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