Apart from parents dragging them in to get stuff for their school assignment, how else do we get teens into our libraries. Well we want them willingly, so what are libraries doing that are getting them in and leaving them wanting more.

As I said in an earlier post, our library service has run a gaming night, which has been hugely successful. Held at 4 different libraries and with Runescape being the game of choice, it was great seeing the library full of young people – both willingly and happily. They left wanting it all over again. Each time (we have had it twice now), the kids were patient whilst awaiting their turns, helpful to less experienced players and generally well behaved. Wow, just the way we want our teens!

Gaming in public libraries is also a big drawcard in the US, where they have even started running conferences/seminars, such as the “Gaming, Learning and Libraries” Symposium in Chicago, as well as websites, library sites and blogs dedicated to these programs. Other particular gaming events which have been big drawcards include Dance Dance Revolution at
Thomas Ford Memorial Library.

That’s all fantastic and I am so glad our library is involved in gaming, encouraging it even, but how do we reach the kids who don’t game. What else can we do, how else can we reach them, because that’s what it is all about now, us reaching them where they are at, not expecting them to come to us first.

We can push our broadband access, the absolute minimum for any surfing teen. We can and have been out to schools: into classes and staff meetings, submitting and having printed, articles in school newsletters, all promoting our databases and website as the destination for research and assignments.

We can do more. We can get make Instant Messaging a necessary component of all our public PCs and offer an IM reference service. We can use blogs, its not that hard, to present library news and views in a format familiar to them, we can review our website for teen compatability and we can get past ourselves and talk to the kids as real people when they come in the door. With some of the trouble we have had with our teens, we have been getting some useful advice from our Council youth workers. Tap into those sorts of resources.

These kids are our users – potential and current, present and future. They deserve the same respect accorded our other users, all being fair and equal. However, because they are a different generation to most library staff, we will have to work a bit harder, so we can understand them and their needs, enabling us to create and deliver services that meet them where they are at. We want them using their local library – preferably by walking in the door, but we won’t be complaining about virtual visits!

We have staff in our service with some great ideas for teens. As they get off the ground and we see the results, I will keep you posted via this blog.