Reading Summary - Flowers (2012)

Flowers, S. (2012). Evaluating Teen Services and Programs. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (imprint of American Library Association).

This book focuses on evaluating and improving existing teen programs, and contains a lot of background information on Millenials and how they differ from previous generations in their information-seeking behaviors, working styles, and preferences for group study over individual study carrels. Whether one approves of the differences or not is irrelevant. The job of the library is to be relevant to its users and support their interests and endeavors. To do this, it is important to understand the characteristics of your patrons.  Chapter 3 specifically describes the Millenial generation, and this knowledge is very pertinent to a teen services librarian trying to serve a particular group. The author is a member of YALSA, a part of the American Library Association dedicated to serving young adult library patrons.

Flowers also goes into a lot of very useful detail on the development of goals and objectives and how to evaluate with data what ideas are working and which ones are not. Because Millenials are far more likely to communicate via social media than other generations, paying close attention to making sure library teen centers and programs are providing access to things that are actually used and staying on top of changes is emphasized.

Reading Summary - Nichols (2002)

Nichols, M. (2002). Promoting the YA Collection: Other Ideas. In Merchandising Library Materials to Young Adults (pp. 101-118). Greenwood Village, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

This book is mainly about ways to display materials and promote collections to teen library patrons. Chapter 8 specifically focuses on other ways, including websites and other online resources. As early as 2002, pervasive computing was very influential in libraries. The conclusion is that the same things that are important to young adult patrons in physical space are important online as well. Teens need to be able to interact with each other and with librarians, and they need to have online access to library materials for more than just homework help and pleasure reading.

This chapter also states that only half of the librarians polled reported that young adult patrons were involved with the creation of online resources and choice of content. As far back as 2002, many librarians were already considering involving teens in the development of their own online space, and this idea has carried on into the present with the opening of Teen Centers like the one about to be opened at MCPL here in Bloomington.

Important information to include on an interactive website for teens:

1)      Book reviews, and the ability to write reviews of their own.

2)      Links to useful content online – encyclopedias, textbooks, coding manuals, etc.

3)      Resource lists – by subject. Where to go to find things.

4)      Program information – what programs, for whom, and where? With the ability for teens to ask and participate online. Announcements on a library Facebook or Twitter account.

5)      Information on library services – what can the library do for you, and how do you go about getting the things you need.

 

Reading Summary - Farmer (2005)

Farmer, L. (2005). Digital Inclusion: Teens and Your Library - Exploring the Issues and Acting on Them. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

This book examines thoroughly how to include technology, social media, and other digital means into library planning for teens. Not only does it give practical guidance to librarians struggling with small budgets and limited community support, but it also goes into detail on the kinds of specific digital support young adults will need at varying stages and the library’s role in providing that support.

Chapter 5 covers the subject of access to technology and the library’s role in providing that access to patrons who might not have it otherwise. This is one of the most important ways a library can make itself useful to its patrons, and in this day and age, remaining relevant is extremely important. Chapter 2 goes into detail about “underserved groups” such as the disabled, the homeless, the poor, and other minority groups who have a need that can be served by library access to information and technology. Early intervention with teens in these populations significantly increases their ability to succeed in life. By providing young adults from all walks of life with the same technology their peers might have access to at home, the library plays an equalizing role, helping teens emerge into society as adults equipped for success.

Reading Summary - Honnold (2011)

Honnold, R. (2011, June 1). With No Rights, What is Left. VOYA, 108-109.

This brief, two-page article advocates for intellectual rights for teen readers, citing examples from her personal and professional experiences with censorship. She writes about having been forbidden as a child to read Catcher in the Rye, trying to keep her own child from reading a particular book unsuccessfully, and dealing with a library patron who campaigned to have all teen books with any sexual content outside of marriage removed. The same patron referred to the library as a "porn shop" and referred to the teen programs that included Dungeons and Dragons gaming groups as "satanic meetings." Honnold advocates for teens' freedom to read and feel a responsibility to uphold that freedom professionally. She recommends that teens, librarians, educators, and parents communicate with each other rather than lashing out and attempting to ban or boycott. Her own unsuccessful attempt to censor her daughter's reading leads her to believe that undue attention to a book only makes teens want to read them even more and do so secretly without proper support.

This article is very important to me, as someone who also supports teen reading freedom. I was personally very un-censored as a child, and as far as I can tell, it didn't screw me up. My mom is a former middle school teacher who has "read a banned book" t-shirts, and launches a one-woman banned books week informational on her social media accounts every year. It's important to think about what patron disapproval is like on a personal level. This patron went on the radio and wrote letters to the editor about the librarian who wrote this article. That kind of public disapproval would be hard to deal with and would make sticking to one's convictions more difficult. It is important to understand not only intellectually but also on a personal level what it it like to champion intellectual freedom.

Volunteer Experience - Ellettsville Branch

On Thursday, Oct. 16th, I volunteered at the Ellesttville Branch of MCPL for a Halloween-themed event. The event was aimed for elementary aged children rather than teens, but my main reason for doing it was to meet and talk to Stephanie Holman in person. The event was a lot of fun, and I got to dress up as a witch, and give out candy and treats to kids. After the event, Stephanie talked to me about teen services and recommended that I read Voya Magazine, a periodical about teens services librarianship. I did not know that this magazine existed, and I've already downloaded and read several articles for this blog. I will update individual posts for these soon. :-)

In addition, she recommended that I look up the authors Patrick Jones and Katt Kann. I will do this and blog about them too! I really appreciate the time she took to recommend materials and I look forward to volunteering for her again!

Reading Summary - Farmer (1992)

Young Adult Services in the Small Library by Lesley S.J. Farmer (1992)

This article is older, but I chose it because I wanted to  read something from the earlier days of technology in libraries. This is near the beginning of ubiquitious computing, and much of the article focuses on the need to "adapt to a changing technological world" - this sounds a lot like nearly every article I've read about libraries since the beginning of being in SLIS. It shows that librarians have been and remain vigilant about keeping libraries relevant and current.

Some suggestions made for running effective teen and young adult programs were:
1.) offer resources, displays, and programs reflecting a wide variety of ideas
2.) provide positive role models in real life and through resources
3.) encourage youth to get involved in the community, and provide opportunities for youth participation
4.) listen to youth, treat them with respect and dignity, and serve as facilitators and supporters
5.) collaborate with local institutions
6.) teach young adults the skills to locate and use information found in a variety of formats

The article also states that what YA services need is exactly what adult services entails, but with careful attention paid to the unique dynamics and interests of the YA community. They need readers' advisory, interlibrary loan, access to study space and meeting spaces, etc. The definition provided of young adults seems a bit more restrictive than modern standards - I feel like 12-18 would now be more like 13-21, but that could be due to the higher number of YA novels in recent years that appeal to a broader fanbase.

The rest of the article contains very practical information regarding budgeting, staffing, and planning - the importance of making sure to allot money, staff, time, and space for YA services, viewing them as an investment in the future of the library. I wholeheartedly agree with this. Keeping libraries relevant not only benefits the patrons, it benefits the librarians and staff by keeping them in jobs and keeping library science programs viable options.

Ongoing readings and volunteering

Last week, I emailed Stephanie Holman, a librarian at the Ellettsville branch of MCPL to ask for any reading/media recommendations, and on Thursday, I am helping with a Halloween storytelling and crafting event from 7-8pm. She told me that after the event, she will show me some professional materials that will help in my goal to become a Teen Services librarian.

I also sent a message to Kevin McDowell, the head of the Teen Center at MCPL and asked for recommendations for readings for this directed readings course. He recommended a book called "Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out," which I will acquire and read.

I requested several books from the IU Libraries and will be posting about those soon. This is more of an update about what I'm doing toward the goal of this course.