Attracting Young Adults to the Library: A Research Critique

Paula Ciberay, Barbara Durland, Jennifer Roberts, and Lisa Wood

Introduction“The secret message . . . to most young people today is that they are not needed . . . For society to attempt to solve its problems without [their] full participation . . . is IMBECILE. Alvin Toffler, author/futurist

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Young Adults = 25% of public library patrons

Public libraries without YA librarian = 89%

Study Guided by Two Questions• What Young Adult strategies most effectively

attract teens?• What Young Adult programs and services

most effectively attract teens?

Methods UsedQuantitative•Weighted surveys of Librarians and Young Adults.

Qualitative•Face to face interviews with librarians.•Field notes from library visits.•Young adult focus groups.•Young adult email interviews.

Summary of Methods•160 libraries were surveyed.•47 were returned (30%).•Ten libraries were selected for qualitative study. •18 young adults participated in focus groups.

Pros of Methods•Wide variety of mixed methods. •Triangulation- Qualitative used to verify Quantitative•Good tips for new program success.

Cons of Methods•Low response rate.•Libraries only chosen from survey respondents.•Qualitative studied limited to strong YA participation.•Ignores non-library users.

Summary of Results- Strategies

Teen

Ranking

Librarian

Ranking

Teen Space 1 3*

Food 2 2

Publicity in Library

3 5

Bring friends 4 3*

Library Webpage

5 11

Word of Mouth 6 1

Summary of Results on StrategiesTeens & librarians agreed on 4 of 5 strategies: •Teen Space- comfy, attractive•Food•Publicity in library -fliers, posters•Encouragement to bring friends

Teens and librarians disagreed on one key strategy:•Teens rated their library web page #5.•Librarians rated the web page for teens #11.

One Implication of Results•Librarians should place more focus on the teen web page.

Summary of Results- Programs & ServicesTeen

Ranking

Librarian

Ranking

Research 1 3

Volunteer @ Library 2 2

Internet 3 1

Library Displays 4 7

Software 5 4

Videos 8 5

Summary of Results- Programs & ServicesTeens & librarians agreed on the top 3 Programs & Services:•Doing research•Volunteering at the library•Using the Internet

Teens & librarians disagreed in one key way:•Teens ranked research #1 and the internet #3.•Librarians ranked the internet #1 and research #3.

Implications:•Librarians view young people as internet users first, while teens view themselves as researchers first.•Perhaps librarians need to give credit where credit is due, and focus on teen research interests first, then use the internet as a means to that goal. (Bishop and Bauer, 2002).

Poster Created By:Lisa Wood, Jennifer Roberts, Barb Durland, and Paula Ciberay

SourcesBishop, K., Bauer, P. (2002, Winter). Attracting young

adults to public Libraries: Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA

research grant results. Journal of Youth Services in

Libraries, 15, no.2, 36-44. Retrieved March 20, 2009,

from Library & Information Science; Education.

Thesis“By identifying effective young adult strategies, programs, and services, the following research study will add to the knowledge of the role of libraries and librarians as community partners in providing for the needs of young adults “(Bishop & Bauer, 2002, p.3).

Recommendations•Although there were some limitations to this study, such as a low rate of return of the survey and lack of response from teens who were not already quite involved in their library, the recommendations can provide some simple but useful techniques that most libraries and librarians could incorporate to attract teens.

Further Questions This Article Raises•How can libraries attract teens who are not as active in their library or do not have a library with teen services already in place?

Pros of the Article•There was a great deal of agreement between the young adults and the librarians•Represents libraries in various parts of the state and rural and urban libraries.•Represents diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of patrons. •Used mixed methods and triangulation.

Cons of the Article•Teens who participated in follow-up calls and focus groups volunteered to do so; their opinions may differ from those who did not volunteer.•Only 30% of surveys were returned.

Positive Elements of Article•Great deal of agreement between the young adults and the librarians.•Represents libraries in various parts of the state and rural and urban libraries.• Represents diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of patrons. •Used mixed methods and triangulation

Questionable Elements•Teens who participated in follow-up calls and focus groups volunteered to do so; their opinions may differ from those who did not volunteer.•Only 30% of surveys were returned.

Who Should Read This Article•Librarians working with or desiring to work with young adults.•Stakeholders, directors, and managers seeking to attract youth to their library.•Those seeking to provide young adults with positive places to spend their free time

Why Read This Article•Improve awareness of what attracts teens to a public library.•Contains research-based information on which to base teen programming.•Research to present to stakeholders, managers and grant evaluators.