2007 ALA Annual Conference Session
Abbie Williams and Peggy Carlson: Creating Teen Spaces
Abbie Williams, Librarian, and Peggy Carlson, Adult Services Department Head, of the Bloomingdale Public Library in Illinois won the Demco Interiors Award for the reorganization and refitting of the library's YA section.
There was a recognition in the library that the YA collection needed new resources and ideas. The YA collection was a small collection located in the basement. There were no YA programs.
The first step in revitalizing the collection was to move the collection upstairs in a more public area and near the popular media collections. More money was allocated for YA materials. A teen advisory committee was formed. The revitalization of the YA program was incorporated into the library's long-range plan with the arrival of a new director.
The library held a competition for naming the YA area. YA S'pot was the winning entry, which was decided by the teen advisory committee.
The library and teen advisory committee then worked with Demco for ideas on furnishings, fabrics and colors for the area. The group chose large, comfy furniture as well as cafe-style furniture to accommodate laptops. Listening stations were also included, which became very popular. Shelving was included for face-out displays. The library purchased podcasting and video-casting equipment.
The focus then turned to programing. A grand opening was scheduled for the new YA S'pot area. Sixty teens attended. A CD player was raffled. Other programs followed that included a monthly Dance Dance Revolution night, an anime club and podcasting workshops.
Circulation to teens is up and summer reading participation by teens increased 25% in last two years.
Consult Kim Bolan's blog The Indie Librarian for ideas on creating or revitalizing teen spaces.
Linda Yoder: Programs for a small community
Director of Nappanee Public Library in Indiana Linda Yoder spoke about her small community library that serves a rural community of 6,700 residents. The community was recognized by Time Magazine in 1997 as one of the top 10 small towns in America.
The community is largely a blue-color community. It includes a large Amish community and a growing Latino community. The later represents about eight percent of the population the library serves. There are also two million tourists that annually travel through county in which the library is located. 250,000 visit and travel through the community itself.
The library is open 67 hours and seven days a week. It enjoys a one million dollar budget. It has 151,000 annual visits. It annually circulates 145,800 items. It answers 6,500 reference questions. It had 14,740 attendees to its programs and there were 21,060 users of its electronic resources.
Programs are a significant part of the library's mission and reflects the need to counter a gradual loss of community suffered by many small towns in the U.S. today. Ms. Yoder recommended reading Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2001) by Robert D. Putnam to help understand the challenges and opportunities facing many small communities.
The library offers a popular GED program. This reflects the Amish community's eight-years of schooling and the choice many Amish make later in life to continue their education.
The library also runs a booth at the annual Elkhart County Fair to reach out to unserved children. Five out of the sixteen townships in the county are unserved by a public library. Storytimes, give-aways, games and activities and drawings are offered. The county fair is the largest in the country and runs nine days in July. The library booth is staffed the entire time. Because there is a need for so many volunteers, board members, friends, and staff all become well versed in library services, programs, services, policies and issues.
The library is also collaborating with the city and chamber of commerce to open a new furniture and (Amish) quilt museum that reflect the two major crafts and industries of the area. The library plans to move its heritage collection to the museum and help staff the museum with its volunteers.
The library provides leadership in the Northern Indiana Computer Consortium for Libraries, a cooperative contractual service for a single provider of computer services. The use of a single provider for computer services and consulting has created efficiencies in training, support and costs. Technical and security standards have been developed. Participation by libraries is contractual and can reflect either a fixed or flexible amount of service. The consortium plans to extend statewide.
Laurel Best: Philosophy for teens
Director of the Linebaugh Public Library in Tennessee Laurel Best spoke of the symposium for teens at which participants discuss philosophy.
Billed as a cafe symposium for caffeinated contemplation, the program has become very popular. The program is weekly and runs in six to eight week sessions. Participants have been primarily from honors English classes. Adults are not invited though parental notification is required.
There is a reading for each session and the Socratic method is modeled during the discussions. Participants learn critical thinking and all opinions are treated equally and with respect.
An honors student from the local college leads the discussions and receives college credit. She or he is careful not to share their opinions at any time during the program.
Suggested Reading
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2001) by Robert D. Putnam.
