Optimism Observed

I was pleasantly surprised by the YA collection at my local library...I remember telling someone in class awhile back that I had never been in the YA room and she said "that's good, the teens probably appreciate that"! When I learned though that the YA room doubles as the public library's computer lab and I also had an "assigned" reason for entering I felt safe to scope it out.

The fiction section displays the titles alphabetically by author and actually holds most of the titles included on our class reading list-I was impressed with the currency of the books and didn't feel like it was in dire need of being weeded. The collection is small but all the books and resources are clearly marked with yellow "YA" stickers to denote the audience. The fiction books subtly run into the non-fiction books and shelves housing materials ranging from travel, sudoku puzzles, eating disorders, to yoga-a strange layout apparently categorized by "subject"- but it seems a bit blase about where books lie within those subjects. I was happy to see such a range of needs and interests being met and I understand the space and shelving issues, but it is odd to see a "self-help" book like Battling Bulimia next to a Beginners Guide to Feng Shui...at least they're out there right?!

I was happy to see an entire wall devoted to music in the YA room and, despite the very dated cassette and Cd stereo unit with BIG (not Bose cushy big - but hearing test big) headphones, a couple of comfy chairs in that corner of the room to invite the teens to come in and sample music or the extensive audio book selection. There were also music anthologies and bibliographical and sheet music books available for all genres from classical, classic rock, hip hop and more! They had music oriented magazines, some play away units with instructions/invitations for borrowers and a wealth of Cd's-I'm going back, I really never knew that existed in my quiet little library!

Another wall consisted of "media selections" including a diverse array of magazines (the few graphic novels for YA's were included in this section which struck me as odd-it seems as if they are considered "magazines" rather than books) and computer software, information regarding reference sites and books about setting up web pages and blogging...it made me wish we had the old card in the back with the dates stamped inside the pocket so I could see if these materials were being checked out or not. There are A LOT of helpful and current resources at this library and I only hope they are being utilized so that they continue to be updated and offered. Sharing the "media selections" wall were the reference books- they left something to be desired...some old sets of encyclopedias and a newer version of reference books regarding religion, the saving grace to this tattered and outdated collection was a brightly colored sign explaining that the library has access to Encyclopedia Britannica on-line with instructions of how to use it within the computer lab-phew!
I was also psyched to see a bulletin board by the door offering book suggestions from "The Wakefield Public Library" (I'll have to check them out...) divided by genre and also a pen hanging from a string begging teens to suggest or request any materials to peers or library staff. Although there were no takers on the book or software sheets, lots of teens weighed in on requests for cds and the librarians follow through by writing in when the Cd was ordered and then again (with a smiley face sticker) when it is in-yippee!

So this was a long, boring, yet informational synopsis of my observations and new found obsession with the YA room at my local library-I will be careful to use it when I know "real teens" are tucked in at their school desks as to not invade their personal space!