market this great resource to teens: adding bookmarks to book displays, placing them under glass table tops, and sharing them with volunteers during training.

• In the East Library teen center, we have café tables with glass tops. We decided to place these bookmarks under the glass. This is a great way to provide information without them having to approach the desk.
• We started adding the bookmarks to our book displays at our downtown location, and the books and bookmarks started flying off the shelves. The teens at our downtown library are socioeconomically diverse, and quite a few of them are dealing with difficult issues. The display put the bookmarks in front of our teen patrons and made the books even more discoverable! One of the unexpected outcomes of starting a Tough Topics display is that we were able to find gaps in our collection. Our collection development team purchased new books that deal with these issues.
• Last year, one of our staff noticed that a couple of teen volunteers had marks that appeared to be from self-harm. This broke her heart and propelled her to find out what action we could take to support the teens and prevent it from continuing. Legally, we cannot do very much, but we can tell volunteers that we are available to help them find resources and show them our bookmark. There are so many cases of invisible pain; we decided to provide the Tough Topics bookmark to all of our volunteers during training. We mention the resource but do not linger on it.

If you are interested in using our bookmark as a template, please contact me, and I’ll send it your way!

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Ellis now works at the Greenwood Public Library in Indiana. Although her role has changed over the years, her enthusiasm for working with teens has not. Now, her office is no longer the teen hangout spot; instead, she has helped the teens at her library create a space of their own. Greenwood converted a former multimedia area into a teen room in 2012. Although the library had the space, they didn’t initially have the funding to remodel it. Ellis explains that this delay “in hindsight, [was] a blessing. While we lived with dirty carpet and unpainted walls for a while, it gave us the opportunity to really see how the space was used and could be used, leading to smarter decisions for our teens.”^[2] Ellis shared her experience designing her library’s teen space with PLOnline and suggests the following tips when starting a similar project.

Courtesy of Emily Ellis

Ask Your Teens

Teens are more likely to feel ownership of a space that they help create, and they should be part of the brainstorming process whenever possible. Teen advisory boards are a great place to start getting some ideas. Ellis advises that librarians to not only talk to teens but to pay attention to how they use the library. Teens are more likely to share “big picture” ideas but might not be thinking about the smaller details that can really make the space more functional. “The more you know and understand the group you are building a space around, the more information you bring to the drawing board.” says Ellis.^[3]

Visit Other Libraries

Take a road trip and visit libraries in your area that have recently remodeled spaces. Online pictures can be great, but nothing beats seeing a space in person. Be sure to schedule your visit in advance and for an after-school time, not only so library staff is available to answer your questions but also so you can observe how it is used by teens. It’s easy to start feeling like the “kid in a candy store” with all the cool new design elements for your own library, but just things that look great don’t always work great. Be sure to ask library staff what they don’t like about their new space. Learn from other libraries’ mistakes, and, hopefully, avoid some of your own.

Seek Out Community Partners

The budget is the most influential factor when planning a redesign, so you may have to reach out to your community for help in stretching it. “The Teen Room renovations were paid in part out of the library’s budget, and in part through grants and sponsorships from amazing community partners,” says Ellis.^[4] Describing a specific need (e.g. a new seating area, 3-D printer) can help attract potential donors because they know how their money will be used.

Get Creative

A total remodel may not be in the forecast, but you can spruce up your space without spending a fortune. Even libraries that are able to remodel usually have to make budget-minded design choices. When they found out that one of their favorite design elements, a Lite-Brite wall, was way out of their price range Greenwood Library changed tactics and opted for a less expensive version using a black peg board and brightly colored golf tees, creating a similar experience for their teen patrons. Even small changes make a big difference. A fresh coat of paint, for example, is easy, inexpensive, and transformative.

Avoid Following Trends

Inspiration from other libraries is great, but you must ultimately choose a design for your community’s needs. While it’s always exciting to see what’s new in library design, keep in mind that the space will be used today and well into the future, and must-have items (especially technology) may be outdated by the end of your remodel. Make your design flexible so you can easily make alterations as your library evolves.

Resources

YALSA’s Teen Space Guidelines

More Thrifty School Library Design Tips

New Teen Spaces From Coast to Coast

Maker Space Guide from Voya

References

[1] “Emily Ellis | Movers & Shakers 2012 — Community Builders,” Library Journal, March 13, 2012.

[2] Emily Ellis, head of Reference and Teen Services at Greenwood Public Library, in an e-mail interview, May 17, 2016.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

The post Five Tips for Planning Teen Spaces first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Uniondale Library is a safe, well-utilized institution in the community and Kendrick-Samuel knew that music would bring teen patrons in the doors. Through funding from the Best Buy Community Foundation, Margaret E. Edwards Trust, and a Uniondale School District 21^st Century Learning grant. Kendrick-Samuel made “young adult services” music to the Uniondale Library’s teens’ ears.

The program initially was offered as a two-part workshop led by vocalist and music teacher, Michelle Taylor Bryant. Bryant drew on her first hand experiences at Carnegie Hall and the Long Island Conservatory of Music. She offered students vocal coaching and most of all, lots of encouragement and positive praise. Bryant put together a curriculum that included getting the kids up and singing as a group plus offering tools and techniques to improve individual and group singing. She also developed students’  music appreciation—increasing their sensitivity to the power of a song, its impact on a listener, and how a song’s message can be communicated by a singer’s individual rendition. All of this culminated in a small group of the Dewey Decibels performing as an all-female group, “The Jolies,” in the library’s annual talent show. It was a hit.

When it looked like Bryant’s broken ankle would shut the show down the following year, Uniondale native Twyla Sommersell, an academic designer/editor at McGraw-Hill School Education specializing in music, stepped in. Sommersell added a few more workshops and partnered students as performers and directors, creating an interesting dimension. Students performed and the audience provided carefully guided constructive criticism. The library had assembled its own rendition of “The Voice”—and soon there was huge interest (that is, a large number of boys joined the group).

Sommersell’s goal was for “students… to perform in some way or another, promoting confidence.” Kendrick-Samuel’s goal: to get students into the library and off the streets. Both women realized their dream—when the group stood and performed its rendition of Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” at the annual talent show. Students were empowered through music and through the library.

The Dewey Decibels are now a permanent part of the Uniondale Library Young Adult Services programming, one that everyone can’t wait to hear. Syntychia Kendrick-Samuel said, “Sure, it was great to see kids get up on stage…or see painfully shy kids perform for the first time, but the best thing about it was seeing how the library could make a difference. That’s why I became a librarian. This is the kind of thing that makes it all worth it.”

The post Dewey Decibels: Teens Creating Music at Their Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The teenage years are not easy for anyone, but for many LGBT teens, the struggle to understand themselves and find acceptance from their peers and community can be even more difficult. The public library can be a wonderful resource for LGBT teens looking for answers or for those just needing a safe, welcoming space to gather with friends. If you want to begin to make a connection with your LGBT teen patrons, there are a few easy steps you can take to get started improving service to this often underserved community.

One of the easiest ways that librarians can help improve their service to LGBT teens is by becoming familiar with some basic terminology. People often mistakenly use inappropriate or out­dated words that can offend or hurt, even when it is unintentional. Suzanne Walker, Professional Development Office Supervisor at the Indiana State Library, offers a training session on serving LGBT youth for librarians throughout the state. She says that it is especially important for librarians to understand the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation and recommends the terminology guide from UCLA to help clarify words that you are unclear about. She states that “There are an endless number of ways for a human to be a human and it’s important for librarians to remember that we serve all of them.”

Another way libraries can help reach the LGBT patrons is by having a collection that includes both informational and recreational materials that represent the diversity of the community. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Round Table of the American Library Association is a great place to get some guidance on how to help build a balanced collection.

The GLBT Round table creates the Rainbow List and also sponsors the Stonewall Book Awards, which honor books for youth that have exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.

However, the best way to find out what your LGBT teens need from your library is to ask them! If you are not sure who the LGBT teens are in your library, this might mean going outside of your library walls for help. Many high schools and most colleges have a Gay Straight Alliance group that can help answer questions you may have about serving LGBT youth.

There may be occasions where a LGBT teen comes to you in a crisis situation. LGBT teens are more likely to experience violence than their heterosexual and cisgender peers and have higher rates of suicide and homelessness. Many also lack a good support network. “It’s important for librarians to remember that we don’t have to have the answer for every question that crosses our desks, but we do have to know where to find that answer. Make sure your librarians know what resources are available to your teens and tell them about those resources through signs in the restrooms, programs, word­of­mouth, or brochures.” explains Walker. If your library isn’t already, consider becoming a registered Safe Place, a national youth outreach and prevention program that helps connect teens with the resources that they need in their communities.

Finally, it is also important not only to have the knowledge and resources but to also celebrate the LGBT community. Many libraries have LGBT resources but shy away from putting them on display or highlighting them on the library’s website. If you have LGBT resources available but they are difficult to find, think about what message this is sending to your LGBT teens. Not sure where to begin? Why not try something for Teen Read Week, October 18-­24!

References

1. http://www.ala.org/PrinterTemplate.cfm?Section=Available_PIO_Materials&Template=/ContentManagement/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11968. Accessed 9/18/15.

The post Serving Your LGBT Teen Patrons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Most public librarians don’t need to be sold on serving teens. However, not everyone understands the importance of connecting with this age group, so a little data to back up suggestions is great for the librarian wanting to develop teen services. When you’re able to show that a quarter of library users are between the ages of 14-24, that can help a discussion about funding. Besides serving all ages, another big reason that library services exist is to be an equalizing force. Many teens are experiencing situations dealing with poverty and homelessness. They are living in a world where prejudice–whether it deals with race, ethnicity, or sexual preference–exists.[2] The library should be a place where teens can come for help, acceptance, and learning.[3]

Not only do libraries need to serve teens, but they need to be doing so in a way that is responsive to how teens interact with the world. These connections are greatly affected by technology and high online engagement. If libraries don’t create a relationship with teens, it decreases the chance that teens will find information that allows them to explore their world and grow.[4]

Several tips are provided to help library staff connect with teens, with the first being to recognize “teens as thinking human beings.” Relating to others can be difficult, and adding an age difference can make it that much harder, but if staff talk with teens about what they care about, they can go a long way to connect. Understanding teens’ use of technology and taking risks with programs and services are also an important part of building a relationship.[5] When staff know what these patrons are interested in, they can help the teens to learn more about what excites them and impart other skills at the same time.[6]

The report recommends several changes from past library practices to possibilities for creating a better environment for teens. Seeing the library as a place for all teens, readers and gamers alike, and having a space and collection that reflect the desires of those patrons are integral. Programs must be created based on the interests of the users with learning opportunities incorporated. Devoted library staff need to be able to focus on creating services for teens, as well as making those connections with them.[7]

Looking at the values expressed in the report for what library staff should uphold while working with teens, you see many of the same things that should be used with all library patrons, which relates back to their point about seeing teens as thinking humans. With adaptability, respect, collaboration, diversity, inclusivity, equality, and intellectual freedom all being listed among the important principles, library staff need to remember that teens deserve the same kinds of services as adults.[8]

No matter what function you perform at a library, you can gain some piece of knowledge about how better to serve teens by reading this report. More and more libraries are actively working to engage their teen patrons through activities, like advisory boards where teens are able to express their interests, and outreach, where librarians offer booktalks on a wide variety of topics to show that all kinds of stories are available. Cliché or not, teens truly are the future of the world, and libraries can help to make a huge difference in making that future brighter for everyone.

References:

[1] American Library Association. YALSA Products and Publications. n.d. (accessed June 18, 2015).

[2] Braun, Linda W., Maureen L. Hartman, Sandra Hughes-Hassell, and Kafi Kumasi. “The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action.” American Library Association. January 8, 2014. (accessed June 18, 2015). Page 1-2.

[3] Ibid. Page 3.

[4] Ibid. Page 5.

[5] Ibid. Page 10.

[6] Ibid. Page 12.

[7] Ibid. Page 15-16.

[8] Ibid. Page 20-21.

The post The Future of Library Services for and with Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

During our visit to this space, we listened to Jason Quaynor, Youth Program Specialist at the Hennepin County Library Best Buy Teen Tech Center and Aaron Lundholm, Teen Tech Center Coordinator talk about the importance of the space. They talked, at length, about the space as a program or the space knowing the answers. Yes, this teen space runs no programs. They believe the space is a continual program.

Some have argued that the library is place. Others have argued that the library is platform. I want to suggest that, maybe, the library is an ecotone.

The concept of ecotone emerges from the field of ecology. An ecotone is defined as “a transition area between two biomes. It is where two communities meet and integrate.” Ecotones are responsive, dynamic, electric, yet sensitive spaces. For example, climate change is more readily seen in ecotones because they are more attune to change. Ecotones, or from the Greek “habitat tensions,” is the fertile edge effect between these two separate systems.

Ecotone is where some amazing growth happens. Not only is this where growth happens, but also the scientific literature suggests that this is where radical growth happens. From the transitions of the Rocky Mountains to the transitions of marshland, growth–amazing, radical, life-giving growth– occurs in this space between two things.

Ecotones are where things happen. Mysterious, powerful, awe-inspiring life occurs in ecotones. There is life grown, created, and developed in ecotones that is found nowhere in either of the two meeting ecosystems. There is stuff that will only grow in the space between two living things. Evolution (and I would argue revolution) does not occur in stable ecosystems, but only in these messy ecotones.

May I suggest that the library is an ecotone? We are the space between work and home. We are the space between childhood and adulthood. We are the space between illiteracy and literacy. We are the space between unemployed and employed. We are the space between bullying at school and abuse at home. In the library ecotone life bursts forth; life that could only have begun in our space.

May you remember the importance of the library as ecotone. May you come to realize that our space is life-affirming and life-giving. May you remember that in the times when our space feels chaotic, it simply means that life is buzzing, and may you know that for far too many patrons, our space may be the only safe space they have.

References

[1] Ecotone (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 9, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotone

The post Library as Ecotone first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon, a project supported by Global Fund for Women, is an exciting new addition to hacker culture. The event was held this past February and consisted of more than 70 girls from 5 cities throughout the world. They worked collaboratively to create digital websites, apps, or other forms of technology that would lead to safe physical and virtual space for women worldwide. The Global Fund for Women reported that teams were from Taipei, Taiwan, Trivandrum, India, Porto Alegre, Brazil, and New York and Oakland, United States. For 24 hours the groups of girls built innovative digital tools that would help women locally and internationally.

Last June, I wrote about the Hour of Code, an effort by code.org to have students and educators learn coding.^[2] To increase awareness for the event, code.org published some staggering statistics about the groups of people who are marginalized from coding and computer science. Amongst these statistics were women, who account for only 12% of computer science degrees in the United States.^[3]

So it should go without saying that I really admire the IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon initiative. Not only does it bring young women into the conversation and provide solutions for decreasing gender violence and discrimination, but also it is being accomplished through one of the fields where women are dramatically underrepresented. Some of the projects that these teams designed were online support forums, apps that connect users with emergency resources in any given location, self-defense training tutorials, and a job-skills exchange platform. You can learn more about IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon at http://bit.ly/1boT0qt.

How does this fit into the sphere of libraries? Well, promoting hackathons or hacking culture at the library is still a new concept, but not unheard of. In 2011, NPR wrote an article about libraries that are providing hackerspaces.^[4] Additionally, Georgia Public Library Services and Denver Public Library have sponsored events and opportunities for hacking and coding. ^[5][6]On a smaller scale, libraries are teaching patrons how to code or directing them to useful tutorials.^[7] Since libraries are organizations that promote information access and cultural discourse, I find #hackgirlsrights an inspiration for libraries that want to incorporate relevant social issues by hosting a hacker night with an aim toward an achievable goal. As a Business Liaison Librarian, I’m particularly interested in the possibly of working with social entrepreneurs that want to design and deliver websites and applications that fit their cause.

What do you think of IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon? Do you think that you will incorporate something similar at your library? Share your comments below.

^[1]“What Is a Hackathon? – Definition from Techopedia.” Techopedias. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.techopedia.com/definition/23193/hackathon)>.

^[2] Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2014/06/code-at-your-library/).>

^[3] “What’s Wrong with This Picture?” Code.org. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://code.org/stats>

^[4] “Libraries Make Room For High-Tech ‘Hackerspaces'” NPR. NPR. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.npr.org/2011/12/10/143401182/libraries-make-room-for-high-tech-hackerspaces>.

^[5] “Hacking the Library: 48 Hours To Better Libraries Through Collaborative Technology.”Hacking the Library: 48 Hours To Better Libraries Through Collaborative Technology. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http://glean.georgialibraries.org/hacking-the-library-48-hours-to-better-libraries-through-collaborative-technology/.

^[6] “Hacking, Making, and Coding at the Library.” Hacking, Making, and Coding at the Library. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <https://www.denverlibrary.org/blog/hacking-making-and-coding-library>.

^[7] “Effectively Learning How To Code: Tips and Resources.” ACRL TechConnect Blog. 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http://acrl.ala.org/techconnect/?p=2460.

The post Hackathons @ the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

According to a report published by the Schott Foundation, the national African American male high school graduation rate is 52 percent compared to 78 percent for white males and 58 percent for Hispanic males.⁴ In addition, many urban environments have suffered a transition in their economies due to globalization. Many manufacturing companies have relocated to rural and foreign countries where labor costs are much lower. The collapse of the industrial infrastructure in inner cities has had a devastating impact on black males living in urban communities. Consequently, many inner city residents have increased hardships due to instability in employment, which adversely affects the black community.⁵ Research suggests that urban teens who are engaged with positive activities such as mentoring and who receive social support from family, school, and community are more likely to avoid juvenile delinquency, especially if they are from low socioeconomic communities.⁶ Public libraries can counter the negative social problems associated with urban youth, and with males in particular, by offering an environment that is safe, nurturing, and that provides positive exposure to “experiences, upbringings and literacies of urban youth.”⁷ Libraries can play an important role in countering the many challenges poor urban youth have to overcome to have the best opportunity to succeed in life.⁸

The Experiences of Urban Youth

Three urban public library systems in areas with large minority populations were studied to determine what young adult (YA) programs, services, and resources they  offer, and whether they have programs that promote resiliency, expose urban youth to other cultures, and provide mentoring services. The research focused on how the three large urban libraries accommodate (or do not accommodate) the experiences, backgrounds, and literacies of urban youth.

Libraries have a wonderful opportunity to provide services targeting at-risk urban youth. Such services would alleviate some of the enormous challenges that plague these young people and lead not only to problems for them, but also for the entire community that surrounds them. Providing specialized services for youth could also be seen as an expanded role for libraries in these days of radical changes in their services and a reevaluation of the role of libraries in our communities.

America’s minority population is increasing faster than its white population.⁹ This transformation will have a significant impact on our nation’s competitiveness if corrective action is not immediately taken to educate more urban youth, particularly black males. This article seeks to determine how library programs can take a holistic approach in working with urban youth and the structural challenges they must overcome.

Cultural Awareness

An African proverb that states, “Until lions have historians, hunters will be heroes,” is an excellent primer when working with low income, urban black males and providing them the encouragement and support needed to navigate through an environment that often makes them feel alienated and valued less.¹⁰ Black males should be able to read about the contributions of African Americans and their achievements.¹¹ Books on African American culture should be a big part of a library’s collection development so that black boys can learn about their humanity. In his article, “Poetic Expressions: Students of Color Express Resiliency through Metaphor and Similes,” Horace Hall posits that “when adolescent males of color have a strong sense of cultural pride and awareness, they are able to construct a healthy self-concept that assists them in acts of agency and resistance against negative psychological forces in their environment.”¹²

Author Alfred Tatum makes it abundantly clear in his book Reading for Their Life: (Re)Building the Textual Lineages of African American Adolescent Males that black males are not involved in a great conspiracy to fail themselves; they are falling behind academically because educators have not refined their teaching instruction in order to connect with black boys.¹³ Tatum argues that if educators are going to get it right and improve the trajectory of black males, then they must change the way they view black males and how they provide instruction to them.¹⁴ Tatum advocates that educators can enhance the learning of black boys by subscribing to enabling text that:

• advances a healthy mind and that uses literacy as a way for one to overcome poverty, drugs, and violence; is relevant to the real world black boys live in;
• centers on the shared history of African Americans; and
• serves as a guide for “being, doing, thinking and acting.”¹⁵

Not only does Tatum feel that educators and librarians should put enabling books into the hands of black boys, but he highly recommends having mediators such as male teachers or custodial guardians discuss topics treated in the book.¹⁶ Tatum argues that it is not enough just to have these books by black authors for black boys but they must serve a higher purpose and be enabling.¹⁷ Tatum writes, “We need to create opportunities for African American males to identify texts that mark their lives. Their opinion counts.”¹⁸

Building Resiliency

While much of the literature on urban youth speaks about the social and environmental factors that work to undermine urban youth, there is a growing focus on urban students who were raised in harsh environments but who managed to succeed despite the many obstacles.¹⁹ Thousands of urban kids defy the odds and avoid the pitfalls that trap so many urban black males into a life of poverty and hopelessness.²⁰ What were the mitigating factors that allowed them to succeed? Was it an internal resiliency, or did external forces provide a springboard for them to make it out of the ghetto?

In the article, “Resiliency and the Mentoring Factor,” Wain K. Brown states mentoring helped him overcome a difficult childhood and resist the temptations of the streets.²¹ The importance of mentoring is corroborated by author Baruti Kafele in his book, Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life, where he points out that teachers should inspire students.²² On the other hand, Jami Jones suggests that economically disadvantaged kids from urban environments can attain resiliency with the help of a caring and nurturing educator or librarian, who can help them to become strong readers and to learn how to find and use information correctly.²³

Librarians working with urban youth should check their feelings about inner city youth so that they can remove any stereotypes. Kumasi states that, “It is important to not allow outward conditions such as dress, speech patterns and other cultural signifiers to shape how educators view and instruct students.”²⁴ She also suggests that librarians treat urban youth with dignity and respect and have high expectations of them. Additionally, she suggests that librarians can have a more productive relationship with urban students by encouraging and supporting their cultural diversity and literacy capabilities. Kumasi recommends that librarians learn the environments that many urban youths have to live in so they can develop compassion for them and see them as regular people, not as problem children. She recommends that librarians should ensure that their teen collections are culturally diverse and refrain from promoting stereotypes about people of color.²⁵

While Kumasi and Jones recommend building up resiliency skills in urban youth so that they can navigate the difficult environments that many come from, Elizabeth Hood suggests that schools should teach urban youth the social realities that govern their lives. She contends that urban minority students do not live in a vacuum and know that equality is elusive to those who are poor and don’t have connections.²⁶ Hood believes students will not learn effectively until they are taught how to deal with the realities of social inequalities.²⁷

Ultimately, libraries can play an important role in teaching resiliency skills to urban youth, but in order to accomplish this they must build trust with urban youth and understand the ecological environment many have to overcome to be successful.²⁸

Research Method

The study described in this article was a comparative analysis of services and programs offered to urban youth and was limited to three large urban library systems in cities with large minority populations that are plagued by high levels of poverty, unemployment, and crime. The library systems of the cities of Memphis (Tenn.), Baltimore, and New Orleans were chosen because they share some of the same characteristics and are roughly the same size. Special emphasis was placed on programs specifically targeted to urban males.

It was assumed that the information gathered onsite and from each library system’s website was accurate and current. It was also assumed that the online public access catalogs (OPACs) in this study were indexed accurately so that relevant data could be retrieved.

The following research questions were considered when analyzing the three library systems featured in this article:

1. What are the programs and services targeted to urban youth at each library as described on the library’s website?
2. How many graphic novels are in the teen collection for each library?
3. How many enabling books identified by Alfred Tatum and Sandra Hughes-Hassell are in the collection and can be identified in the online catalog through a keyword search or by the title of the book?
4. How many Coretta Scott King award-winning YA books are part of the collection?
5. How many books are in the collection by award-winning writer Walter Dean Myers?
6. How many YA books are in the collection that can be identified in the online catalog through a keyword search for bullying? Are there workshops for single parents?

Data was collected by visiting the websites, online catalogs, newsletters, and other publications of the urban library systems. The data was compiled in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed to address each research question.

Results

The results from analyzing the websites of the three library systems indicate a variety of programs and services are offered to urban youth. Data was compiled by reviewing teen library programs for the month of October 2013. Many of the programs consisted of teen readings and book discussions, crafts, and workshops on college admissions. The information that follows describes programs and services offered at the three urban library systems studied.

Programs and Services

Memphis Public Library

Twenty three years after the Civil War, the city of Memphis opened its first library in 1888. The library was known as the Cossitt-Goodwyn Institute. Five years later a new library building was constructed in downtown Memphis and was named the Cossitt Library after its founder Frederick Cossitt. While the Cossitt Library is still in existence today, it no longer serves as the main library branch with administrative offices. In 2001 the city of Memphis officially opened its new library main branch in the Midtown Corridor East section of town. The new central building is named after Civil Rights icon Benjamin L. Hook, a native of Memphis. The Memphis Public Library consists of eighteen branches that serve the city of Memphis and an unincorporated area of the city.

A review of the Memphis Public Library’s website shows that in October 2013 there were a total of twelve programs including teen readings and book discussions, crafts, and workshops for college. Analysis of the website also shows that the library offered a program entitled “Let’s Rap About It” where teens discussed social problems with mentors.

Enoch Pratt Free Library

The Enoch Free Public Library is the library system for the city of Baltimore and one of the oldest library systems in the country. The library has twenty-three branches covering the entire city of Baltimore. The calendar for the month of October publicized forty-five programs for teens consisting of teen readings and book discussions, crafts, and teen experiments. Two of the more interesting programs were “Baltimore Speaks Out!” where teens learn video production skills and are taught leadership skills while earning service hours, and the “Community Youth Corps Program,” which is a volunteer program through which Baltimore youths can volunteer at the library, develop work skills, and receive service credit hours. Another interesting program listed on the calendar in October was a discussion of the book Judging Thomas: The Life and Times of Clarence Thomas by Ken Foskett. The book is a story of how the Supreme Court justice overcame poverty and hardships by working hard and investing in his education. The book meets the definition of enabling by Tatum because it promotes a healthy psyche in that it advocates a positive solution to overcoming hardships in life.²⁹

New Orleans Public Library

The New Orleans Public Library consists of the main branch and thirteen satellite branch libraries throughout the system. A review of the library’s calendar for the month of October 2013 reveals that the library offered eighty-one programs for teens. The vast majority of the programs consisted of book readings and discussions, craft and game projects, and movie nights. Additionally, the library offered a number of “Homework Assistance Workshops” for students and a “LGBTQ&A” session along with a “Girls Rap” session. There were no visible programs held in October that were specifically targeted to males, particularly black males.

Graphic Novels

A review of the three library systems’ websites shows that the Memphis library system had a total of 662 graphic novels in its young adult collection, Enoch Pratt had 998, and New Orleans Public Library system had 1,158 graphic novels in its collection.

Enabling Books

See figure 1 for books identified by Tatum and Hughes-Hassell as meeting the definition of enabling books.

Books by Walter Dean Myers

A search of the three online catalogs showed that Enoch Pratt Library had 125 copies, Memphis Public Library showed 112 copies, and New Orleans Public Library had 111 copies (see figure 2).

Coretta Scott King Award–Winning YA Books

A search of the three online catalogs showed that Enoch Pratt Library had sixteen copies, Memphis Public Library has fourteen copies, and the New Orleans Public Library had twelve copies (see figure 3).

Books on Bullying

A search of the three library system catalogs showed that Enoch Pratt Library had 55 books on bullying, Memphis Public Library had 53 copies, and New Orleans Public Library had 37 copies (see figure 4).

Single-Parent Workshops

A review of all three library systems for the month of October shows that there were no workshops for single parents at any of the libraries.

Analysis

A website analysis of the three major library systems for the month of October 2013 indicated a variety of programs and services available for teens, but none specifically targeted to urban males. The analysis indicated that many of the library programs offered were mainly traditional library teen programs consisting of video games, crafts, and some book discussions.

When incorporating a successful program or service for urban youth, particularly males, research analysis shows that libraries should hire culturally competent staff that is caring and embraces urban youth as individuals and not members of a stereotyped group.³⁰ Furthermore, librarians working with urban youth should set high expectations for them and advocate for quality library resources on their behalf.³¹ All the libraries studied had programs and services to help teens, but two programs stood out from the rest. The first was “LGBTQ&A” at the New Orleans Public Library and the “Baltimore Speaks!” program at Enoch Pratt. In the LGBTQ&A program, teens were monitored by library staff and were able to hang out, enjoy refreshments, and meet in a casual atmosphere and discuss social issues with peers. In the Baltimore Speaks! program, teens were taught how to use video production equipment, and how to resolve problems in the workplace.

Tatum advocates that if educators and librarians are going to make a difference in the lives of urban youth, they must put enabling titles into the hands of urban youth that build a positive outlook and that are relevant to their world, books that connect them to the struggle for equality in America, and books that serve as an atlas for achievement, thoughtfulness, and performing.³²

One of the most important things that libraries can do to enhance the future success of urban males is to empower them with resources to help mitigate the disadvantages that they have to overcome.³³ One way libraries can empower youths is to offer workshops on employment that teach urban males how to construct a résumé and how to dress for and conduct themselves during an interview. Youths that are empowered often have stronger self-esteem and resiliency.³⁴ The Memphis Public Library offered several programs that young urban males could participate in such as JOBLINK and workshops on financial aid for college.

The results of the research indicate that while libraries have made strides in planning programs for urban youth, more work needs to be done. Many urban youth do not visit the library, because they feel that the library does not respect them and because the rules and regulations are too strict.³⁵ One way for libraries to connect with urban youth is to remove any perceived misconceptions about them and to treat them as individuals.³⁶

While this research focused on library programs and services for urban youth, further research involving the collaboration between libraries and community organizations already working with urban males could potentially provide libraries with information on how to connect with urban youth. Research analysis shows that libraries that successfully connect with urban youth are those that provide relevant services and that hire caring staff members who work with urban youth effectively.³⁷

Conclusion

The challenges of working with urban youth are many, but they are not insurmountable. A survey of the literature concludes that libraries can play a productive role in the future trajectory of urban youth––one that respects urban youth as individuals, sets high expectations, and provides relevant programs and services for their development and success in life.³⁸ Further analysis of the three library systems studied in this article reveals that while the libraries offered many programs and services for teens, libraries can do more to help urban youth by engaging these patrons and making them feel like they are a part of the library system.

References

1. Karen Springen, “What’s Right with This Picture? Chicago’s YOUmedia Reinvents the Library,” School Library Journal 57, no. 2 (Mar. 1, 2011): 37.
2. Ibid., 37–39.
3. Joseph Williams and Julia Bryan, “Overcoming Adversity: High-Achieving African American Youth’s Perspective on Educational Resilience,” Journal of Counseling & Development 91, no. 3 (July 2013): 291–300.
4. Schott Foundation for Public Education, The Urgency of Now: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males (Cambridge, Mass.: Schott Foundation, 2012), accessed Aug. 12, 2014.
5. W. J. Wilson, “Being Poor, Black, and American: The Impact of Political, Economic, and Cultural Forces,” American Educator 35, no. 1 (Spring 2011): 18.
6. Williams and Bryan, “Overcoming Adversity,” 291–300.
7. Kafi D. Kumasi, “Roses in the Concrete,” Knowledge Quest 40, no. 5 (May/June 2012): 37.
8. Ibid., 37–39.
9. U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Supplementary Survey (New York: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).
10. Raymond Winbush, The Warrior Method: A Program for Rearing Healthy Black Boys (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), 57.
11. Ibid.
12. Horace R. Hall, “Poetic Expressions: Students of Color Express Resiliency through Metaphors and Similes,” Journal of Advanced Academics 18, no. 2 (Winter 2007): 237.
13. Jennifer Boone, Casey Rawson, and Katy Vance, “Getting It Right: Building a Bridge to Literacy for Adolescent African-American Males,” School Library Monthly, XXVII, no. 2 (Nov. 2010): 35.
14. Ibid.
15. Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Casey H. Rawson, “Closing the Literacy Gap for African American Males,” School Library Monthly, 28, no. 3 (Dec. 2011): 16.
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Janice Hodges and LaJuan Pringle, “Meeting the Learning Needs of African American Youth in the Library,” School Library Monthly 29, no. 6 (Mar. 2013): 16.
19. Williams and Bryan, “Overcoming Adversity,” 291.
20. Ibid.
21. Wain K. Brown, “Resiliency and the Mentoring Factor,” Reclaiming Children & Youth 13, no. 2 (Summer 2004): 75–79.
22. Baruti K. Kafele, Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life (New York: ASCD Member Books, 2009).
23. Jami L. Jones, “I Build Resiliency: The Role of the School Media Specialist,” School Libraries Worldwide 9, no. 2 (2003): 90–99.
24. Kumasi, “Roses in the Concrete,” 35.
25. Ibid.
26. Elizabeth Hood, “Motivating Urban Minority Group Youth,” Education 93, no. 4 (Apr./May 1973): 362–64.
27. Ibid.
28. Kumasi, “Roses in the Concrete,” 37–39.
29. Hughes-Hassell and Rawson, “Closing the Literacy Gap for African American Males,” 16.
30. Denise Agosto and Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Urban Teens in the Library: Research and Practice (Chicago: ALA Editions, 2010), 9.
31. Hughes-Hassell and Rawson, “Closing the Literacy Gap for African American Males,” 16.
32. Sandra Hughes-Hassell et al., “Librarians Form a Bridge of Books to Advance Literacy,” Phi Delta Kappan 93, no. 5 (2012): 18.
33. Agosto and Hughes-Hassell, Urban Teens in the Library, 9–13.
34. Jones, “I Build Resiliency,” 48.
35. Agosto and Hughes-Hassell, Urban Teens in the Library, 9–24.
36. Kumasi, “Roses in the Concrete,” 18.
37. Jones, “I Build Resiliency,” 48.
38. Boone, Rawson, and Vance, “Getting It Right,” 35.

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Many public libraries have begun to recognize this dilemma, with one of the most notable initiatives coming out of the University Heights branch of Cleveland’s Heights Library. Last month, this branch hosted a series of three career workshops for young adults, called Teen Job Prep. ¹ Topics of discussion included resume writing, best practices for completing job applications, and how to make a good first impression at an interview. The series came to a close with a teen-specific job fair where participants could meet real employers who were willing to hire students.

One of the perks of teen-specific career programming is that many high school students have not yet learned the nuances of job searching that so many adults take for granted. For example, Teen Job Prep addressed some dos and don’ts of making a strong first impression on a potential employer, including not chewing gum during an interview and avoiding low-rise or revealing pants. Moreover, if a teen has never had to apply for a job before, he or she may not even know how to find openings or construct a professional resume. Career resources geared primarily towards teens can highlight these finer points, which may seem monotonous to adults.

Teen Job Prep was a novel and highly useful program to residents of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights area, where the poverty level has reached upwards of 18 percent, but a similar program is key in all socioeconomic environments. In its most recent report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts youth unemployment at 16.3 percent nationwide², far higher than the total April 2014 unemployment rate of 6.3 percent³. BLS defines “youth” as 16-24 year-olds, and this figure is driven even higher if cut off at age 19, the maximum age for Teen Job Prep. Youth unemployment is a problem across the country, and few resources are presently available for the affected.

Providing teens with the tools they need to find a job is an investment that will pay off for years. As people retire later in life, the amount of time today’s youth spend in the workforce will increase. Participants can use what they learn as they move up through their careers and apply for work in the future.

Does your library currently offer career resources or training for teens?

RESOURCES

[1] Akins, E. (2014, April 27). Heights Library presents Teen Job Prep Series and Job Fair for local youth. cleveland.com. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.cleveland.com/university-heights/index.ssf/2014/04/heights_libraries_presents_tee.html

[2] Employment and Unemployment Among Youth Summary. (2013, August 20). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.nr0.htm

[3] CPS News Releases. (2014, May 2). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/cps/

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If you have never Shmoop-ed before, here’s a quick overview.  Shmoop.com contains information about literature, mythology, music, math, biology and more. They also have a test prep section, but that has a cost.  Instead, direct teens to library resources (e.g., BrainFuse, Testing and Education Reference Center or Learning Express) for that type of help.

My favorite Shmoop area to use is the Literature section. In that section, teens will find great analysis of books presented in a way that is focused and relatable. Each book has sections about the summary, themes, quotes, characters, questions and quizzes. On the first page of an entry, you will find a section titled, “Why Should I Care?” This tells the teens why the book was and is important. The Shmoop authors share the importance in a very fun and relatable way. For example, with The Giver by Lois Lowry they talk about the main point of the book. Do we choose freedom and the chaos that comes with it, or do we choose safety and predictability of it? Here is how they talk about it: “What does “freedom” mean, anyway? How far do you want to push this idea? How many risks do you want to take? You might rebel against the idea of having to wear a uniform to school–but does that mean everyone should be allowed to come to class naked?” (Shmoop Editorial Team 2008).

You can see that they pull in humor to get their point across and, it works. When I show this to teens (and parents) there is a big sigh of relief and then a smile (that smile means that they can do it!).  Makes you wonder, who writes these sections? Shmoop articles are authored by teachers (high school or college level), Ph.D. and master’s students (e.g., Stanford, Harvard, and Yale).  They base the articles on “credible academic sources” and then cite the source. Shmoop also provides citations for students (Shmoop Editorial Team 2011).

All I can say is, if I had this when I was a student, I would have used it all the time for my assignments!

References

Shmoop Editorial Team. “The Giver” Shmoop University, Inc..11 November 2008. http://www.shmoop.com/the-giver/ (accessed December 10, 2012).

Shmoop Editorial Team. “How We Cite Our Sources” Shmoop University, Inc.. 2011 http://www.shmoop.com/public/cite-our-sources/ (accessed December 10, 2012).

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