"Getting the Most From and For Your Pages" Resources

Vikki's PowerPoint
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AXVjVDEn0QClZHFnczM0M181NWhnbnRtemhj&hl=en

Emmanuelle's PowerPoint
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Ae0KbjCbVN6NZGdqM2g0dDlfNWN4N2Rod2Zm&hl=en

The Accidental Supervisor article
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B3VjVDEn0QClY2JjMDQwNzItNmJmNy00ZmFhLTg3NmMtYWQ1OWFhNjljYzE3&hl=en

The OLD Page Manual
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXVjVDEn0QClZHFnczM0M181OWdtdm02dGNr&hl=en

Page Training Materials (test, evaluation, interview questions)
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXVjVDEn0QClZHFnczM0M181OGhwOXhrNmZy&hl=en

Results from QL Page Supervising Survey
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXVjVDEn0QClZHFnczM0M182MGdjNm16Z2c1&hl=en

Thinking BIG

A few things came together over the last week that made me start thinking about how we provide library services to teens in the BIG PICTURE. They all were kind of nagging at me and then I remembered an experience I'd had as an Executive Leadership Institute Fellow with Urban Libraries Council.

At each of our group sessions in Baltimore, we had a "Director in Residence" who would speak to us in small groups and as a large group about his/her experiences. One of the directors had started at her small urban library system within a year or so of our meeting and she had a couple of things she knew she wanted to do. The first was a public service focus. Many of you have heard me tell her story about polling her staff for their "dream jobs" only to find out most of them wanted to be catalogers; not the best way to start a push to extreme customer service (sorry, that's a phrase from my days working in retail).

The other thing she wanted, and this was what I've been thinking about, was a framework, something big that they could use as an organization to make sure they were on track. She and her staff tossed around ideas, some of which wouldn't have been realistic because of the size of their system or other logistical kinds of things. Finally, she hit on the idea of making the list of America's Most Literate Cities. With this as their long-term goal, every idea, initiative or decision could be held up to see if it help them reach that goal.

WE NEED THIS!! As teen librarians, we need something like that Top 10 list to keep us (or maybe even put us) on track. So it started me thinking.

What goal or outcome do we want for THE TEENS OF QUEENS 5 or 10 years from now?

Two immediately came to mind for me:

1. Every teen in Queens will have a Queens Library card.
2. Every teen in Queens will graduate from high school.

Now, obviously, there are MANY other factors that will impact those outcomes, things we may not be able to overcome or compensate for. BUT, what if we ignored those factors and started doing things as though those goals (or whichever outcomes we decided on) were inevitable results of what we do? How close do you think we could get in 5 or 10 years?

So here is your assignment for the October 13 YA In-Service:

Come up with a goal (or goals) you think we should be heading towards, our very own YA North Star. I like mine a lot, but I'm sure you all will have others that are even better. Start thinking about what it would look like if reaching that goal was always in the back of your mind as you selected materials or planned programs or did outreach. Would it change what you did or how you did things?

At the In-Service, I would like us to agree on 1 or 2 outcomes we can use as our framework. You can post your ideas in the comments, we can talk about it on QL Chat or via email. You can even keep your ideas quiet until the big day, just THINK BIG!!

Collection Development

A guest post from Bill Stack, Assistant Coordinator of Young Adult Services:

Collection development is more than buying books en masse; it’s buying for tomorrow in a variety of formats that appeal to a diverse teen audience. It’s weeding and marketing the collection, and promoting reading & information with outreach.

Music, video games, magazines, graphic novels/comics are all apart of the modern library and teenagers are users of all media including on-line sources. Teenagers are market savvy customers. They want the Public Library to reflect their world and to have the materials they find on-line and at stores like Barnes & Nobles and Best Buy.

Downloads seem to be the way of the future. Its cheaper for manufactures to produce downloads as they save on packaging and shipping coast. Young people are attracted to the ease and hype of this technology. More young people get their news and information on-line than in print resources.

Simply to drop ship a large quantity of mass market paperbacks at the beginning of the fiscal year and call it a day is not going to meet the needs of the modern teen customers anymore than selecting hardcover fiction books that have been well reviewed.

A Young Adult Librarian must be able to buy materials in a variety of formats, and genres. They must also be able to use the tools available to them both on-line and in paper journals and catalogs. The importance of “Street Dates” in collection development can’t be over stressed. A “Street Dates” or “Pub date” is the date an item will be available for purchase. Therefore to have the items shelve ready the Library staff must purchase and process items before the street date so that the item are in the library at the same time they are in the stores or on-line.

All Young Adult Librarian should survey their customers regularly about materials of interest to them. The importance of customer input is central to the collection development of any public library. Knowing your customers is the best way to purchase reliable items that will meet their needs.

Librarians must always take time to promote reading and information seeking. To promote the Library and the wealth of resources at the Library. Book talking remains an effective way to promote your collections. Like your collection development do not limit the diversity of your services, speak about the many formats the library has. Books, music, download, podcasts, and on-line resources should be included in presentations to outside groups.

Boys are 18 months behind in language development/reading comprehension by the time they start school and never really catch up with girls. 80% of High School drops out are boys. A Young Adult Librarian must go beyond the current selection of paperback fiction to reach out to the selective reader. Rather than buying fiction with male characters or action driven plots look towards non-fiction sources. Manuals, almanac, price and parts guides and catalogs are all read by selective readers. Information on sports, drawing, jokes, magic, and music are a few of the subject that draw a readership not inclined towards fiction, even fiction books about sports or magic.

As your customers grow older their reading habits will change.
70% of 6th to 8th graders report they read more than 10 books a year while 50% of 9th to 12th graders. 11 to 12 year old girls report they read 5 hours per week 15 to 16 years old girls read 4.5. While boys 11 to 12 years’ old boys 3.9 and 15 to 16 year old boys 2.3 hours reading. Look for books attract a younger audience of Middle School students who have more time for reading.

Make sure your reading space is attractive and comfortable. 65% of teens read in bed. After a long day in school they are looking to relax and hang out. Do not focus on Curriculum related resources. While the Public Library supports education needs the collection should focus on personal interest rather than assigned homework.

Collection Development is a major focus of being a librarian and it is never ending and hard work but when a Librarian connects a customer with the information they need the reward is awesome.

Here are some trusted on sources for book titles and reviews.
Reading Rants
http://www.readingrants.org/
Reader Advisory from a Middle School Librarian.

YALSA booklist
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm
The Best books and DVD’s chosen by the Young Adult Library Assocation

Capitol Choices
http://www.capitolchoices.org/
From D.C. Librarians books & books on DVD

Popular Teen Series
A-List by Zoey Dean
The Au Pairs by Melissa De La Cruz
Bloodwater Mysteries by Pete Hautman
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Bluford High
Chalet Girls by Emily Franklin
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
The Clique by Lisi Harrison
Dark Man by Peter Lancett
Darkside by Tom Becker
Dead by Marlene Perez
Del Rio Bay Clique by Paula Chase-Hyman
The Demonata by Darren Shan
Drama! By Paul Ruditis
Drama Club by Peter Leragis
Drama High by L Divine
Flirt by Nicole Clarke
Hotlanta
House of Night by P. C. Cast
Inside Girl by J Minter
It Girl by Cecily Von ZiegesarKimani TRU
Likely Story by David Van Stten
Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Maximum Ride by James Patterson
Morganville Vampires by Racxhel Caine
The Nannies by Melody Mayer
Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Perry Skky Jr. by Stephaine Perry Moore
Poseur by Rachel Maude
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Private by Kate Brian
S.A.S.S.
Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita
Sorority 101 by Kate Harmon
The Specialists by Shannon Greenland
Stravaganza by Mary Hoffman
Talent by Zoey Dean
Upper Class
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
Wicked Dead

She Lives! (and has thoughts about teen library services)

Yesterday afternoon, a group of QL's (fabulous) teen pages, under the guidance of Emmanuelle, our (also fabulous) Youth Workforce Development Coordinator, presented their findings from surveys and interviews they conducted with teens in the Central Library. While it's probably not a good idea to assume that what they found among 100 teens (already in one of our buildings & who actually agreed to be surveyed) is completely representative of the 292,153 teens in Queens (or even the 12,000+ who registered for Summer Reading last year), a couple of things came out I think bear examining.

1) The teens said they want a place in the library where they can:

• hang out for a couple of hours
• have something to eat (which they said they would clean up after themselves)
• talk to each other but not get up and walk around the whole time
• be supervised by a librarian or other staff member (even a security officer)
• have soft music playing in the background
• watch a movie once a week

Obviously, few of our libraries have a physical space or the staff to do this EVERY DAY, but isn't this something that could be done pretty easily once a week? If more formal teen programs aren't working, maybe this is the way to go at your library.

2) The teens said they use the library most for the computers and for reading (I got similar results when I talked to teens in the South Jamaica CL recently), that they would be interested in book clubs or another venue where they could talk to each other about the books they are reading, and that they want more new books, DVDs and video games.

What this tells me is that as much as we cry about teens not reading, they are--online and in print! They want to read, talk about what they've read, and have a wide variety of materials to choose from. And since we know we have new stuff, if the teens aren't seeing it, this means better display and merchandising, and WEEDING!! How will teens find the new good stuff when it's hidden with the old and cruddy-looking good stuff?

3) They don't like the postcards we use for advertising programs--they don't look at them. BUT, they'd like fliers and posters advertising programs. They'd like the postcards if they were displayed on the tables somehow, or in a place they could flip through them (like a Rolodex).

The pages didn't say this but I suspect the main reasons they don't like the postcards is that they are displayed near the reference desk usually and they want to be able to browse more freely. Be creative when advertising your programs and using the collateral material from MCD.

4) The teens asked for a quiet study room! I have heard this from many teens and librarians (who have heard from teens).

With limited space, this may be difficult but it's nice to know they want it! Maybe you can make a temporary Quiet Zone during Regents week (ah . . . brings back fond memories of 24 hour quiet hours in my college dorms during finals!).

5) Finally, all of this information was uncovered because library employees TALKED TO TEENS!!

Not to get into a potential research article (hmmm . . .) but I suspect the teens were more open to answering the questions because they were being asked by another teen.

There is the possibility this project will be expanded to the Community Libraries, but you can certainly do something similar on your own right now! Involve your pages in the process, ask Emmanuelle for advice (and me, too--I love survey research!).

Any thoughts on what this project discovered?

Resolutions

Yes, I know that New Year's Resolutions are pretty much a guarantee that things will NOT be done, but in the spirit of the season, here are a few suggestions we can all consider:

1. To read at least 2 new YA books a month (this one's for me, too--I've been slacking).
2. To make sure the "Summer Reading 2008" signs are no longer hanging in my library (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!)
3. To weed every book in my collection that looks like it's been mauled by wolverines.
4. To do a better job of being in touch with the YA librarians (this one's for me!).
5. To try a completely out-there teen program in the hopes it will be an amazing success (I can help you all with that one!).
6. To make at least 1 new outreach contact (a school, community group, etc.) before Summer 2009.

What else should we all resolve to do in 2009? Leave your ideas in the comments!!

Happy 2009, fabulous YA Team!! :)

A Mini-Rant

In my travels around Queens lo these long months, I've heard somethings that are, well, kind of scary to me. I am not naming names or pointing fingers, but I want to clear up a few things. And I will try REALLY hard not to be too harsh, knowing that everyone is super busy, funding is low and getting lower and teens are . . . complex people to work with/for. That said, here we go:

1. To those who have suggested that anything on the shelves (ie. books that . . . aren't very good, are falling apart/held together with tape and a prayer, are older than the teens they are meant for, etc) is better than nothing on the shelves: NO!!! NO, NO, NO!! I know your book budgets are small, I really do, but what teen is going to read garbage just because it's there? WOULD YOU? The solution to this is to be SMART about how you spend the little money you have, by knowing what YOUR TEENS read. Don't waste money on a Fantasy title if all the ones you have sit on the shelf collecting dust. If a teen comes in looking for it, well, that's why we have (the admittedly slow and cranky) reserve process. Weed, people! If your shelves look empty, use them to merchandise the nice, quality stuff you do have. Use large book ends to make program flyers, book lists, contest rules, teens' art and writing, etc, into a display (tape the stuff to construction or other colored paper, staple it around 3 sides to a second sheet of paper and slip it over the bookend--voila! instant display!) and scatter them around the shelves. Be creative! But don't settle for crap for your teens. EVER.
2. To those who say "teen programs don't work in my library" this may be true, but it may also mean you need to rethink what "program" means. Let's face it folks, none of us are teens and while we may be able to relate really well to the teens we know, their world and their experiences are VASTLY different than ours were (cassette tapes, anyone?). The point being, THEY know what they want and need from us. We can think we know what they want, and we can know what we think they need, but the bottom line is that THEY need to tell us and we need to work with them to make it happen. So a program in your library may just be opening the program room one afternoon a week for a teen hang-out where you put out some magazines, your new books, maybe some music (played at low enough volume so no one has to yell to be heard of it!) and just chat and listen. Some amazing things can come from something so informal and you can use that to build better relationships and more relevant programs for them (or not--the hang-out may be all your teens want, you have to ask to find out!).
3. To those who say "my teens don't read" do not despair! Most teens DO read, it just may not be novels or biographies, or whatever. They read plenty online, they read magazines, and they may read on their own away from judging eyes. Remember that, unfortunately, plenty of teens struggle with learning disabilities, a lack of skills, or other obstacles that make reading difficult for them. It's hard for me, a voracious life-long reader to image something that gives me such joy being so painful for some teens, and it really does break my heart that it is. Something a colleague who is a literacy teacher in NYC's juvenile detention centers talks about is making it possible for teens to have ownership of their own literacy; adult learner programs do this all the time by having students write about their lives, their families, their worlds. Teens are super creative and yearning to express themselves so if you feel like your teens don't read (and if they love to read!), look for ways to get them to write--poetry, rap and other songs, stories. If that's too much, get them to talk to each other and to you--storytelling is an innate human skill but they need space to do it.

The bottom line for all of this is that YOU MUST SPEAK TO YOUR TEENS!! Get to know them, watch how their power dynamics work, figure out who has group influence and work with them. Ask them about school, about their lives, their dreams, their futures. Give them room to be themselves but help them learn to respect boundaries (by working with them to establish them). Especially if the teens you work with are from a different cultural, racial and/or ethnic heritage than your own, conversations and dialogues are ESSENTIAL.

That is my mini-rant for the day.

As always, team, I am here to help so PLEASE call on me if you need me! I love to weed and merchandise and make displays, I love to talk to teens, I love to create programs and I can't do all of that in my cube! Use me, people. USE ME!!

Food Insecurity

Given the state of our economy, it should come as no surprise that food insecurity is increasing in our communities and among our neighbors. Here are some recent news articles on the subject:

Kraft Foods and Feeding America Step Up Efforts to Combat Hunger in Challenging Economy (press release)

Food pantries mobilize as ranks of hungry grow

Smoking may be linked to hunger -- in family members

Hunger in Massachusetts Increases at an Alarming Rate; 522,000 Struggle to Put Food on the Table

Hunger Doesn't Take a Summer Vacation (blog posting)