Public LIbrary Teen Space Analysis

The Edmonton Library is located in a suburban community and has a large Asian minority, but also an African American and Hispanic population. Central City Library is located in Auckland which is New Zealand's largest city and has a diverse population which includes more than 180 ethnic groups; the majority is of European descent and the Asian population is significantly growing. The Phoenix Public Library has a variety of teen patrons from different schools, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds that converge in the library. The city of Worthington is a suburb in the center of Ohio, therefore the library has a large suburban community. Swampscott Public Library serves a primarily white middle to upper class suburban population.

The Central City Library in Auckland, New Zealand has a teen space including a D.V.D and console game lending collection within. Unlike the Central City Library, the Old Worthington Library located in Worthington, Ohio has teen specific music C.D's and D.V.D's located either in the adult or children's area, but not in the teen area. Swampscott Public Library in Swampscott, Massachusetts has a video, computer game, and popular C.D collection in its teen space. Impressively, Phoenix Public Library in Phoenix, Arizona has its very own teen specific music collection of more than 5,000 C.D's in its teen space.

In its teen area, the Central City Library has a total of six computer terminals including two with free internet access and Microsoft Office applications. Similarly, Edmonds Library also has six computer terminals, but only four with internet access. Amazingly, the Phoenix Public Library has twenty PC's with internet access in its teen area. Worthington Library's teen space has five computer stations all including word processing programs and unrestricted internet access. Unlike the other libraries mentioned, the Swampscott Public Library does not have computers in the teen area itself, but the teen computers are located in an adjacent room and include access to unfiltered internet and word processing programs.

When it comes to technology, the Central City Library's teen section keeps up with current technological trends by having an active presence in social networking sites such as Bebo and Myspace, and possessing Web 2.0 technology. Like the Central City Library, the Worthington Library maintains an active presence on Myspace which helps market teen services and promote teen media, but also assists teens by connecting them with others of common interests in the social networking realm.

Media forms such as magazines and graphic novels are becoming increasingly popular among teens, and lure even the most reluctant teen readers into the library. As a result, many libraries are stocking these items in their teen areas to better help meet the interests of teens. The Central City Library has a section with world language magazines. Edmonds Public Library has a magazine display and a graphic novel section for teens. Similarly, the Worthington Library has a magazine section along with a comics/graphic novel section for teens. Swampscott Library also has a graphic novel area in its teen space.

Sometimes teens want to take a break from reading and studying and simply lounge, socialize, and have a good time. That's why many libraries are incorporating console game lending, gaming competitions and movie showings. The Central City Library actually has a console game lending collection. Worthington Library offers Wii gaming and anime movie showings just for teens. In its teen space, Phoenix Library has a large screen T.V with surround sound system with new movies shown daily.

In the Central City Library, teen fiction genres of mystery, fantasy, and science fiction are shelved together, while romance, paperback series, and local authors are shelved in a paperback rack. The Edmonds Library's teen space has a unit with displayable books and paperback racks to house paperback books. Worthington Library's adult books for teens are kept in the adult fiction collection. Unlike the Worthington Library, the Swampscott Library has hardcover and paperback adult fiction books for teens shelved together with the young adult books.

All the aforementioned libraries have a teen space with furniture that is colorful, relaxed, and styled modern to attract teens. Coppell (2007) mentions that the Central City Library has "teen furniture that is designed for lounging with much favored beanbags and red swivel chairs." (225) The Edmonds Library has a light blue painted wall, grey carpeting, a large bulletin board, six comfortable upholstered chairs, round table, book and magazine racks. Differently from other libraries, the Phoenix Public Libraries' teen area has a café area with vending machines. Worthington Library's teen area (unlike the previously mentioned libraries) has a physical wall of separation to differentiate the teen area from the rest of the library to give the teen space more privacy. In the Worthington Library, the walls are painted bright yellow, there are arched windows painted in blue and green, the carpeted floors have an alternating square pattern in a primary color scheme, and there are six comfy chairs and a few stools painted in bright colors. The Swampscott Library's teen space includes fun and colorful furniture such as burgundy rocking chairs, refurbished tables, and re-done paperback racks. Similarly, all these teen spaces incorporate bright and lively colors and modern and funky furniture that make teens feel comfortable and at home at their local library.

Many libraries understand that it is essential to get teen's opinion on what media they would like their library to purchase for them or what programs or events the libraries should offer. The Edmonton Library encouraged teens to get involved in the planning and implementation process of the teen area redesign; focus groups were conducted to see what teens wanted and the library took teen interests into account when renovating their teen space. The Phoenix Library also hosted focus groups during the teen central's planning process, where they interacted with the architect and librarians to help plan every aspect of the room, including the floor plan, collection, and services. The Worthington library also held brainstorming sessions, focus groups, and teen advisory boards to find out what the teens wanted in their new teen space. Differently from other libraries, the Worthington Library held "Volunteen Corps" which was an informal advisory board and was different in nature from focus groups but similarly encouraged teens to provide input on matters relating to them and their library. Similarly, in the Swampscott Library teens were asked to help volunteer and redecorate the teen area in the summer of 2001.

References:

Coppell, A. (2007). Auckland City Libraries--Tamaki Pataka Korero: Central Library Teens Area, Auckland, New Zealand. Voice of Youth Advocates, 30 (3).

Kendall, K. (2003).Teen central: safe, structured, and teen-friendly, Phoenix Public Library, Phoenix, Arizona. Voice of Youth Advocates, 26 (5).

Pratt, V. M. (2001).Teen area: Swampscott Public Library, Swampscott, Massachusetts: going a long way on a short budget. Voice of Youth Advocates, 24 (4).

Teen area: Edmonds Library sno-isle regional library system, Edmonds,

Washington.(2001) Voice of Youth Advocates, 24(3).

Teen rooms in Worthington Libraries: Northwest Library, Columbus, Ohio; Old Worthington Library, Worthington, Ohio.(2009).Voice of Youth Advocates, 31(6).