Libraries as Social Hubs: #BringBackOurTeens

Integral parts of any library are the Children's and Young Adult sections, and not just because these readers are the future of our community. These young people bring life to the library through their interest in changing technology, reading trends, and using the library as a place for social gathering. The fact of the matter is that many libraries devote a majority of their money designated for programming towards children, ranging from toddlers to teens.

When creating programs for toddlers and young children, you're mostly appealing to parents, so for this blog post, let's discuss teenagers. All children are the foundation of our community, be it local or global, but teenagers are heavily influenced by their environment and strong influencers on the world. This is the time when they truly begin to make their own decisions, which can affect the rest of their lives. It's important that libraries reach out to these young adults in order to create lifelong library members and educated citizens, so here are some ways to evaluate your own library's Young Adult section in order to make it the best social setting for teens and keep them coming back.

Understanding Teen's Needs. The first step to creating a space for teenagers in your library is to evaluate what their needs are and address them to make the space more inviting. As Audrey Hopkins points out, the Young Adult Library Services Association teens within the past two decades have said that the following are what they require from their libraries: 

"Research and homework help, Internet/computer access, opportunities to volunteer, teen-friendly spaces where they can study and socialize, useful teen websites, access to technologies they value, as well as technology-driven services that include online personalized readers’ advisory and mobile apps" (44). 

The core of this suggests that teenagers want up-to-date technology, a teen-friendly space (more on this later) for socializing and relaxing, and more involvement with other teens and library staff. While this may seem like a lot, remember that teens are the heart of a society as they are on the cusp of entering adulthood, and that many of these changes can be done without spending much. Understanding these needs is a critical first step for librarians to undergo in order to being the process of transforming their library into a social hub.

Making the Space. Believe it or not, the aesthetics and feel of the teen's space may very well be the most important factor when a teen is deciding to return to a library or not. It doesn't matter if the YA collection is good or not if the actual space is outdated, uncomfortable, or horribly arranged. As Jennifer Velasquez says in her article about creating a new teen space at her library, 

"The arrangement of a library’s teen space, no matter how small, can contribute to or be the cure for many of the challenges libraries face when serving teens" (31). 

Her suggestion is to first ask the teens what types of activities they want to do in the library and then create neutral spaces that allow for a variety of uses, not limiting it to one teen activity.

While it may be tempting to go with current trends when it comes to furniture and decor selection, it's best to stay more neutral in order to prepare for the future. You can't buy new furniture every few years to stay on-trend!

You Catch More Flies... The old adage applies here because one huge reason teens decide to return to a library is based on the attitude of the existing librarians. If they interact with someone who is friendly, cool, or helpful, they are more likely to come back, ask for help, and engage more often. At such a tumultuous age, these teens need someone who will guide them, not scold or pressure them. A YA librarian must strike the perfect balance in order to accommodate teens. As Pamela Klipsch states, 

"In the best of all possible libraries the staff is knowledgeable, unintrusive, and nonjudgmental. They provide assistance when needed and as needed—no more and no less" (52). 

Works Cited

Hopkins, Audrey. "Making a Case for Teens Services: Transforming Libraries and Publishing: 

Advocacy Can Come in Many Forms, but Always Focuses on the Teens." Young Adult Library 

Services, vol. 15, no. 3, Spring2017, pp. 43-45. EBSCOhost, login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?

url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=122869326&site=ehost-

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Klipsch, Pamela R. "The YA Librarian as Flight Attendant." School Library Journal, vol. 35, no. 14, 

Oct. 1989, p. 52. EBSCOhost, login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?

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VELÁSQUEZ, JENNIFER. "Lessons Learned from a New Teen Space." Young Adult Library 

Services, vol. 15, no. 1, Fall2016, pp. 31-33. EBSCOhost, login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?

url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=118843607&site=ehost-

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