Collecting for Young Adults
Young Adult Librarians have a lot of homework trying to keep up with the changing interests of young adults. Here are some ways to keep on top of the game:
- Subscribe to key reviewing journals such as VOYA and School Library Journal
- Read music magazines like Vibe, Rolling Stone, and SPIN. Also check out pop culture magazines – they often have interviews with musicians and authors that are popular with teens
- For specialty items like graphic novels and manga, read Animerica or subscribe to RSS feeds on popular publisher’s sites (such Dark Horse and Vertigo)
- Organizations such as YALSA, REFORMA, and the ALA’s Feminst Task Force put out bibliographies focused on young adult materials
- Bust out that RSS reader and sign up for blogs that are dedicated to reviewing young adult materials – I like these ones:
- Worth the Trip: http://worththetrip.wordpress.com/
- GoddessLibrarian: http://goddesslibrarian.blogspot.com/
- ThrushMetal: http://thrushmetal.wordpress.com/
- Listen to the local radio and watch music video television (you can do this on the internet now – you don’t need cable tv!)
- Make connections with teachers and leaders
- Review circulation statistics
- Community analysis
- Look at the long-tail
- Get teens involved!
- Reading interest surveys
- Magazine or music selection groups
- Genre selection committees
Must-have manuals for librarians collecting for young adults:
Martin, H.J., Jr. & Murdock, J.R. (2007). Serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman.
Nichols, C.A. (2004). Thinking outside the book: Alternatives for today’s teen library collections. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
