According to a recent Department of Education report, we are in the midst of a 13% increase in public high school enrollment. This increase is having a great impact on all types of libraries that serve YAs. There is a greater need for more librarians to serve YAs, whether generalists or specialists, public or school library.
Library services for “young adults” have traditionally been designed for ages 12 to 18. This is a challenging range from both a programming (most 17 year-olds will not “hang out” with 12 year-olds, nor do they have the same needs and interests) and collection (different maturity and experiential, rather than reading level) standpoint.
Library staff needs to rise to these challenges in order to effectively serve this group. In order to serve this group effectively, you need to reach them and get to know them. A good starting point is to simply talk to a few YAs and find out first-hand what they are interested in. Next, reading the magazines they do, listening to the radio stations, they do, or watching the TV shows they do, will provide insight as well.
The purpose of a YA services program is multifaceted. Ultimately, the goal is to serve effectively the unique needs of the YA demographic while creating new and loyal library users.
Patrick Jones noted “seven developmental needs of young adolescents” as:
Brownlee, et. al. (Inside the Teen Brain) adds, “Searching for new experiences is a normal part of growing up. The trick is helping kids find healthy sources of stimulation.”
These are areas where libraries can play a pivotal role through effective programming and collections. The library can meet the needs of YAs and guide them into adulthood by providing the answers to their questions and solving their life mysteries from a completely non-threatening and non-judgmental position.
While the library does not stand in place of a parent, in today’s world a librarian might very well be the only adult a YA feels comfortable enough to turn to. The library can also provide entertainment and an outlet for creative expression and positive interaction between both peers and staff. This can all be accomplished while maintaining the library’s structure and limits, as well as the sanity of staff.
From a political perspective, young adults are a demographic which public and school libraries desperately need to become loyal library users because they are our (near) future voters and taxpayers. We need them to be in our corner just as much as they need us to be in theirs.
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