Unlike school libraries, reference is not the focus of the public library YA area, so research most often takes place in the library’s main reference section. All staff should feel comfortable interacting with and serving the research needs of YAs.
While these behaviors/strategies are most likely used with all patrons, some key things to remember when interacting with YAs are:
In school and public libraries alike, research and homework support to YAs comes in many forms. Obviously, there are the daily reference interactions where you are presented with an assignment and you assist one, two, or a small group of students at a time to find needed information and materials. During each of these encounters, you probably find yourself doing a little bit of catalog instruction, a little bit of how to evaluate a resource, use an index, etc. and often a brief introduction to the internet and/or research databases. This is the most common form of support. Other forms of homework support could be:
There are many ways you/your library can support YAs with school assignments or research needs and, like all areas of YA services, you can look to other libraries and library journals for ideas or ask around to see what would be helpful and supportive.
What about the concept of school(s) support for you and the library? Every librarian has lamented the fact that school assignments always seem to sneak up on him/her (sometimes even those librarians working within the school).
The scenario is as follows: The early bird student arrives, finds needed materials without interacting with a staff member, and checks-out every book on the subject and leaves. Once the second student arrives and asks for help it is too late. All that remains are a few references in an encyclopedia or almanac and the Internet. It is very important for public staff to attempt to make a connection with the local school(s) to gain advance notice of regular or special assignments. Developing a “School Assignment Alert” or “Fax us the Facts” sheet and making a presentation at the school(s) requesting usage is recommended.
Often it is like pulling teeth, but if you as a public librarian can persuade even one or two teachers, or perhaps the school librarian, you are ahead. The key is to get them to realize you are not simply making more work for them, but rather, making their assignments that much more effective and less frustrating for their students. If you only knew in advance, you could pull the necessary materials, put them in a special “reserve” section for in-house or photocopy use, create a computer pathfinder which is a list of suggested web links on the topic, and perhaps order in some extra copies of circulating materials from a consortium or partnering library in order to ensure all students have equal access to information. Many of these same actions apply in the school library setting as well.
Patrick Jones has developed the “Ten Commandments” of YA reference work. Briefly:
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