Libraries do have an obligation to serve those adults who enjoy reading YA, NA, and GN. This is not something the library or a librarian can control; each patron is unique in that they have their own preferences and moods. One week they might want a GN, but the next week a Western. It is the library’s job to remain unbiased towards a patron’s preferences and be able to provide resources for what the patron wants. For a full description of the library's obligation to a patron, one just needs to read the ALA Standards and Guidelines and Bill of Rights.
Because these genres, especially YA and GN, are considered mostly for tweens/teens, they are placed separate from the children and adult collections. My library has a separate room for teens where children are not allowed unless accompanied by an older sibling. However, new and older adults feel out of place going in there to browse the collections. I do believe there should be a separate area for tweens/teens, just as there are for children and adults; however, don't make it so blatant that adults would feel intimidated going in there to find what they are looking for. Just as there are labels for other genres (Romance, Fantasy, Western, Inspirational, Thriller/Suspense, etc.) along the novel’s spine, there should also be one for YA and NA novels so they can be easily found.
I would be very disappointed if YA novels were not available at my library. Yes, disappointed as a librarian, but also as an adult and parent. I try to read the novels my kids are reading to keep up to date and for ‘censoring’ purposes. Since I currently work at the high school as a Special Ed assistant, this also allows me to converse with the students on topics other than just school and give suggestions to the teacher on what next to read to the class. I also like reading these because they are great recommendations to others who know nothing about a YA author or subject. Today, there are so many new ethnically diverse authors writing from their cultural perspectives that I, my daughter and older sons, and many others didn’t have growing up. We would have loved to see ourselves in the books we read. It’s a great advantage that today's youth and new adults have representation in literature (YA, NA, and GN) and it’s the library’s job to make sure it has the collections that represents its diverse community.
I agree- I enjoy YA and I like being able to read what my kids are reading. I think it is easier for parents, librarians and teachers to access book housed in teen or children's areas, but I think as a profession there needs to be more thought in how to make YA/NA/GN more accessible to all patrons while maintaining safety.
ReplyDeleteGiven this week's prompt about whether adults should be encouraged to read YA and your reference to the ALA's Bill of Rights, how do you feel about not allowing children in your teen department? I'm curious to know how this is monitored and what ages your library defines as children.
ReplyDeleteChildren aren't allowed in TeenCentral unless they have a tween/teen (sibling) with them at all times. Those in 6th-8th grade are considered tween and those in HS are Teens; therefore, anyone in 5th grade and below are considered children. I believe children aren't allowed in our teen department because there are many resources that are too mature for them, but because our policy is to have children accompanied into the area, it's ultimately up to the parents to decide what their kids can have access to.
DeleteI found your thoughts on a separate teen room to be interesting. I hadn't thought about it too deeply, but it could be uncomfortable for adults to go into the teen room to browse the shelves. The library in my hometown has a separate room and (now thinking about it) we didn't see a lot of adults go in there. Probably because there were always a ton of middle/high schoolers hanging out and they felt out of place. The teen section in the library in my current town has separate shelves for YA and graphic novels, but they are right next to the adult section so I think it would be way less uncomfortable for adults to check out these titles with this physical setup.
ReplyDeleteI misread your first sentence as "librarians don't have an obligation" and got worried- I need to learn how to read. Excellent point that this issue ties into the Library Bill of Rights- I hadn't even considered that! Also, I'm not sure if your library's floor plan would accommodate this, but my library keeps the YA materials between the children's and adult materials (as a kind of transition since it's a transitional phase), so maybe having it closer to both makes it a little easier for adults to explore YA titles without feeling like they're intruding. Great post!
ReplyDeleteNo issues about misreading. I do that as well and have to go back and reread. :)
DeleteOur TeenCentral was just created about 5 or 6 years ago. And for some reason it's on the other side of the library, nowhere close to the children's section. So I don't think the library will look into moving it any time soon.
I do know that before the whole 'shut down of the world', they had started remodeling the upstairs and then were going to do some shifting and additions to the main floor. It will be interesting to see what it looks like when everything opens up again.
Yes! Cultural and ethnic perspectives! I very much agree this is an important and necessary advantage to having YA lit in libraries.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up so many great issues to consider and you really engaged your classmates in the comments. Well done! Full points!
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