Dear Paul
In response to your three questions regarding consultation with teenagers:
[1] In the last 18 months Cambridgeshire has added "Young Adult Plus" collections to all libraries. These are titles aimed at young people aged 14 years and upward and include some adult titles too [Hornby, Townsend, Pratchett, Orwell]. We began with 6 large "pilot collections" in our larger service points, but such has been the popularity [based on verbal comments and the very "scientific" method of examining date labels!] that all service points now have a selection, albeit only a few titles in some cases. We aim to increase the size and range of all collections during 2006/7 A number of our libraries also provide teenage interest magazines. We undertook a survey of teenagers to establish the favourites: "Sidewalk", "Bliss", "Simpsons Comic" and "Smash hits". Due to expressed demands, we now stock lots of graphic novels, especially "Manga".
[2] We have two Teenage Reading Groups in Cambridgeshire and both are given approval copies of books to read and review. To respond to "Youth Matters" we are keen to do more in the way of involving teenagers in stock selection...we already involve primary age pupils quite extensively. We have undertaken surveys of teenage reading tastes to get a better impression of popular authors/genres and do liase with resources librarians in our secondary schools to check what is being borrowed
[3] As part of our marketing strategy, we are about to launch a bookmark [designed by young people] promoting the range of services offered by libraries. Copies will be sent to all secondary schools and youth centres.
When we launched our Young Adult Plus collections, all local secondary schools received a promotional poster.
Hope this is useful
Richard Young
[Children's Services Manager]
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Library Student
Sent: 18 March 2006 12:01
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Information Request
Dear All,
I work for a local authority library service in South East London and I am
also completing my MA In Information Management. My dissertation topic is
an exploration of the value of consulting with teenagers to develop
appropriate and inclusive book collections, assessing whether books have a
place in explorations of current teenage interests and reading options. It
is also hoped that my research will have practical stock development
benefits at work!
To assist me in my research, I would be greatly appreciative of responses to
the three questions below. Even if the answers to all three are 'no' or
that no non-traditioonal activities have been undertaken, I'd still like to
hear from you!
1. - How have you undertaken any collection development activities to make
teenage collections more appropraite to the needs of today's teenagers (for
example creating mixed collections of YA and adult stock). If so, do you
have quantifiable measures of uptake?
2. - Have you involved teenagers in stock selection and if so has the
approach produced any quantifiable or noticeable results in issues/teenage
visits to the library?
3. - How have you promoted books to teenagers outside of library buildings
(eg posters, local press ads, text messages) and has your approach affected
the number of issues or teenage visitors to the library?
Many thanks in advance. I will be sure to post a summary of the responses
gained here after analysis.
Paul Fisher.
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