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Home , Cell phone novel, David Fickling, Ellen Hopkins, Gossip (software), Laurie Halse Anderson, Libba Bray

The official journal of the Young Adult Library Services Association young adult library library services services

volume 7 | number 2 WINTER 2009 Issn 1541-4302 $12.50

INSIDE:

Dream It Do It: At the Library! Online Homework Help Cell Phone Novels and MUCH more!

iSSUE! Teen Tech Week™ Celebrate the people who create books for young people. Tenth Book of Junior Authors & Illustrators

he Junior Authors & Illustrators series has been a welcome and Tessential source of information since 1934. The biographical “Belongs profiles have introduced generations of young readers to the authors and artists who create the books they know and love. Children and young on every adults, parents and educators, as well as aspiring children’s book writers school and and illustrators will also appreciate the first-person presentations from the authors and illustators themselves. The new Tenth Book of Junior public library Authors & Illustrators provides the following: reference n An account of each writer or artist’s career. n First-person sketches for authors and illustrators speak directly and shelf.” naturally to young readers. —Booklist n Photographic portraits and jacket illustrations enliven the entries. n Cross-references to pseudonyms, which makes finding favorite Celebrating its authors easy. 75th Year n A Cumulative Index guides readers to profiles in otherJunior Authors & Illustrators volumes. Approx. 850 Pages • Photographs n December 2008 • ISBN 978-0-8242-1066-3 A geographical index to authors and illustators by state. $120 • $135 (outside the U.S. and Canada)

H.W. Wilson www.hwwilson.com Toll Free: 800-367-6770 • Tel: 718-588-8400 Fax: 718-590-1617 or 800-590-1617 E-mail: [email protected] The official journal of the Young Adult Library Services Association young adult library services

vol ume 7 | num ber 2 WINTER 2009 Issn 1541-4302

YALSA Perspective Literature Surveys and Research 4 Find it! Shoot it! Shop It! 39 The Structure of Power in Young Adult Connecting Teens to Technology Problem Novels at La Puente Library By Brian W. Sturm and Karin Michel By Monique Delatte 8 Grants Get Teens Gaming Teen Tech Week™ 2008 at The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County By Beth Hoeffgen 10 Teen Tech Week Survey Results By Kathy Mahoney and Kelly Laszczak Student Perspective 14 YA Q&A Expert Advice on Tough Plus: Teen Services Questions 2 From the Editor RoseMary Honnold Feature 3 From the President 16 “Shelters from the Storm” Sarah Cornish Debraski Teens, Stress, and Libraries By Jami Jones 47 Guidelines for Authors Best Practices 47 Index to Advertisers 48 The YALSA Update 22 Dream It Do It: At the Library! Technology Outreach at a Juvenile Detention Center By Kelly Czarnecki Hot Spot: Teen Tech Week About This Cover 25 Online Homework Help Poster art for Teen Tech Week, March Evaluating the Options 8–14, 2009. TTW is a national initiative By Judy Michaelson sponsored by YALSA to ensure teens are 29 Cell Phone Novels competent and ethical users of technologies, 140 Characters at a Time especially those offered through libraries. Let By Ruth Cox Clark the teens in your community know that the 32 Budget Video Production library is the source for electronic resources Yes, You Can Do It Too! such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, By Rachel Magee electronic games, and more. To purchase 33 Technology for Every Teen @ your library® the poster and other TTW materials, go By Vikki C. Terrile to www.alastore.ala.org. Poster design by 37 Teen Tech Week on a Budget Distillery Design Studio. By Jami Schwarzwalder YALSA Editorial Advisory Committee (performing referee duties and providing advisory input for the journal) Sarah English, chair, Omaha, Neb.; Kimberly Bolan, Indianapolis, Ind.; from the Melissa Dease, Dallas, Tex.; Teri Lesesne, Huntsville, Tex.; Angela Leeper, Wake Forest, N.C.; Sarah Ludwig, New Haven, Conn.

YALSA Publications Committee Heather Booth, chair, Westmont, Ill.; Laura Amos, Yorktown, Va.; Sasha Editor Rae Matthews, Chesapeake, Va.; Cindy Mediavilla, Culver City, Calif.; Jessica Moyer, Menomonie, Wis.; Elizabeth Shuping, Florence, S.C. Editor RoseMary Honnold RoseMary Honnold YALSA Executive Director his winter issue of features Teen Tech Week™ 2009, Beth Yoke YALS Press Play @ your library®, YALSA’s initiative to celebrate YALSA Division Coordinator teens and technology in libraries. School and public librar- Stephanie Kuenn T ians working with teens have found technology to be a wonderful Circulation tool for making connections. While these young digital natives are Young Adult Library Services (ISSN 1541-4302) is published four times a year by the American Library Association (ALA), 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL eager to try any new technology, parents, teachers, and librarians 60611. It is the official publication of the Young Adult Library Services Asso- keep busy trying to keep up, finding the best and safest way to use ciation (YALSA), a division of ALA. Subscription price: members of YALSA, $25 per year, included in membership dues; nonmembers, $50 per year in the these new tools and applying them to activities that will enrich U.S.; $60 in Canada, Mexico, and other countries. Back issues within one year young people’s lives. of current issue, $15 each. Periodicals class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Technology can be the key for your library to reach out to Young Adult Library Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Members: teens in juvenile detention centers, as the Public Library of Char- Address changes and inquiries should be sent to Membership Department, Changes to Young Adult Library Services, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL lotte and Mecklenburg County has found. Kelly Czarnecki tells of 60611. Nonmember subscribers: Subscriptions, orders, changes of address, this amazing work being done by librarians in her article, “Dream and inquiries should be sent to Changes to Young Adult Library Services, Subscriptions, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-545-2433, press 5; It, Do It.” Ruth Cox Clark tells us about the next new thing, cell fax: (312) 944-2641; [email protected]. phone novels, now hot in Japan. Vikki Terrile has great advice on Statement of Purpose making technology available to all your teens, and you’ll find many Young Adult Library Services is the official journal of the Young Adult great ideas for celebrating Teen Tech Week submitted by the Teen Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. YALS primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education for Tech Week Committee and compiled by committee member Jami librarians serving young adults, ages twelve through eighteen. It will include Schwarzwalder. Also, check out how two winners of last year’s articles of current interest to the profession, act as a showcase for best practices, provide news from related fields, publish recent research related to YA Teen Tech Week Mini Grants made the most of their awards. librarianship, and will spotlight significant events of the organization and This issue also features Jami Jones’ second article, “ ‘Shelters offer in-depth reviews of professional literature. YALS will also serve as the official record of the organization. from the Storm’: Teens, Stress, and Libraries,” focusing on the Production stress teens face at home and school and how we can help. Judy ALA Production Services—Troy D. Linker, Chris Keech, Tim Clifford, and Michaelson explores online homework help options, and Brian W. Justine Wells. Sturm and Karin Michel examine the power of problem novels. Advertising Teen Tech Week reminds us that teens and technology belong Bill Spilman, Innovative Media Solutions; 1-877-878-3260; fax (309) 483-2371; e-mail [email protected]. YALS accepts advertis- in libraries. Our game-playing, multi-tasking, delightfully complex ing for goods or services of interest to the library profession and librarians in teens keep us on our toes in a constant learning curve and on the service to youth in particular. It encourages advertising that informs readers and provides clear communication between vendor and buyer. YALS adheres cutting edge of technology, teen literature and all its forms, and the to ethical and commonly accepted advertising practices and reserves the right newest trends. If lifelong learning is truly the fountain of youth, I to reject any advertisement not suited to the above purposes or not consistent with the aims and policies of ALA. Acceptance of advertising in YALS does think young adult librarians are swimming in it! not imply official endorsement by ALA of the products or services advertised. When you receive this issue, the buzz will be about the just- Manuscripts announced ALA Youth Media Awards. Anyone who has been to an Manuscripts and letters pertaining to editorial content should be sent to ALA Midwinter Meeting can attest to the excitement in the ball- YALSA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; e-mail: yalseditor@gmail .com. Manuscripts will be sent out for review according to YALS’s established room as titles and authors are announced for the Printz, Edwards, referee procedures. Visit www.ala.org/yalsa for further information. Odyssey (for audiobooks), and Alex Awards. A new award to Indexing, Abstracting, and Microfilm look for this year is the William C. Morris Award, for a first-time Young Adult Library Services is indexed in Library Literature, Library & author. The Best Books, Popular Paperbacks, Quick Picks, and all Information Science Abstracts, and Current Index to Journals in Education. Microfilm copies of Journal of Youth Services in Libraries and its predecessor, the other valuable lists are released as well into the eager hands of Top of the News, are available from ProQuest/Bell & Howell, 300 N. Zeeb librarians wanting to provide the best available materials for their Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. teen audiences. All of the committees assigned to the task of select- The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ing items for these awards and lists have read, thought, studied, ar- American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞ gued, and carefully listened before committing to their final choices. © 2009 American Library Association Their work is rewarded by the agreeing cheers and hoots from the All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scien- appreciative audience. The spring issue ofYALS will feature all of tific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the the awards and lists to help you select the best materials for your Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other photocopying, reprinting, or trans- lating, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions. teens. YALS

2 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Engaging from the the YALSA President Community Sarah Cornish Debraski

’d like to thank everyone who took the By increasing our membership, we will our members time to complete the recent member sur- build a stronger YA community and have are our best Ivey. A total of 959 members answered a stronger voice when advocating for teens. resources! The a variety of questions about YALSA and Consider last year’s I Love My Librarian member survey membership in YALSA. This information campaign, in which members urged elected showed that the is extremely important. The Division and officials to cosponsor the Strengthening two biggest rea- Membership Promotion Committee has Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries sons people are in YALSA are to stay up- worked hard to review the answers, analyze (SKILLS) Act by getting patrons to send to-date on YA literature and media and to the data, and make recommendations to in hundreds of postcards proclaiming the learn about best practices. YALS definitely the board on the basis of that data. When value of their librarian. This is a great ex- meets those needs, as do our wiki, blog, dis- asked if they would recommend YALSA ample of a large group speaking with one cussion lists, programs, and events. membership to a friend or colleague, voice. Presently, we have a dynamic mem- As I write this, I’m preparing for the almost 90 percent of the respondents said bership that drives our association with Young Adult Literature Symposium in yes. ALA member survey data also shows new ideas and energy. But, with 16,000 Nashville. I’m excited about this event for that the majority of members pay their public libraries in the United States plus many reasons, including the opportunity dues themselves. This all says to me that school libraries, and just 5,700 YALSA to meet many new people. About half of members truly value their membership and members, there are definitely many more the symposium registrants are not YALSA its benefits. And so, I’d like to issue every- people out there who can benefit from members. I’ll be making a special effort to one a challenge: Go out and recommend YALSA membership. The inverse is true, welcome these folks and invite them to join YALSA to someone! This winter, YALSA too—YALSA can benefit from new mem- YALSA. I encourage all of you to look for will be running a special membership bers. similar opportunities to let people know promotion. Every time you recruit a new As you read this issue, consider the about YALSA membership. Remember, member, you are entered into a drawing wealth of ideas and information you are if they mention your name on the special to win a fabulous prize. A special mem- getting from your fellow members—ideas membership form, you are entered into the bership form is online at www.ala.org/ for Teen Tech Week™, practices to try drawing to win a prize. But really, we are drive2009. This promotion will be running at your own library, and information to all winners when we work together to grow from January 23 through March 23. build your own knowledge. It is true that and build our organization! YALS

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 3 feature YALSA Perspective

To help teens become more familiar with La Puente Library’s available technol- Find It! Shoot It! ogy, young adults enjoyed a series of basic classes for Teen Tech Week (TTW). To advertise the programs, I visited local middle Shop It! and high schools, providing information literacy (IL) classes and flyers. There is also a core group of thirty regular participants who are Young Adult Board members. Connecting Teens The goal of the program was to familiarize the young adults of La Puente with basic technology skills. There were four to Technology at main objectives:

● Present online searching options for La Puente Library attaining reliable information sources ● Familiarize teens with e-shopping for books By Monique Delatte ● Teach young adults digital photography skills ● Provide a tutorial in the setup of gaming equipment and share gaming tips

he name of our city, La Puente, for large family events. Practicing these On our opening day, March 4, TTW translates to “the bridge.” The traditional arts is important in the social kicked off with a digital photography T La Puente Library is very much development of teens. Yet the time that class for teens. Participants received pho- a bridge between an exciting, growing, teens spend dancing with friends is time tography tips and a brief overview of the majority Latino community of recent not spent learning about technology. Tech- contributions of influential Latin photog- immigrants and the technological resources savvy youths are those who will have more raphers and artists. Teens then formed and learning tools that today’s libraries can choices about their futures. Many of our groups and went outside of the library to offer new citizens. young adult patrons and volunteers are take digital pictures lit by sunlight and According the 1999–2000 U.S. Cen- intimidated by technology. Tasks such as shaded by the natural environment. Local sus, this community is 83 percent Latino, downloading photographs from a digital artist Roxana Torres guided the teens for and more than three-quarters of the citi- camera can be challenging because of the twenty minutes, then taught them how to zens of La Puente speak a language other novelty of the many small steps involved. upload their pictures. High school junior than English at home. The U.S. Census Bureau reports higher-than-average poverty rates and low education levels here, A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin School of which are a challenge to community sup- Information, Monique Delatte is employed by the County ports. Fully one-third of La Puente resi- of Los Angeles Public Library as a Children’s and Young Adult dents over the age of twenty-five have less 1 Services/Reference Librarian for La Puente Library. Delatte’s than a ninth-grade education. cultural heritage series for young adults at West Covina Library What do these statistics mean for was selected for publication in the teens of La Puente? The good news Excellence in Library Services to is that many teens preserve their Latino Young Adults (YALSA 2008), and a recommended bibliography of cultural heritage, spending free time learn- clothing and textile resources for public and academic libraries ing folklórico dancing for quinceañeras or that she cowrote for Reference and User Services Quarterly is helping with the preparation and cooking currently in print.

4 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 “ The pace never falters, . . . and [it] ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers slavering for the next episode.” —Kirkus

From the author of nearly twenty New York Times best sellers and his son, comes the ﬁ rst installment of a brand-new fantasy trilogy written just for young readers.

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To request a teacher’s guide for this title, please email [email protected] e r ar ar gosg lo e ive 8 c 08 ect sp 20 espese r r . © ei h Inc d t t t,t n an an oas C nene, e C C to sto th th f of rorro of r rds MirM s, iza m lm alma f W o Re s o o Re k en ark tentet gotg go dem For tra

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M02_3919A_002_YALS.indd 1 9/18/08 3:07:31 PM

Find It! Shoot It! Shop It!

used the YALSA Teen Tech Week Mini Grant monies to learn about collection development in a hands-on manner by spending $350 on books for the YA collection from Amazon.com. Teens selected No Fear Shakespeare titles and box sets including the Shopaholic and Gossip Girl series. Friday was a fun technology day, as teens had the opportunity to compete in Wii gaming, Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and a variety of popular board games. Young Adult Board volunteers often have trouble setting up the gaming equipment, so a visiting librarian and gaming aficionado joined us to teach teens setup techniques and gaming tips. The remainder of the grant funding was dedicated to Fri- day’s gift card drawing: every day that teens attended a TTW program, they received one entry in the drawing for gift cards from EB Games, Starbucks, Bath and Body Works, Jamba Juice, and Barnes and Noble. Teens not only learned from the La Puente Library’s exciting series of programs during Josie Rojas, a middle school student who Teen Tech Week, they also had tons of fun and won cool prizes! From front: Kayla Kim (age received extra credit for participating, said 16), Valerie Garcia (age 12), Stefany Godoy (age 12), John Kim (age 18), Monique Delatte of TTW, “It’s cool. Nice games. I learned (librarian), and behind Kayla’s shoulder is Wendy Villalobos (age 16) lots of stuff.” The young adults who participated Sara Gomez said she “loved it.” Preteen in the local paper. John Kim, a “volunteen” in TTW activities gained familiarity with Guadalupe Robles agreed: “I like it here since 2004, told San Gabriel Valley Tribune modern technological tools; discovered top because you get to find out about cam- reporter Claudia Palma that he “learned resources for middle school, high school, eras.” a lot about what websites are good for and college-level research; and learned that On Wednesday, the young adults as- uploading and sharing pictures, and for the library is a place to learn about technol- sembled a digitally produced photo album research.” ogy skills. of pictures from the preceding day for the On Thursday, teens participated in an The Friends of the La Puente Library YA collection. Teens worked on the album IL class, followed by an intense scavenger provided funds for pizza, snacks, and every day, adding new pictures from each hunt, pizza, and online book shopping. drinks, as well as board games, craft sup- event, then organized the album on Satur- Teens received gift bags containing cool plies, disposable digital cameras, photo day. Teens also shot pictures of the families prizes such as squishy brains, pirate-themed paper, and a Shutterfly.com photo book attending story time and helped the young rubber duckies, Frisbees, and earbuds from and photo prints for a promotional poster participants create frames for their new County of Los Angeles Public Library displayed after the event. The CoLAPL family photos with Flip-Flap Jack, a flannel (CoLAPL) Teen Services. Kayla Kim, a new paid for the video game equipment as board character made of breakfast foods. volunteen, exclaimed, “I loved it. It was fun well as the employee and artist time. Par- This project allowed teens to practice the and exciting!” ticipants created a thank you card for the photography skills they learned the day The IL class at the library covered re- grant sponsors, Dungeons & Dragons and before and share this knowledge with the sources related to upcoming school reports. YALSA. YALS storytime families. Joanne Mata, an eighth The IL sessions also reviewed the best use grader, mused, “It’s pretty awesome. I got to of Google and .gov websites, as well as meet new people.” Pictures of Wednesday's Biography Resource Center, Infotrac, and Find It! Shoot It! Shop IT! events were featured in a front-page story ProQuest. After the scavenger hunt, teens continued on page 9

6 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Teen Tech Week ™ March 8–14, 2009 Teen Tech Week offers libraries a chance to showcase all of the nonprint resources they have available to the teens in their community, such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, online homework help and videogames. Teen Tech Week is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and is a national initiative for librarians, parents, educators, and other concerned adults that aims to encourage teens to use libraries’ nonprint resources for education and recreation. This year’s theme is “Press Play.” For more information, please visit www.ala.org/ teentechweek.

Order early! Due to fluctuating demand, some products may sell out! In order to receive your TTW products in time, please place orders before February 25th.

Teen Tech Week 2009 Poster $12

Press Play Bookmark Press Play Mini Poster $6 $8.50 100/pack Ample space for printing programming information! beST deAlS! TTW 2009 Sets Available! For product details and pricing for the sets and all other Teen Tech Week items, please visit www.alastore.ala.org.

Members always receive Get Connected Banner $59 a 10% discount! Suitable for indoor/outdoor use. One-sided design. Mixed Media Pamphlet Removable TTW Decals $10/sheet $30 46 decals, 2 shapes, 10 designs Thank you! 50/pack ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and Social accreditation programs for Networking library professionals worldwide. Bookmark Teen Tech Week purchases also $8.50 support the programs of YALSA. 100/pack

www.alastore.ala.org 1-866-ShOP ALA feature YALSA Perspective

have also offered a few gaming programs at our three outlying branches and plan to Grants Get do more of these in the future, as our teen patrons there are requesting them. Our TTW tournament attracted Teens Gaming twenty-four participants. We borrowed two Wiis and one LCD projector from Teen Advisory Board members. Pairing these with our own projector allowed us Teen Tech Week™ 2008 to have two tournament divisions running simultaneously in the same room. The games were projected onto walls so every- at the Public Library one could watch the action. Our Friends of the Library group provided three Subway sandwich platters, since our tournament of Mount Vernon and began at 3 p.m. and lasted until 6:30 p.m. We also provided chips and soda. We had our new gaming book collection on dis- Knox County play and promoted our video game club at the tournament, which has resulted in new members. Everyone had a wonderful By Beth Hoeffgen time, as is evidenced by the results of the program evaluations we collected. All of the evaluations were positive, and the only suggestions were for more playing time and more tournaments! t our library, we firmly believe that We chose a video game tournament as Besides supporting and educating teens need to know how to use tech- our TTW event because of the large inter- teens in this area of technology, we have Anology ethically and well, and that est we have in teen video game program- noticed that our gaming programs have technology use is one of the most impor- ming. At the request of some members of had other very positive effects for our teens. tant skills we can help them to acquire. our Teen Advisory Board, we held our first This programming has drawn some teens Therefore we jumped at the chance to apply video game event, also a Melee tournament, into the library who we have not seen here for a Teen Tech Week (TTW) Mini Grant in November 2007. At that event, we an- before. In addition, we have found that and were very fortunate to receive one. This nounced the formation of the Teen Video some teens have made new friendships be- enabled us to hold a Super Smash Brothers Game Club. At the first club meeting the cause of these activities. I have heard many Melee video game tournament for teens in teens decided to meet every other week at teens say to each other, “I’ve seen you at celebration of TTW. We were also able to the library for gaming. The library provides school but I didn’t know you were a gamer.” purchase three video games for the use of an LCD projector and one television, and Teens who never socialized with each other our Teen Video Game Club and a gaming the teens bring game systems and games to are finding that they have this interest in book collection. The games purchased were play. Because of the Mini Grant, we have common. These kids are now getting to- Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Dance Dance now started a library-owned game col- gether regularly at the gaming club. I have Revolution, and Guitar Hero III, all for the lection. We usually have fifteen to twenty also had a parent tell me that she is very Wii. The book collection contained titles on teens who attend the club meetings. We grateful that we have the gaming programs everything from careers in the video game industry to the history of video games and video game art. We were also able to offer a Beth Hoeffgen is the Young Adult Librarian at the Public Library $50 Amazon gift certificate to our first place of Mount Vernon and Knox County, Ohio. She received her MLIS winner, a $25 certificate for second place, from Kent State University in 2004. She loves technology, working and a $10 certificate for third place. with teens, and young adult literature.

8 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Hoeffgen

Some of the books in the new gaming Division 1 of the Super Smash Brothers From left to right: 2nd place winner Rachel collection. Melee tournament. Downey, age 12; 1st place winner Levi Faw- cett, age 16; and 3rd place winner James Hoeffgen, age 16. because it is the only thing that gets her son he replied, “the opportunity to hang out to socialize. In addition, because gaming is with friends and play games.” YouTube class for other interested teens at not always understood and supported by We are also trying to support and all four of our branches in fall 2007. Our teachers at school, I see the positive effect educate teens in other areas of technology. next goal is to find funding to purchase our that it has on these teens when they find We held our first Teen Screen Film Festival own Wii so we will not have to continue adults respecting and encouraging their in January. Teens submitted short films to borrow the system from our teens. Our interest at the library. They always make and were awarded prizes in four areas: best thanks go to YALSA and their TTW 2008 a point of thanking me for the programs. overall film, best editing, best screenplay, sponsor, Dungeons & Dragons, for giving While they all appreciate the tournaments and best camerawork. We try to order tech- us this opportunity to connect teens with and prizes, one teen’s statement sums up nology-oriented books on everything from technology at the library. YALS how most of them feel. When asked what videoblogging to machinima. We had three he liked best about our TTW tournament, teens conduct a How to Make a Movie for

Find It! Shoot It! Shop IT! continued from page 6

Reference Census of Population and Housing, Report, Census of Governments. Revised Small Area Income and Poverty January 2, 2008. http://quickfacts.census 1. U.S. Census Bureau: State and County Estimates, County Business Patterns, .gov/qfd/states/06/0640340.html (ac- QuickFacts, City of La Puente. Data 1997 Economic Census, Minority-and cessed May 18, 2008). derived from Population Estimates, 2000 Women-Owned Business, Building Census of Population and Housing, 1990 Permits, Consolidated Federal Funds

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 9 feature YALSA Perspective

question reported that they use social networking sites on a daily basis. Teen Tech Week™ An additional 23 percent weighed in as weekly users, while nearly 20 percent claim to be nonusers of social Survey Results networking sites. l The most common response (50.4 percent) when asked why they don’t use social networking sites was simply Kathy Mahoney and “not interested.” Lack of availability at home, school, or the public library was Kelly Laszczak cited as the primary reason by 47.8 percent. A significant number (27.4 percent) reported other reasons, which tended to be parental restrictions. Responding to slightly different questions, teens at SmartGirl cited the most popular online activity as e-mailing friends, uring Teen Tech Week 2008, teens use, and the Surveymonkey crowd’s most followed closely by research or homework nationwide were polled about their selected answers were watching videos, tasks and downloading and listening to Dtechnology and library use, and the playing games, e-mailing, and downloading music. Surfing the Web, playing online results are overwhelming—teens are con- music. games, and instant messaging also made nected! YALSA surveys posted online at When asked what online activity they the cut. Social networking sites trailed SmartGirl and SurveyMonkey were used spent the most time doing, the top vote- the pack with fewer than one-third of the to gather the data, which included demo- getter was updating Facebook and respondents singling out MySpace or Face- graphics, technology preferences, use of MySpace pages. book as online destinations. technology at public and school libraries, Of those completing the Smartgirl 1 and awareness of Teen Tech Week events. l Almost half of the teens (47.3 questionnaire, a whopping 82 percent of So, what exactly did we find out about the percent) who responded to this teens reported that they use technology culture of today’s digital natives?

Kathy Mahoney is a Youth Services Librarian at the Brewster Demographics (Mass.) Ladies' Library (www.brewsterladieslibrary.org), where she has worked for two years specializing in Teen Services. Almost half of the six-hundred-plus participants, (48.9 percent), who completed She received an MS in library and information science from the the questionnaire at SurveyMonkey were University of Illinois–Champaign Urbana in 2006. As a member thirteen to fourteen years old at the time. A of YALSA, she has served on the Second Life Task Force and is total of 42 percent were between the ages of currently on the Teen Tech Week Committee. She was recently fifteen and eighteen. SmartGirl generated appointed to the statewide committee responsible for revising roughly 550 responses from young people the Standards for Public Library Services to Young Adults in ranging in age from eight to twenty-two. Massachusetts. Kelly Laszczak is the Assistant Head of Youth Services at the Orland Park (Ill.) Public Library (www .orlandparklibrary.org/teen.htm). She works with youth and teens What Do They Do and through age 18. Kelly is a member of YALSA's Teen Tech Week Where? committee. She also serves on several committees for youth and Teens were asked to identify which online teens in Illinois, including the Illinois Library Association's Young activities they participated in for personal Adult Services Forum Committee.

10 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Mahoney and Laszczak

primarily at home, 7.39 percent get connected at school, while only 3.41 percent log on most often at the library, When it comes to playing games, ap- PowerfulPowerful andand parently practice makes perfect—or at least emotionallyemotionally honesthonest improves your score. About 60 percent of the teens at SmartGirl said they play online newnew YAYA novelsnovels or computer games every day. Carlos Is Gonna Get It by Kevin Emerson 9–12 • 288 pages • 0-439-93525-3 • $16.99 How Did They Learn All ★ “ [A] gripping story about seventh graders This Cool Stuff? in Boston who gang up on their troubled At SurveyMonkey, teens were asked about classmate....The dialogue is right on.” technology workshops offered at their —Booklist, starred review school or public libraries. In both instances, the majority of respondents were not sure if either venue offered technology work- Kendra by Coe Booth shops. Almost 40 percent were certain 15 and up • 320 pages • 0-439-92536-3 • $16.99 that their school libraries did not offer “Booth has a talent for emotional honesty.” technology workshops, while only 13 per- —School Library Journal cent could definitively say that their public library did not provide this service. How- “[A] powerful follow-up to Tyrell.” ever, if technology workshops were offered —Voice of Youth Advocates at their school or public library, 80 percent said they definitely would, or would possibly attend. Only 20 percent reported no Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls interest in technology workshops. 9–12 • 256 pages • 0-545-06948-9 • $16.99 ★ “ Features a young narrator with incurable cancer...Confront[s] the hard questions What’s In It for Them? head-on.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review When asked what materials (other than “[A] character readers will be glad they’ve met.” —Kirkus Reviews books) were available for checkout at their public library, 83 percent of teens reported DVDs, followed by 79.3 percent offering audiobooks, and 64.9 percent circulating What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell music CDs. 12 and up • 256 pages • 0-439-90346-7 • $16.99 National Book Award Winner How’s the Service? ★ “ A taut, noirish mystery/coming-of-age story.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review The top vote-getter in the category of services provided for teens was online research “Pitch-perfect.”—Booklist databases, which were tagged as available in public libraries by 76.8 percent of the SCHOLASTIC and associated logos respondents and in school libraries by 79.4 are trademarks and/or registered percent. www.scholastic.com trademarks of Scholastic Inc. Wireless Internet was available to 62.3

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 11

Teen Tech Week™ Survey Results

percent of the teens at their public libraries Given the opportunity to suggest l In addition to workshops on and 40.7 percent of them at their school themes for upcoming Teen Tech Week technology, teens expressed interest libraries. Color printers were available for celebrations, the majority of teens took a in faster computers, more computers, printing material at 59.1 percent of public li- pass. There were approximately 135 unique and laptop checkout as services they braries, and 52.8 percent of school libraries. responses, of which about thirty were ac- would use at their libraries. Just more than half of the respondents tual suggestions for themes. The remainder l The questions that addressed Teen (53 percent) indicated that their public were general suggestions for library activi- Tech Week had the lowest number of library had a room or space reserved just ties such as Movie Nights, Dance Dance responders, which indicates that many for teens. Revolution Nights, and free food. of the teens completing these surveys More than half of the teens surveyed were not aware of Teen Tech Week at SmartGirl simply didn’t know if their initiatives. Needs Improvement! school or public library celebrated Teen Tech Week. Obviously, the teens we serve are using School libraries lead the way in providing technology both for research and for so- audiobooks for teens, with 76.9 percent cializing. But even in areas where libraries reportedly offering material in this format. What Does It All Mean are providing services through technology, But all other nonbook options decreased for Us? teens are not as aware of these services as markedly in school libraries across the they could be. Marketing Teen Tech Week boards. Thirty percent of the school librar- l Both surveys revealed that teens ages and existing technology programming and ies in this sampling offer DVDs to students 13–18 use technology in general, services should be a strong focus of librar- and no more than 20 percent offer games, and the Internet is a regular tool ians hoping to connect to teens through music CDs, computer software, or laptops. for communicating, gaming, and technology. Check the Teen Tech Week When asked if they had suggestions homework. website at www.ala.org/teentechweek and for public libraries, more than half of the l About half the teens responding in the Teen Tech Week wiki at http://wikis teens taking the Smartgirl test weighed in each survey belong to and are active .ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Teen_Tech_ for faster computers. Slightly less than half on social networking sites such as Week for ideas on how to better market of the group said they would be satisfied MySpace and Facebook. this important week. YALS with more computers, and an equal num- l Teens are aware of many of the ber thought laptop checkout was the way technological services that school and to go. public libraries offer, such as wireless Internet access, audiobooks, CDs, Note DVDs, and color printers. 1. The SurveyMonkey survey results are Teen Tech Week = Not l More than half of those surveyed said available at www.surveymonkey.com/sr.as Quite Spring Break that they use their libraries to access px?sm=1WUKpJOqNVAqsME_2fqMN online databases for research needs. gAUSx99AISXfYxj5diRss0Sw_3d. The Both surveys tried to gauge the buzz on l When asked if they would attend SmartGirl survey results are available at Teen Tech Week. The first important clue: technology workshops if they were www.smartgirl.org/reports/7824118.html. questions about Teen Tech Week were offered at their school or public library, most frequently skipped. 80 percent said that they would.

12 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Fiction That Grabs You! A grade twelve game spins out of control. From the bestselling author of Dancing Naked.

Gotcha! Shelley Hrdlitschka 978-1-55143-737-8 pb $9.95 • 272 pages ages 12+

Addiction rips Gordie’s family apart. From the award- winning author of Alone at Ninety Foot.

Tweaked Katherine Holubitsky 978-1-55143-851-1 pb $9.95 176 pages • ages 13+ Orca Book Publishers 1.800.210.5277 www.orcabook.com

YALSA March 08.indd 1 3/6/2008 8:32:02 AM feature Student Perspective

knows that drama is popular in teen literature, but you have to wonder when the YA Q&A fifteen-year-old in front of you describes how “their character” wants to commit suicide, down to the method, date, and time. I Expert Advice on Tough implemented a rule that any suicide stories will require me to call home. Even with that rule, some still did read stories like Teen Services Questions that, so I had to believe that was a cry for help, and of course I called their homes. Writing contests also bring unique forms of confidences. One really excellent winner of a poetry contest wrote at length in iambic pentameter about how her prin- he question to our experts in this contemplating suicide. I have contacts at the cipal was unsupportive of gay teens and issue is a concern that most librar- police department for “hypothetical situa- let other teens bully them. While this may T ians working with teens will face tions” and I, in turn, help them with teens have been true, her parents and I decided some time in their careers. fulfilling community-service sentences. Each to publish her winning poem anonymously situation, while heartbreaking and stressful, for her own safety at that same school. teaches me more about how I can help teens. Freedom of speech is comforting only to Q: How involved do you It would be hard to draw guidelines the point where I realized I could not have when you don’t always know what situa- borne the information that she was beat up get in the lives of your tions you will be approached with next. I teens? Should there be or intimidated because of her poem for a think there are some common-sense lines. library contest. guidelines or policies While it is appropriate for me to sort Originally I went to school and in- with clear lines to through my son’s old baby clothes to help terned to become a probation officer for follow? Any experiences one of my teen boys who is having a new juveniles, and realized that I would not to share? baby boy with his girlfriend and give him long be happy with a career with so many some at the library, it is not appropriate impossible situations. When I started en- A: Without question, this is the hardest for me to give him my cell phone number. countering similar situations as a librarian, part of working with teens. I’ve been con- I don’t let teens link to me on my personal I saw the irony and began looking up the fided in about everything from sexuality is- Facebook or social networking sites, and resources. I don’t always make the right sues to substance abuse, dating abuse, school when they try, I direct them to the library choice, I’m sure, but I continue to try. issues, racial differences, and more. I believe Facebook site. I don’t ever drive a teen in —Amy Alessio, Teen Coordinator, Schaum- that connecting with teens through success- my car by himself or herself. If we need to burg (Ill.) Township District Library ful programs and services means getting to go somewhere, we use the library van or know them well. It would be impossible to travel with another staff member. I don’t A: This can be a tricky situation for many run teen programs without their input, and like to talk to teens in my office with the teen librarians. Teens by nature can be through talking to them, even sometimes in door closed. That in no way deters con- quite confessional, and there are definitely brief conversations, you can get a glimpse of fidences. They still talk to me at all times many bonding opportunities for a YA li- situations where you can likely help. That of and even out at the desk about what is brarian and a regular patron. Developing course means getting to know their issues. going on with them. There are definitely relationships with teens is one of the most Like any patron who comes in to the library plenty of times when I wish I hadn’t heard satisfying parts of being a YA librarian. to ask for help on a particular topic, I want some things, but if this is the only time As a general rule for myself, I was always to connect teens with issues to resources. I they reach out, I don’t want to drop them. friendly with teens, but still made it clear am lucky to live in a community with lots I and that particular teen cannot afford to that I am an adult. I would ask questions of teen counseling centers, teen drop-in miss those opportunities. about school and teachers, follow-ups to sites, and many resources. I have folks I can The Writing Club has become a bit homework assignments, talk about TV call at the township counseling center for challenging because teens graphically de- (when you watch a lot of teen shows it’s help and ideas when, for example, a teen is scribe some troubling situations. Everyone great to be able to go to work and have

14 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

YA Q&A

other people to talk to about it!) and, of what they needed at the library, I am aware Teens need to see us as professionals, not course, talk a lot about books. One of the of the fine line that we balance every day. friends, and that responsibility is ours to great things about working with teens is When we don’t get involved, and don’t make clear and maintain. We cannot solve that you can have a real discussion about a care how our interaction affects our teen their problems, nor think that we can book and your responses to it. It’s a good customers, we run the risk of our teens or should, but we can provide a valuable way to talk about many things. Beyond not feeling we are there for them and not service of referring teens to people and re- that, though, I would advise treading with feeling wanted. On the other hand, we sources that can. caution. I want to be a good role model for can run the risk of getting so involved that I remember a teen asking me for the kids as a responsible adult, but it is not my their problems and situations become our state with the lowest age to get married place to take the place of their parents. responsibilities. These situations must be without parental consent. Was it my re- —Sarah Debraski, President, YALSA avoided. sponsibility to inform this teen that he and Should there be guidelines or poli- his girlfriend were too young to get mar- A: Working in public libraries for many cies especially for staff dealing with teens? ried? I say no. What was my responsibility years, I have witnessed how positive inter- I don’t think so. Some organizations have was to answer honestly with no judgments. action on a daily basis makes teens more general policies to guide us in our interac- Sometimes it can be frustrating, but rarely comfortable and trusting with library staff, tion with the public. What staff does need wrong.—Nick Buron, Assistant Director, the library, and the learning environment. to remember with teens, and other custom- Community Library Services, Queens Having helped hundreds of teens find ers, is to remain professional librarians. Library, Jamaica, New York

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 15 feature

What is Stress? “Shelters from the Stress is your body’s normal physical and emotional response to life events and situations. Whether the events or situations Storm” are positive or negative, happy or sad, stress becomes dangerous when it builds to the point of overwhelming and that “if I add one more thing to my life, I am going to go Teens, Stress, and crazy” feeling each one of us has felt at one time or another. Other indicators of stress are increased heart rate, rapid breathing, Libraries stammering, aches and pains, diarrhea, sweating, and sleeplessness. Stress can be thought of as the “perfect storm,” a coming Jami L. Jones together of several events that pushes us to an overwhelmed state. Teens are especially vulnerable to stress because at this developmental stage in life many situations are new and especially challenging to them. According to Focus Adolescent Services, a comprehen- Dear Dr. Jami, several weeks about her stress-filled life. I sive website containing information and re- I am feeling soooo stressed out. My am glad to report that she made it through sources on teen and family issues, there are brother is getting married next week and I the wedding, although she never came to two important things to know about teens am in the wedding. I have heard that wed- like the bridesmaid dress she was forced to dealing with stress: dings are supposed to be happy times, but it wear. In the short time we communicated, isn’t turning out that way for me. I don’t like she learned about stress, its causes and the dress I have to wear because it makes me symptoms, and how it can be managed. look so fat. I am breaking out because I am so nervous. I wish there wasn’t a wedding at all. School is horrible. My parents are fighting all the time. I don’t know what to do and where to turn to, but I feel really bad. JAMI L. JONES is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Library Science and Instructional Technology at East Carolina Please write back. University in Greenville, North Carolina. Dr. Jones is the creator of Miranda the Florida Association of Media in Education’s Amanda Award, which recognizes media specialists who develop programs that Dear Miranda, promote teen resiliency and self-esteem. She is the author When you are having one of these times of Bouncing Back: Dealing with the Stuff Life Throws at You in life when everything seems not to be work- (Franklin Watts, 2007) and Helping Teens Cope: Resources for ing out, it helps to remember that you are in control. Take a deep breath and let’s learn School Library Media Specialists and Other Youth Workers what you can do to beat your stress . . . (Linworth, 2003). Dr. Jones received a BA in Sociology from Mills College, an MLS from the University of Maryland, and a PhD in iranda, a ninth-grader, e-mailed Information Science from Nova Southeastern University in Fort me at my resiliency website (www Lauderdale, Florida. The author can be contacted at jonesj@ecu M .askdrjami.org) over the course of .edu or her website (www.askdrjami.org).

16 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Jones

Stressin’ Out

Alexie, Sherman. Absolutely True Diary of convicted of killing her best friend. The the surface it appears that she is fortunate a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown, 2007; story begins when Alice Tully (Jennifer’s because she is enrolled in a private school ISBN: 978-0316013680; 230p: $16.99. new name) turns seventeen and she has and has recently delved into the art of Arnold Spirit is a smart fourteen-year- been released from prison and placed in kissing with Froggy Welsh. But Virginia’s old Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, Wash- the custody of Rosie, a loving, kind social day-to-day reality includes dealing with her ington. Constantly teased and bullied at worker who works long hours. Alice also mother’s not-so-subtle opinion regarding the Indian school, on the suggestion of the has a boyfriend, Frankie, and aside from Virginia’s weight. If that isn’t enough, her guidance counselor he transfers to a white her past, appears to have a normal teen- always-popular older brother, Byron, is sus- school in Reardon. There he makes friends ager’s life. But the press has discovered that pended from Columbia after being charged and starts dating Penelope, all the while Jennifer Jones was released from prison and with date rape. Virginia must juggle with hiding his state of poverty at his home on is determined to track her down to publish feelings about her own body image while the reservation. Arnold creates a life for an exclusive story. As the journalists close digesting the knowledge that her family himself with one foot in both the Indian in on her privacy, Alice must deal with the may not be the perfect people they appear world and the white world. “It was like be- looming threat of her new identity and to be on the surface. ing Indian was my job, but it was only a location being exposed as well as the part part-time job and it didn’t pay well at all. her mother played in her past and present Vizzini, Ned. It’s Kind of a Funny Story. His determination to improve his life, circumstances. Miramax, 2006; ISBN: 9780786851966; a quirky sense of humor, and artistic ex- 444p: $16.95. pression keeps Arnold going through fam- Larson, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky. Delacorte, As fifteen-year-old Craig Gilner is ily tragedy and daily struggles in the face of 2006; ISBN: 9780385733137; 289p: accepted by a prestigious high school in handicap and life circumstances. $15.95. Manhattan, what he considered normal Sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks has academic pressure suddenly escalates into Bauer, Joan. Best Foot Forward. Putnam, 2005; been shuffled from relative to relative since an all-out battle with depression. Attempt- ISBN: 978-0399234743; 183p: $16.95. her parent’s death. In a bold move she de- ing to find comfort in partying, Craig tries Best Foot Forward, sequel to Rules of cides to take control of her life and move to hold on to the moments when his mind the Road (Putnam, 1998) finds Jenna Boller to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her de- and body seem to align, but fails. With working at Gladstone Shoes. She has made ceased uncle’s homestead claim all on her the support of his parents, Craig is given progress in learning how to deal with her own. Hattie must deal with daily struggles a prescription medication and he feels dysfunctional family. She enjoys her job and against nature; Traft Martin, who is schem- improved, but not better. Reaching a point adores her boss, Mrs. Gladstone. When ing to buy her out; and the unexpected where he feels he can’t continue on his own, Mrs. Gladstone hires handsome Tanner prejudice of some neighbors against her he calls a suicide hotline and checks himself Cobb, she appoints Jenna as his trainer/ friends who are not American born. In the into a hospital where he receives the help mentor in learning the shoe business, but span of one year Hattie comes to under- he needs. While there he meets and gets Jenna isn’t sure he is trustworthy. Soon stand that survival involves determination to know and identify with a zany array of however, the shoe business is on the verge of and strength of will and the true meaning people, and meets a girl who helps him to collapse and Jenna must decide who to trust of family is the love and support of friends solidify his sense of self, all during a five- and where to turn for help to keep Glad- and neighbors. day hospital stay. stone Shoes from ruin. Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt, and Linda Uhler is Manager of Youth Services, Cassidy, Anne. Looking for JJ. Harcourt, Other Big Round Things. Candlewick, 2003; Westerville (Ohio) Public Library. Linda is 2007; ISBN: 9780152061906; 219p: ISBN: 9780763619589; 246p: $15.99. currently serving as Administrative Assistant $17.00. Protagonist Virginia Shreves is a on YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults At the age of ten, Jennifer Jones was sophomore who lives in Manhattan. On Committee.

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 17

“Shelters from the Storm”

l A pile-up of many stressful life events set of social skills—that may not have been social skills, overachieving and extreme in a small amount of time is more modeled, taught, or learned by the teen. pressure to perform, and problems eating difficult for teens than dealing with The socially intelligent teen “can get along and sleeping. Sometimes psychological and just one event. with others, has the ability to monitor his social events contribute to the accumula- l If a major event causes stress, it is or her own behavior, is able to stay calm tion of stressors. These might include a loss often because it sets off a chain of when upset or angry, and knows how to of an important person by death or sui- events that intensifies the ongoing, successfully solve conflicts.”4 The socially cide, a broken romance, a move, or unmet day-to-day stressful conditions of intelligent teen is less likely to become personal or parental expectation such as a their lives.1 overstressed in the first place, but when failure to achieve a goal, poor grades, and he or she does is more likely to manage social rejection.6 A study of 4,300 high school stu- the situation. The physical and hormonal Stress often occurs when teens are dents in Minnesota found that teen stress changes occurring during the teenage years not able to prioritize and manage their centered on home and school issues that can lead to feelings of low self-esteem and life. When Cathy Small, an anthropology often dealt with conflict and loss. In a more self-awareness, which might also negatively professor at Northern Arizona University informal survey of sixty teens, Walker affect relationships. in Flagstaff, Arizona, became baffled by found that the primary sources of tension Bullying, which is the most prevalent the “alien” behaviors of first-year students and trouble for teens are pressure at school form of aggressive behavior in youth, in- at her university, she did what anthro- from teachers, coaches, grades, and home- cludes kicking and hitting, taunting and pologists are trained to do—live with the work; relationships with friends and fam- teasing, spreading rumors and telling lies, culture you want to understand. Small ily; the pressure and expectations from self taking or stealing from others, forcing or took a yearlong sabbatical and enrolled at and others; financial pressures; and tragedy pressuring someone to do something he or her university as a freshman. She lived in in the lives of family and friends.2 she does not want to do, and sexual harass- the dorm, took courses, and participated One of the greatest stressors for teens ment.5 Some teens who cannot get along in activities required of first-year students. is school and academics. Teens are mov- with others may resort to bullying to exert She learned that many students are overly ing from a relatively sheltered elementary power and gain attention. Teens who are busy with paid jobs, school assignments, school experience to the larger and more emotionally intelligent and socially skilled relationships, volunteering, and extracur- impersonal middle school and high school. are less apt to be perpetuators or recipients ricular activities, which leaves them little Rather than getting used to a handful of bullying. time and accounts for why many did not of teachers in elementary school, teens complete readings for class, skipped home- in upper grades must learn the teaching work assignments, ate and slept in class, styles, personalities, and expectations of It is Not the Same for All and balked at taking on additional respon- many teachers. Teens who have not been Teens sibilities and activities.7 If left unmanaged, prepared for the academic rigors of middle this busyness piles up and leads to stress. school and high school are apt to flounder Not all teens respond to stress in the same According to Stressfocus.com, “Stress and become overwhelmed by the increased manner. Heredity and life circumstances symptoms are not to be feared, but they do difficulty and quantity of work. Left un- predispose some teens to fall victim to signal that you are not managing your life checked, these academic stressors can lead overstress—a more serious form of stress. effectively. They indicate that changes need to dropping out, which has a tremendously Teens most vulnerable to stress have family to be made sooner or later, or more nervous negative effect on both the teen and soci- histories that contain depression, suicide, consequences may follow.”8 ety.3 The emphasis on career goals and end- alcoholism and drug use, sexual or physi- The biological cause of stress is the of-grade testing places additional stress on cal abuse, eating disorders, schizophrenia, malfunction of chemicals called neu- teens. death or serious loss in the family, learning rotransmitters that communicate informa- A second cause of stress in teens is disabilities, absent or divorced parents, in- tion between brain cells. Some neurotrans- relationships. Even though a child in el- adequate bonding in adoptive families, and mitters such as serotonin, noradrenalin, ementary school may fit in well with their family conflict. Personality traits that pre- and dopamine are happy messengers that peers, the secondary school venue is an dispose teens to stress are impulsive behav- cause feelings of well-being within an indi- entirely different ballgame that requires a iors, obsessions, aggressive and antisocial vidual; however, too much stress can cause new kind of intelligence—a more complex behavior, withdrawal and isolation, poor these feel-good neurotransmitters to fail.

18 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Jones

The happy messenger serotonin is respon- l Reset your body clock by sticking to sible for restful sleep, noradrenalin makes particular sleeping hours. More Stress Tips for one feel energized, and dopamine oper- l Give your body a chance to rest Teens ates the body’s pleasure center. In stressful l Say “no” more often so you do not situations serotonin is often the first neu- become overcommitted. l Breathe deeply. rotransmitter to malfunction, which causes l Take time off to relax and enjoy l Practice muscle relaxation. a lack of restful sleep characterized by yourself. l Set small goals. tossing and turning. This is followed by a l Eat a stress-relieving diet that l Live a healthy life. failure of noradrenalin, which causes over- includes less sugar, more vegetables, l Rehearse and practice feared situations. stressed people to feel as though they do and take multi-vitamin and mineral l Talk your problems over with others. not have the energy to accomplish much of supplements. l Lower unrealistic expectations. 12 anything, and dopamine that causes teens l Exercise. l Schedule breaks and time for fun. to experience a loss of pleasure.9 l Be kind to yourself. Accept yourself It is estimated that 10 percent of our and know you have unique strengths. population has inherited a condition of The Library as Stress- low stress tolerance. Managing stressful Buster —Teenshealth, “Stress,” kidshealth.org/teen/ situations is essential during adolescence your_mind/emotions/stress.html. because it is during these years that low Although some teens are able to deal with stress tolerance exhibits itself. Teens who stress in healthy ways through relaxation, happen to be among the 10 percent predis- problem-solving, and organization, others posed to stress but have not learned how are not. As caring adults who work with www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract to manage their day-to-day commitments teens, librarians are in a position to help .aspx?ar=1380. As libraries focused on may face a lifetime struggle that can lead to young patrons manage stress by creating youth development, attitudes among staff depression, a serious emotional and mental an environment that, in the lyrics of Bob and librarians towards teens improved and disorder that is life-threatening. Whether Dylan, is “shelter from the storm.” Each of the library became more visible in the com- a teen becomes depressed may depend on the stress-reducing techniques identified in munity.14 It was found that caring librarians how they manage stress.10 this article can be taught or caught through make all the difference. mentoring and role modeling and by creat- The disposition of caring is essential ing programs that focus on the develop- to all librarians, but especially for those Ways to Manage Stress ment of personal and social skills. whose job description includes the words In 1999, the Wallace Foundation teen, adolescent, or youth. If our aim is to en- When neurotransmitters aren’t working launched the Public Libraries as Partners courage teens to actively participate in the properly, teens might turn to sugar, caf- in Youth Development (PLPYD) Initiative library, we must create the type of environ- feine, alcohol, drugs, and tobacco to rev to “support the development of innova- ment they need and want—and that begins up themselves to feel better. Teens might tive models for public library systems to with us! Diane Tuccillo, a public librarian, also try pumping up their own adrenaline provide high quality educational enrich- who is author of Library Teen Advisory by overworking and participating in thrill- ment and career development programs Groups: A VOYA Guide (Scarecrow, 2005) seeking hobbies. But these quick fixes have for underserved low-income teenagers and is presently writing a book on youth drawbacks—sugar highs lead to sugar lows and children.”13 The nine public libraries participation in libraries, remembers the and thrill seeking can be dangerous. Pre- selected for participation in the initiative scription drugs may not help either. There were challenged to develop or expand many teens I have seen through are better, more natural ways to manage youth programs that engaged individual the years turn to the library as a stress: “Stress can be tackled by combining teens in a developmentally supportive man- place for stress relief, and a whole these two principles. One should either ner while enhancing library services for lot more. I remember the young learn to live with the stressor or learn to all youth in the community. The initiative man who avoided gang recruit- suppress or change it.”11 was evaluated by the Chapin Hall Center ment by coming to the library to When teens are overstressed, the fol- for Children at the University of Chicago laugh, participate, and have a place lowing lifestyle changes are recommended: in 2004. The report is available online at to be where he wasn’t hassled by

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 19

“Shelters from the Storm”

gang members. . . . I remember the Depression.” Teens in Distress Series. (accessed Aug. 20, 2008). teen who would “stock up” on the www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/ 6. Joyce Walker, “Adolescent Stress and program snacks—and we would youthdevelopment/DA3083.html. Depression,” www.extension.umn.edu/ let him—knowing there was little Accessed Sept. 1, 2008. distribution/youthdevelopment/DA3083 for him to eat at home. I remember Walker, Joyce. 2005. “Teens in Distress: Helping .html (accessed Aug. 22, 2008). the homeschooled fifteen-year-old Friends in Trouble: Stress, Depression, 7. Rebekah Nathan, My Freshman Year: boy whose involvement on the teen and Suicide.” Teens in Distress Series. What a Professor Learned by Becoming a library advisory board was one of www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/ Student. (New York: Penguin, 2005). the few times he could interact with youthdevelopment/DA2787.html. 8. Jennifer Dyl, “Helping Teens Cope with kids his own age. I could go on and Accessed Sept. 1, 2008. Stress,” www.lifespan.org/services/ on, but I have seen (and am cur- Windell, James. 1999. 6 Steps to an Emotionally childhealth/parenting/teen-stress.htm rently seeing) so many teens trans- Intelligent Teenager: Teaching Social Skills to (accessed Aug. 20, 2008). formed by us ‘being there’ for them Your Teen. New York: Wiley. 9. Ibid. in the library, why, it would take a 10. Jami Biles Jones, Helping Teens Cope: whole additional book to describe it Resources for School Library Media all!15 YALS References Specialists and Other Youth Workers (Worthington, Ohio: Linworth, 2003): 37. 1. Focus Adolescent Services, “Helping 11. Stressfocus.com, “How to Tackle Stress?” Teenagers with Stress,” www.focusas.com/ www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_ Resources to Help Stress.html (accessed Aug. 25, 2008). article/effects-of-stress.htm (accessed Aug. Overstressed Teens 2. Stressfocus.com, “Adolescent Stress—It 22, 2008). Can Cause Adverse Effect in the Future,” 12. Joyce Walker, “Helping Friends in Trouble: Hipp, Earl. 2008. Fighting Invisible Tigers: www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_ Stress, Depression and Suicide,” www Stress Management for Teens. Minneapolis, article/teen-stress-causes.htm (accessed .extension.umn.edu/distribution/youth Minn.: Free Spirit. Aug. 19, 2008). development/DA2787.html (accessed Lite, Lori. 2005. Indigo Teen Dreams: Guided 3. Jami Biles Jones and Alana M. Zambone, Aug. 22, 2008). Relaxation Techniques Designed to Decrease The Power of the Media Specialist to Improve 13. Julie Spielberger et al., New on the Shelf: Stress, Anger and Anxiety while Increasing Academic Achievement and Strengthen Teens in the Library (Chicago: Chapin Hall Self-esteem and Self-awareness. Marietta, At-risk Students (Worthington, Ohio: Center for Children, July 21, 2004), www. Ga.: Indigo Dreams. Linworth, 2008). chapinhall.org/article_abstract Pilat, Mary. 2000. “Advice for Adults: 4. James Windell, 6 Steps to an Emotionally .aspx?ar=1380 (accessed Aug. 22, 2008). Supporting Distressed Young People.” Intelligent Teenager: Teaching Social Skills to 14. Ibid. www.ces.purdue.edu/Living_on_Less/ Your Teen (New York: Wiley, 1999): 6. 15. Diane Tuccillo, e-mail message to author, Pubs/FF-39.html. Accessed Aug. 27, 5. Angela Huebner and Erin Morgan, Aug. 22, 2008. 2008. “Adolescent Bullying,” www.ext.vt.edu/ Walker, Joyce. 2002. “Adolescent Stress and pubs/family/350-852/350-852.html

20 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Recruit a new YALSA member & win a Flip Video camera!

Encourage a friend or colleague to join YALSA between January 23 and March 23, and both of you will be entered into a drawing for a Flip Ultra camera! You’ll be entered each time you refer someone to YALSA during this 2009 membership drive. For the purpose of the contest, the new member must not have previously been a YALSA member, but they may already be an ALA member.

How to Enter Starting January 23, tell a friend or colleague how much you love being a member of YALSA. Download the special membership form at www.ala.org/drive2009 and enter your name where it says “Person who recruited you.” Pass it on to your coworkers, colleagues and friends.

All membership forms for the contest need to be received at the YALSA o ce by March 23, 2009. ose paying by check may mail the form to: YALSA Member Drive, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. If paying by credit card, they may be faxed to (312) 280-5276.

A er March 23, one membership form will be randomly drawn from the entries received. e new member and the recruiter will each win a Flip Video Ultra camera. Two runners-up will receive a box of books from YALSA.

Winners will be noti ed and announced on the YALSA web site.

Reach out and encourage a colleague, friend or family member to join YALSA today!

Questions? Contact us at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4390 or at [email protected]. feature Best Practices

1. The project must be a new club or organization. In other words, Dream It Do It: even though there are plenty of organizations in communities that are already doing great work, At the Library! the youth are required to be truly entrepreneurial and develop their own goals and how they want to achieve them. Technology Outreach 2. The project must be youth driven. While the youth can work with adult allies that can help guide them, the at a Juvenile Detention adults helping with the project are not making the decisions for the youth. 3. The project is sustainable. It is not Center meant to be a one-time workshop or event, but something that will be ongoing and able to grow with up to Kelly Czarnecki $1000 in seed money provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation per group. 4. The venture benefits the community in some way.2 magine being in the library amidst con- Initiative (DIDI). The partner organiza- versation where youth are eagerly toss- tions involved in this program include Iing ideas back and forth about ways to Global Kids, Ashoka’s Youth Venture, the Who Are the Partners? improve their communities. “I want to get Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the people to volunteer and help clean up.” “I Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklen- Exploring the fourth tenet a bit further will would like to make a music club to help burg County, North Carolina, and a jail help the reader understand who the organi- teens explore their talent.” “I want to have facility. zations involved in DIDI are and why they a plan for making bag lunches and deliver are involved in the first place. The Robert them in downtown Charlotte to help the Wood Johnson Foundation: Health and homeless.” Wow! What enthusiasm and What Are the Goals of Healthcare Improvement (www.rwjf interest in making a positive contribution DIDI? .org) is involved in this project and fund- to their neighborhoods! ing it from a healthcare angle. The ventures It is often said that those from the The goal of DIDI is to have groups of must improve the health of the community. Millennial Generation (born between 1980 youth (ages 13–17) develop and launch While some people might automatically and 2000) have a high rate of volunteer- their venture. A group can be made up of think that means the absence of disease, it ism. According to the article “Managing two people minimally. A venture, as defined encompasses a much broader definition. Millennials” by Claire Raines, the message by Youth Venture (www.genv.net) whose According to the World Health Organiza- of “serve your community” has a profound subheading is “Building a Global Move- tion, “health is a state of complete physical, effect on these youth and that 50 percent ment of Young Changemakers” includes mental and social well-being, and not mere- reported volunteering in their community.1 the following tenets: ly the absence of disease or infirmity.”3 So Five incarcerated males, ages 16–17, located in the United States, currently have the opportunity to put this charac- Kelly Czarnecki is a Technology Education Librarian at teristic of their generation to use through ImaginOn, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg a program called the Dream It Do It County, North Carolina.

22 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Czarnecki

far, the guys involved in the project totally How Does the get this. In some ways, perhaps more viv- Library Fit In? idly than others who might not be exposed to the same social conditions that they are Chances are, while your library in their neighborhoods, schools, or the jail might not be a direct partner of itself. For example, in discussing the issues any one of these organizations, in their neighborhood, they not only iden- you and your teens are prob- tify drugs as a problem but the drug dealer. ably engaged in similar work. Several of the teens share the same interest Many public libraries look to of not wanting younger kids to make the the Minnesota-based Search Institute (www.search same decisions they did to end up in jail Partners and youth meet to go over the guidelines of the and thus relate their venture ideas around -institute.org), which has a list workshops: participation, one mic, and safe space. providing more productive activities for the of forty developmental assets youth to be involved in. A project called the that can help youth grow into Chicago Project for Violence Prevention healthy and caring adults and (http://tinyurl.com/3gbkl2) spearheaded can often provide justification by physician-epidemiologist Gary Slutkin of many youth programs in and funded in part by the Robert Wood libraries in the first place. As- Johnson Foundation, took the approach sets DIDI particularly address that violence is a public health issue and include: worked to develop community-based task forces, particularly including those who l Other Adult were ex-offenders themselves. An initiative Relationships: Young of the program called CeaseFire (www person receives support Youth and partners gather in the DIDI coffeehouse to .ceasefirechicago.org) has also used Second from three or more non- begin the workshop. Life as a medium to learn anger manage- parent adults ment issues. l Youth as Resources: Ashoka’s Youth Venture is an orga- Young people are given nization with locations throughout the useful roles in the United States. They have been involved in community supporting youth to address social needs l Positive Peer Influence: for fourteen years by providing tools and Young person’s best support to help make their dreams a real- friends model responsible ity. Global Kids (www.globalkids.org) is an behavior organization based in New York City that l Constructive Use of works with urban youth to help make them Time (Youth Programs): Youth give a mock presentation to the partners on stage successful students and global leaders. Young person spends at the DIDI coffeehouse. Their online component of youth leader- three or more hours per ship involves youth blogging, initiating week in sports, clubs, ahead and make choices and discussing current-events topics, and or organizations at school or in l Positive View of Personal Future: participating in the virtual world of Teen community organizations Young person is optimistic about his 4 Second Life (http://teen.secondlife.com) l Commitment to Learning: Young or her personal future among other virtual worlds, where youth person is motivated to do well (in have raised awareness on many global is- school) The Public Library of Charlotte and sues including sex trafficking, AIDS, the l Caring: Young person places high Mecklenburg County has been involved Holocaust, and social networking, and have value in helping others in outreach services with the jail facility worked with youth from all over the world l Planning and Decision Making: for several years. I started in 2006 with an to do so. Young person knows how to plan existing book club for youth. I met with the

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 23

Dream It Do It: At the Library!

youth in the library every other week, and with many workshops, but particularly How Can Libraries Get we discussed a variety of books including with this one to ensure that the only in- Involved in a Similar The Coldest Winter Ever by Sistah Souljah teraction occurring with the group is with Project? and Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman. I the staff involved in the project. The young began to get more interested in connecting men are represented by an avatar, a digital Perhaps starting out with access to Teen to the youth through technology, as that is representation of themselves. They each Second Life won’t fly with your organiza- what we were doing at my library. When use a laptop and communicate through text tion, but introducing technology in small one of the guys in the group suggested chat. Workshops are designed to help the ways to a jail facility where your library is making a movie of a puppet show they teens develop and plan their venture. They already doing outreach would be a natural could show their children (some of the in- discuss an action plan and what they can way to start. If you’re able to bring in such carcerated youth are fathers), I was able to do now while they are in jail to contribute tools as a digital camera, let the librarian bring the camera to the facility to film the toward their venture (such as create flyers keep it until he or she is comfortable that skits the guys created. or write a song to raise awareness about all pictures have been cleared out. If you’re I have used technology with the youth their project), what roles each young man able to bring in gaming consoles and pe- in other ways, including blogging about in the group would like to take on, how to ripherals, take photos beforehand so the li- their experiences and what they’re reading, allocate their seed money budget, and how brarian can look at exactly what it is you’re participating in Teen Tech Week™ pro- to present their ideas in front of a panel. bringing and identify any possible materials grams such as “finger DDR” (download at Much of their interaction takes place that you might not be allowed to introduce www.stepmania.com), and if they are going offline and in person as well as online, but to the facility. If allowing the youth to ac- home soon and want to sign up online for not just on the island. They are given jour- cess a blog isn’t possible, perhaps distribut- a public library card, I have assisted them nals to keep track of their ideas throughout ing journals where they can write what in doing so. Using technology is a twenty- the week in addition to the blog posts they they want to post would be a compromise. first-century social skill that can help youth write (available at www.holymeatballs.org/ If you sense there is a possibility the door become productive members in society. If second_life/didi_initiative). They often might be open to allowing the teens to use youth aren’t able to engage in these skills, cite communication through text chat and technology, use the following resources to “they will find themselves left behind in blogging as important skills they are learn- help develop a proposal explaining how school and in the workplace,” according to ing. Developing their thoughts through teens’ access to technology can help keep Henry Jenkins in his paper, “Confronting instant messaging, posting photos of their them on track with learning in the twenty- the Challenges of Participatory Culture: avatar, and even podcasting (which will be first century.Y ALS Media Education for the 21st Century.”5 posted soon on RezEd, a virtual worlds While it’s true that many facilities won’t community hub at www.rezed.org) are all allow online access for obvious reasons, it’s part of DIDI. As one teen, known as Icey fortunate that those in charge of this facil- in Teen Second Life, writes, Resources ity feel that access is important and that the Braun, Linda. 2006. Teens, Technology, and positives of engaging in this way outweigh Getting up out of bed to attend Literacy: Or, Why Bad Grammar Isn’t the potential dangers of allowing online these online meetings with second Always Bad. Westport, Conn.: Libraries access. life, and teen second life was always Unlimited. a great pain, but I can tell you from Farkas, Meredith. 2007. Social Software my own mouth, it was worth it. in Libraries: Building Collaboration, The Changemakers This program is a really great way Communication, and Community Online. to keep a positive mind and if you’re Medford, N.J.: Information Today. The group of five, also self-referred to as on that path, then I think you Global Kids Second Life Curriculum. 2008. the “Icebergs” (because they are so cool), [should] really try it!!!! www.rezed.org/group/GKslcurriculum. meet weekly in the jail library with Global Accessed Dec. 12, 2008. Kids and Youth Venture online in the vir- Since the young men are still in the tual world of Teen Second Life. The island, developmental stages of their ventures, we or the space in which they meet, is closed don’t have any final outcomes to report. DREAM IT DO IT down to others, which is frequently done continued on page 31

24 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 feature Hot Spot: Teen Tech Weektm

ot so long ago, the only option for providing homework help through Nthe public library was organizing Online Homework homework centers and using library staff, volunteers, or paid tutors. Students had to come to the library, and in many cases Help needed to schedule an appointment in advance. The ability to access the service depended on geographic proximity to the library, transportation, hours of operation, Evaluating the Options and availability of a qualified tutor. With these limitations, many students could not take advantage of this library service. Judy Michaelson With the advent of the Internet, libraries began to offer homework help through pathfinders on their websites. Al- though students could find useful information by following the links to highlighted websites, the information was static and tutor skilled in the subject area where the tutoring or online homework help are there was no way to evaluate students’ suc- student needs help. For the 73 percent of cess in finding what they needed. students who already turn to their comput- l the connection with a live tutor over Throughout the past several years, ers at homework time, it is a natural fit and the Internet; a new model has been adopted by public a welcome resource. l the ability to not need an libraries to complement the earlier models The greatest benefit for students is the appointment; of homework centers and pathfinders— on-demand nature of online homework l the access to help on-demand in core online tutoring services. By subscribing to help. Students can use their online tutor- subjects; an online tutoring service, libraries provide ing time for help with an assignment or to l the availability of services outside of students with access to tutors through the build skills, study for a test, or brainstorm school and library hours; and Web. This new model allows libraries to ideas for a science project. l the access to services through extend tutoring services to more students computers in the library or at home. during more hours. According to a new ALA study, on- How Online Tutoring Access to a tutor begins through the library’s line homework help is thriving in public website, whether the student is in the library Works in the Library or at home. Some services are completely libraries. “Libraries Connect Communities: Environment Public Library Funding and Technology Web-based while others require a software Access Study 2007–2008” reports that Online tutoring services have been avail- download. Students click on a link, au- public libraries are using technology at able through public libraries since 2000. thenticate with a library card number, and record rates to help children succeed in The fundamental features of online provide their grade level and the subject in school. More than 83 percent of public libraries offer online homework resources, JUDY MICHAELSON is a librarian with fourteen years of experience including live tutors—up 15 percent in one working in public libraries. She has an extensive background in 1 year. From these findings, it would seem marketing and communications, including seven years directing that it’s no longer a question of whether to the marketing communications program at OCLC Online Computer offer online homework help but rather one of when and how. Library Center. In 1999 she founded JAM Marketing, through which Online homework help (also called she works extensively in the library field. She holds a BA in English online tutoring) leverages technology to from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MLS from the provide the attention and support of a live University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 25

Online Homework Help

which they need help. They are then con- Students come to an online tutoring site private customers. nected to a tutor who has been screened and with a specific need at a specific time— The essence of online tutoring is the certified by the tutoring service. Tutors and they have a homework problem they need one-to-one interaction. However, one-to- students engage in online chat; some ser- help with or a test the next day to study for. one doesn’t always mean just one session at vices also permit voice communication. Online tutors need to be trained to work a time for the tutor. In some cases, a service Students and tutors share a whiteboard effectively in the online environment. This might permit tutors to conduct several on which both can draw and write. On some means not only knowing their subject area, sessions simultaneously, toggling back and services websites can be shared and files can but having a good understanding of how to forth among them. Although allowing tu- be uploaded and downloaded within the efficiently help students solve their specific tors to sign on to more than one session online classroom environment. Depending problems and advance their learning. at a time might reduce initial wait time for on the service you choose, more than one Using online tools takes training. As the student, it can mean a student is kept whiteboard might be available simultane- you evaluate online tutoring services, be waiting while the tutor is engaged in an ad- ously and writing assistance might be on-de- sure to ask specific questions about both ditional session, slowing down the flow of mand in a secure tutoring classroom. Other initial training and ongoing mentoring. the student–tutor interaction and possibly services check writing assignments and Some points to consider regarding tu- affecting the quality of the learning experi- provide assistance offline in several hours or tors include ence. Your library needs to evaluate which the next day, sending an alert to the student’s workflow is better for your students— e-mail when his or her writing assignment l the tutor certification process and waiting up front and then having undivided has been reviewed by a tutor. background check; attention from the tutor or being admitted l the ongoing training and mentoring to the classroom without waiting but hav- process; ing a slower session while the tutor serves Factors to Consider l the percent of tutors based in North multiple students simultaneously. When Selecting an America; Libraries implementing live, online l the tutor support network; services want to be assured that students Online Tutoring Service l the professional growth ladder to are operating in a safe and secure environ- Public libraries that have implemented retain experienced tutors; ment and that all interactions between online tutoring services find them to be an l the tutor evaluation process; and tutors and students are in compliance with excellent tool for expanding service to teens l the tutor’s workflow (e.g., does the the Children’s Online Privacy Protection and families. Online tutoring meets the tutor help multiple students at one Act (COPPA). Some services collect stu- needs of a hard-to-reach market segment time). dent e-mail addresses to return homework and engenders high visibility and good will comments a day or so later. Some allow in communities. voice communication between students Several companies now offer online Safety and the Student and tutors. Your library needs to decide tutoring programs for libraries. According Experience how comfortable you are with less than to librarians who have evaluated various total anonymity for students. The goal in offering online tutoring is to services, the five areas they generally high- Some points to consider regarding provide a safe, positive learning experience light as most important to consider are safety and the student experience include for students. Online tutoring services approach the student experience differently, l the total number of tutors and percent l tutor quality; so it’s important to assess the differences who work with public library clients; l safety and the student experience; and determine which approach you are l the number of one-to-one l customer support; most comfortable with. sessions a single tutor can conduct l price; and Some services cite a total number of simultaneously; l reporting. tutors under contract, but it is possible that l the method of file sharing and not all of them are serving public library whether e-mail addresses are required; Tutor Quality clients. Because online tutoring services l the services provided during the live also offer their programs direct to consum- tutoring session versus those that Online tutoring is not the same as teaching. ers, some tutors may be reserved solely for require the student to wait for input;

26 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009

Michaelson

l the ability to review transcripts of l the track record of successful library important for evaluating the audience be- all sessions for appropriate conduct, programs and case studies for best ing reached. whether written or oral; practices. Libraries considering an online tutor- l the ability to print whiteboard ing service should request copies of reports content, URLs of all websites shared, and be sure they are comprehensive in their as well as the chat session; and Price frequency and coverage. Some features l the feedback mechanism to evaluate that make sense in a school environment student satisfaction, including student To deliver online tutoring, a vendor needs might not be well-used in the public library comments. to account for fixed as well as variable costs. setting, so school-focused features should This can be challenging when dealing with have their usage reported separately. Be- public libraries who offer the service free to fore investing in a service, talk to some of Customer Support anyone with a library card. Pricing models the vendor’s clients and ask to see sample based solely on the size of the popula- reports. Be sure that usage of all aspects Libraries considering online tutoring ser- tion served by the library or the number of the service are tracked and reported on. vices will want to look at several aspects of of library card holders don’t account for Ask to see student comments if they are customer service. The first is the level of differences in usage and may be unsustain- part of the feedback survey. experience the vendor has working with able over the long term for the vendor. For Some points to consider regarding public libraries and how well they under- example, take two libraries serving the reports include stand library challenges such as funding, same size population and paying the same community outreach, management of com- amount for the service. Library A does two l the frequency of the reports; puters in multiple locations, shortage of IT hundred sessions in a month and Library l the completeness of the reports in resources, and the like. B does two thousand. Can a pricing model covering all aspects of the service; Although all services are accessible based solely on population be sustainable l the distinct usage reporting on through the Web, some require a software by the vendor who has to pay ten times separate services such as learning download to every computer where the ser- more in tutor costs for Library B? modules; vice will be accessed. In that scenario, when Some points to consider regarding l the availability of user survey results, there’s a software upgrade, every computer pricing include including comments from users; and needs to be upgraded—whether it’s in the l the willingness of the vendor to share library or in a student’s home. l the vendor’s experience with the public sample reports from other libraries. Online tutoring services need to be library market; marketed on an ongoing basis. Libraries l the number of public libraries using will benefit from working with a vendor the vendor’s product; Side-by-Side who understands library marketing and l the vendor’s plans to account for usage Comparisons provides ready access to customizable tools variances in their pricing; and to support library marketing programs. l the vendor’s understanding of funding Libraries evaluating online tutoring ser- Assistance with your launch event, gain- alternatives for libraries. vices have found the best way to compare ing press exposure, and the sharing of best the student experience is to request trial practices from successful peer libraries can periods from the vendors you are consider- all help boost program usage. Reporting ing. Setting up a trial period will give your Some points to consider regarding library the opportunity to customer support include Delivering a one-to-one online tutoring service represents a departure for libraries l evaluate usability of classroom l the software download required for from standard services, making it hard to features; each computer; classify and measure. It’s not a database of l evaluate the quality of the student’s l the availability of a dedicated client information; it’s not a library program in learning experience; services representative for each client; the sense of an event. It’s a unique service l compare services that offer various l the variety of professionally designed offering and, as such, the ability to track modules with those that offer real- and customizable marketing tools; and usage down to the grade and subject level is time online help exclusively; and

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 27

Online Homework Help

l feel confident in your purchasing l Did the tutor use webpages effectively, you and your community are with your on- decision. when appropriate? line tutoring service. l Did the tutor engage you or the Once you log in to the service, keep student in the learning? your topics age appropriate. If you log in l Did you feel the tutor simply gave you Conclusion as a fourth-grade student, remember not or the student the answer? to ask high school level questions. For the l Did there seem to be any unusually Online tutoring services offer your library most effective trials, ask the tutors of the long pauses as you waited for the an excellent opportunity to serve students services you are evaluating the exact ques- tutor to respond that might lead you and families, even when the library is tions in the exact same way. You probably to believe the tutor was working with closed. Libraries that have implemented have plenty of examples in your library more than one student at a time? these services receive praise from their from real homework assignments. Test a l Did the tutor provide positive communities and have the potential to range of questions such as reinforcement? generate great coverage in their local media. l Did you have to set up a personal Students served by libraries with online l general math problems, like account with your e-mail address to tutoring return to the sites and tell their multiplying and dividing fractions, receive writing assistance? friends about the service. finding the area of a cylinder, or l How long did it take to complete the There are differences among the ven- finding the angles of a triangle; session? dors of online tutoring services, so as with l general writing examples with l If you uploaded a paper for assistance, all products and services you consider for questions on punctuation or essay did the tutor look at it in real time, or your library, caveat emptor. In September format to see how editing instruction did you have to wait for an alert by 2008, the California State Library released is handled; and e-mail? an evaluation of online homework help ser- l specific questions related to current l After the tutor logged off, how long vices. If your library is considering adding events that will demonstrate how could you stay on to review the online tutoring, take some time to review websites are used. session? this report at www.library.ca.gov/lds/lds l Was there a print button? If not, how .html. During your trial period, evaluate all easy was it to print the chat portion of Good luck with your search! YALS aspects of the services, from initial login the session? to ending the session. Here are some questions to keep in mind as your evaluation Finally, don’t forget to ask for and Reference team tests each service: contact references. Talking with each vendor’s current customers is the best way to 1. Larra Clark, ed., Libraries Connect l Was the service easy to use the first evaluate the intangibles of the services such Communities: Public Library Funding time? as technical support and the overall respon- and Technology Access Study 2007–2008 l Did the tutor take time to thoroughly siveness of the company. These intangibles (Chicago: ALA, 2008). clarify the student’s question? can make all the difference in how satisfied

28 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 feature Hot Spot: Teen Tech Weektm

verywhere you look teens have cell phones or a Bluetooth attached to E their ear. So it is no surprise that Cell Phone Novels U.S. teen cell phone subscribers in 2007 numbered more than 16 million.1 In addition, Jacqueline Lane, at the YPulse 2008 Mashup, a conference on teens and tech- 140 Characters at a Time nology, reported that 84 percent of teens ages fourteen to eighteen have access to a cell phone and 80 percent of these teens Ruth Cox Clark use it daily.2 A survey done in Britain found that “a majority of 16- to 24-year-olds would rather give up tea, coffee, alcohol, chocolate or sex rather than live without their cell phone for a month.”3 Clearly, professionals who work with teens cannot Defining a Cell Phone school girls are interested in and are set in ignore this high level cell phone usage. Novel everyday locations such as school, home, or places teens socialize. There are more than What exactly is a cell phone novel? Lisa 2,400 Japanese cell phone novels to choose Ingenious Japanese Katayman defines the Japanese cell phone from, mostly written by young women in novel as containing “between 200 and 500 their teens and early twenties. Not surpris- Teens pages, with each page containing about 500 ingly, “more than half of the readers [of cell 5 Although American teens are avid cell Japanese characters.” An English language phone novels in Japan] are females.”7 phone users, Japanese teens have had ear- cell phone screen, or page, is 140 charac- lier access to advanced cell phone technol- ters. Cell phone novels are predominantly dialogue, very much like a graphic novel, ogy. They also deal with crowded public Top Ten Bestsellers transportation, with passengers crammed but without the illustrations. Justin Norrie so closely together that it is impossible describes them this way: Five of Japan’s 2007 top ten bestselling to open a book. Ingeniously, commuting books began as cell phone novels. Rin Japanese teens who wanted to read began They are written by first-time writ- wrote If You, one of the bestsellers, when to read on their cell phones. Japanese cell ers, using one-name pseudonyms, she was a senior in high school, while com- phone companies have been streaming for an audience of young female muting to her part-time job. She is now a literary classics onto cell phones as early readers. . . . The stories traverse nursery school teacher and still writing cell as 2003.4 But, as we know, many teens are teen romance, sex, drugs and other phone novels, often falling asleep with her not interested in reading the classics. They adolescent terrain in a succession of phone in her hand.8 Rin uploaded her de- want to read books that relate to their clipped one-liners, emoticons, and but novel to a popular website for would- present-day lives. With commuting time spaces (used to show that a charac- on their hands, along with an ever-present ter is thinking), all of which can be cell phone, Japanese teens began authoring read easily on a mobile phone inter- Cool Name Generators their own cell phone novels, posting them face. Scene and character develop- Try a name generator when you need a new 6 in installments to free websites where oth- ment are notably missing. online identity: ers can read and offer input as the story is Fantasy Name Generator, www.rinkworks being written. They often deal with themes that high .com/namegen Seven Sanctum Names, www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php DR. RUTH COX CLARK is an Associate Professor in the Department of Library Science at East Carolina University in Greenville, North —The Teen Tech Week™ Committee Carolina. She serves on the YALSA board of directors.

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 29

Cell Phone Novels

be authors, Maho no i-rando, which allows states, “Readers and writers often overlap. Gaming Themed Teen readers to comment on each installment, In many cases, readers who were inspired Fiction thus creating a venue for ongoing conversa- by stories on the sites have started writing tions among members of a community of themselves.”14 by M. T. Anderson readers and writers. The number of novels Feed 9 Crusader by Edward Bloor on this site now exceeds one million. Rin Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card admits she had never written anything Potential for American Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz other than text and instant messages prior Cell Phone Novels Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes to her cell phone novel. Nevertheless, her Will American teens, like Japanese teens, Epic by Conor Kostick novel, full of emoticons, published as a choose to read, let alone write, novels on a Guitar Hero Songbook by Hal Leonard 142-page hardcover book, sold more than 10 cell phone? The technology and software RockBand Songs from MTV’s Video Game 400,000 copies as of early 2008. by Hal Leonard are already available. Although still in its infancy, cell phone authorship in the Wizards of the Game by David Lubar United States is occurring through web- The Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski Writing and Reading as sites such as Quillpill (www.quillpill.com), Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Social Events which allows multiple modes of entry. The [email protected] by Arne Tangherlini Cell phone novel writing and reading is site boasts that “users have posted their Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde a social event. In a January 2008 posting stories using desktop computers, iPhones, Locked Inside by Nancy Werlin to his Computer World blog, Mike Elgan Ran Van series by Biana Wieler cell phones, mobile gaming platforms like noted that the authors of cell phone novels the PSP and DS, and even a Wii.”15 In a Lucky Wander Boy by D. B. Weiss are using an “available publishing technol- response to a request for a login for the ogy to have a dialog—not a monologue— —The Teen Tech Week™ Committee Quillpill beta site, Derek Maune, CEO of with their peers.”11 This connectivity is an Synthetic Entertainment, which operates important factor when considering the Quillpill, responded, potential of the cell phone novel phenomena happening in the United States. As The cellphone novel phenomena in Comics and Manga with Zachary, a teen interviewed for a New York Japan convinced an entire genera- Gaming Themes Times article debating literacy observed, tion that had been uninterested in “The Web is more of a conversation. . . . literature to start reading and even Portus by Jun abe Books are more one-way.”12 For those teens producing popular fiction them- Kimmie66 by Aaron Alexovich who want a conversation with a book or selves. . . . Literature has its ups and Angelic Layer by Clamp the author, the authoring or reading of cell downs throughout history, but I Megatokyo by Fred Gallagher phone novels suits their technology-rich do not agree with the popular idea Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins style of social networking. that’s out there right now, which Hikaru No Go by Yumi Hotta Today’s teens have used or been ex- foretells doom for the written word .hack by Rei Izumi posed to cell phones all of their lives, so due to the advancement of Internet Yu-gi-oh! GX by Naoyuki Kageyama the use of this medium for communicating usage. Rather, I believe writing can Warcraft: the Sunwell Triology by Richard is natural to them. Some teens can type be brought online in a form that A. Knaak on a cell phone keypad faster than they will invigorate traditional authors, PvP by Scott Kurtz can on a computer keyboard. An expert in hobby writers, young authors, and Beet, the Vandel Buster by Riku Sanjo Japanese literature at Waseda University, even people who have never really Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist by Kazuki Takahashi Chiaki Ishihara, goes so far as to suggest thought of writing anything more MegaMan NT Warrior by Ryo Takamisaki that “this tool called the cellphone instilled than a diary blog.16 in them the desire to write.”13 Yoko Hani, —The Teen Tech Week Committee an editor with Goma Books and publisher Whether Mr. Maune is correct in of three bestselling cell phone novels, relation to the roles the cell phone and the

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Internet will play in who authors the posts .com/pdf/candrpreso.pdf (accessed Aug. 24, 2008). to Quillpill, only time will tell. Because 22, 2008). 9. Norimitsu Onishi, “Thumbs Race as more U.S. teens have cell phones than lap- 3. Lee Ferran, “Can’t Buy My Cell Phone Japan’s Best Sellers Go Cellular.” New York tops or desktop computers, the opportuni- Freedom,” www.abcnews.go.com/ Times, Jan. 20, 2008, www.nytimes ty to author and respond to written works print?id=3313826 (accessed Aug. 24, .com/2008/01/20/world/asia/20japan on the cell phone keypad may well appeal 2008). .html (accessed Aug. 22, 2008). to them.17 A writer- and reader-interactive 4. “A Novel Trend,” Scholastic Scope 56, no. 16 10. “Best-Cellular List?” New York Times mode of authorship would add a new ven- (Apr. 28, 2008): 5. Upfront (Feb. 25, 2008): 10. ue to teens’ already technology enhanced 5. Lisa Katayama, “Big Books Hit Japan’s 11. Mike Elgan, “Will Cell Phones Save forms of social networking. After all, J. K. Tiny Phones,” www.wired.com/culture/ Books?” www.computerworld.com/action/ Rowling began her bestselling series about lifestyle/news/2007/01/72329 (accessed article.do?command=viewArticleBasic& a young wizard in a social environment, a Aug. 22, 2008). articleId=9060501 (accessed Aug. 22, coffee shop. Who’s to say a futureNew York 6. Justin Norrie, “In Japan, Cellular 2008). Times bestseller won’t be a cell phone novel Storytelling is All the Rage,” The Sydney 12. Motoko Rich, “Literacy Debate: Online, written by an American teen hanging out Morning Herald, Dec. 3, 2007, www RU Really Reading?” New York Times, July with friends in Starbucks? YALS .smh.com.au/news/mobiles--handhelds/ 27, 2008: 1. in-japan-cellular-storytelling-is-all-th 13. Onishi, “Thumbs Race as Japan’s e-rage/2007/12/03/1196530522543 Bestsellers Go Cellular.” References .html (accessed Aug. 23, 2008). 14. Hani, “Cellphone Bards Hit Bestseller 7. Associated Press, “Next Hot Cell Phone Lists.” 1. Multimedia Intelligence, “U.S. Teenage Trend: Reading?” MSNBC online, 15. Quillpill, www.quillpill.com (accessed Aug. Girls Mature with Mobile Phones Earlier Mar. 18, 2004, www.msnbc.msn.com/ 24, 2008). than U.S. Teenage Boys,” http://multi id/7232995/wid/11915829 (accessed 16. Derek Maune, e-mail message to author, mediaintelligence.com/index.php?option Aug. 22, 2008). Aug. 22, 2008. =com_content&task=view&id=119&Ite 8. Yoko Hani, “Cellphone Bards Hit 17. Lane, “Marketing Challenge . . . The Teen/ mid=1 (accessed Aug. 22, 2008). Bestseller Lists,” Japan Times Online, Sept. Tween Paradox.” 2. Jacqueline Lane, “Marketing Challenge . . . 23, 2007, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/ The Teen/Tween Paradox,” http://ypulse cgi-bin/fl20070923x4.html (access Aug.

DREAM IT DO IT continued from page 24

Jenkins, Henry. 2006. Confronting the Challenges References about/definition/en/print.html, (accessed of Participatory Culture: Media Education September 18, 2008). for the 21st Century. Chicago:MacArthur 1. Claire Raines, “Managing Millennials,” 4. Search Institute, www.search-institute.org Foundation. http://digitallearning.mac www.generationsatwork.com/articles/ (accessed Sept. 18, 2008). found.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0 millenials.htm (accessed Sept. 20, 2008). 5. Henry Jenkins, “Confronting the -4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/ 2. Youth Venture, “Youth Venture: Challenges of Participatory Culture: JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF. Building a Global Movement of Young Media Education for the 21st Century,” Accessed Dec. 12, 2008. Changemakers, www.genv.net (accessed www.projectnml.org/files/working/ Warlick, David. 2004. Redefining Literacy for Aug. 15, 2008). NMLWhitePaper.pdf (accessed Aug. 21, the 21st Century. Worthington, Ohio: 3. World Health Organization, “WHO 2008). Linworth. Definition of Health,” www.who.int/

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 31 feature Hot Spot: Teen Tech Weektm

even require a video camera. Video is essentially the marriage of sound and images Budget Video to tell a story. No one says that videos have to be full of video. Putting images in sequence creates a visual story—just look at Production any children’s picture book for inspiration on how to do this. Take photographs with your digital camera or digitize traditional photographs. Create a slideshow in Mi- Yes, You Can Do It Too! crosoft PowerPoint or a similar program, placing photographs in sequence. You can increase the effect by adding music and Rachel Magee narration, both of which are options with this type of presentation software. If you are interested in doing more, consider renting a camera and, if possible, a microphone. A microphone that attaches to the camera is the easiest to use. here are many reasons to use video in sequence—what do you see, when, A tripod, which attaches to the bottom of technology at your library. Making and why? In general, emotional scenes are the camera, can also be a valuable addition T videos can give teens a unique way close up and nonemotional scenes have a because it holds the camera steady, freeing to express themselves, and it is incredibly wider view. When someone says something your hands to zoom in and out or rotate fun. Additionally, when teens have experi- shocking to another, we want to see how the camera from side to side. Many camera ence making videos, they have a better the second person reacts. stores offer rental options, which can start understanding of how film, television, Detailed planning makes better videos as low as $20 a day for a camera. and video are created. This understanding with less expense. Start by writing your Video-making is a process that can helps young people to critically examine script and then drawing, or storyboarding, adapt to the time you and your teens have. the media they consume each day. In short, the shots before you pick up the camera. You can write and shoot in a day, or you video-making combines the best of educa- Thinking about what your audience will can spend a summer planning scripts, tion and recreation. want to see can guide your storyboarding, backdrops, and costumes. If you allow for Unfortunately, librarians often avoid and drawing what the camera will show planning time, you can make an incredible using video technology. There can be a will enable you to see the movie without video on a small budget. YALS perceived lack of knowledge about video spending any money. Additionally, when you production, and there are ever-present know what you want to say and what you budget issues. But these are much smaller want to show before you get the camera in obstacles than they seem. This article will your hands, you will be able to use a shot provide you with strategies to incorporate checklist instead of making it up as you video into your young adult programs in go along. If you practice several times, also easy, inexpensive ways. planning where you will put the camera, you One thing to remember is that mak- will be able to use your time more efficiently. ing videos is something we are already well One easy way to make videos does not prepared for! How much time do we, let alone the teens we serve, spend watching television, movies, and video feeds? All RACHEL MAGEE is a Teen and Reference Services Librarian for the video is designed to mimic the way our County of Los Angeles Public Library. She holds degrees in Radio- eyes and our emotions work. Watch a few Television-Film and English from the University of Texas at Austin, of your favorite movies and break down and received her Masters in Information Resources and Library the way each shot or camera setup is put Science from the University of Arizona in 2007.

32 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 feature Hot Spot: Teen Tech Weektm

ew teen librarians would argue the importance of technology in library F services to young people. Today’s Technology for library calendars are packed with gaming and computer programs; library websites proudly link to teen-generated podcasts Every Teen @ your and social networking pages, and more and more libraries are adding text alerts to their options for staying in contact with library ® users. But, as recent posts on the YALSA library blog have pointed out, it may be that teens with special needs are being inadvertently left out of this new frontier.1 Approaching Vikki C. Terrile accessibility can be intimidating, especially for those who don’t think of themselves as particularly tech-savvy, but there are more than enough resources available to help any librarian make sure all of their teens can enjoy the technology today’s libraries have orthopedic impairments; autism; traumatic offer.5 William Reed, assistant head and to offer. brain injury; other health impairments, Cleveland Public Library’s Library for the According to the U.S. Census Bureau, multiple disabilities; deaf-blindness; specif- Blind and Physically Handicapped, also sug- 8.5 percent of Americans age fourteen ic learning disabilities; and developmental gests looking at resources like World Wide and under and 10.5 percent of fifteen- to delay, but each state has its own criteria to Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Acces- twenty-four-year-olds have some type of determine if a student is eligible for servic- sibility Initiative, Section 508, and the U.S. disability provided for under the Ameri- es under a particular disability.3 This means Access Board for a better understanding of cans with Disabilities Act (ADA), defined that easily one in ten of our potential teen accessible technology (see Resource Guide).6 as “a physical or mental impairment that library users has a special need that can af- Barbara Huntington, youth and special substantially limits one or more major life fect how they use the library. services sonsultant at the Wisconsin De- activities.”2 Another source shows that in The ADA requires that libraries partment of Public Instruction, believes that 2006, a total of 2,997,346—or roughly 12 provide equitable access to all services for public libraries should offer services such percent of teens between the ages of twelve people with special needs. This includes as accessible workstations, electronic and and seventeen—received special education reasonable accommodations for technology, technology tools (adapted keyboard, track- services in the United States and outlying though there is continuing debate over how balls, switches, Braille printers, scanners, areas. This number reflects any student this applies to websites.4 Learning about and adaptive software), accessible program receiving services for a disability included assistive and adaptive technologies can be or meeting aids (microphones and real-time in the Individuals with Disabilities Educa- intimidating; a good place to start is the captioning) and accessible library webpages, tion Act (IDEA). IDEA lists the categories Association of Specialized and Coopera- in addition to accessible formats for media, of disability as mental retardation; hearing tive Library Agencies (ASCLA) Tool Kit including recorded, Braille, and large-print impairments including deafness, speech or tip sheet on assistive technology (and the books, closed captioned videos, and materi- language impairments; visual impairments many other tip sheets in the Tool Kit) for als in languages other than English.7 Sharon including blindness, emotional disturbance, an overview of what the different products Rawlins, youth services consultant at the New Jersey State Library, adds that while adaptive technology may be expensive, li- VIKKI C. TERRILE is the Coordinator of Young Adult Services braries should have at least one computer at Queens Library in New York. She received her MLS from the equipped with some type of screen reader Palmer School of Library and Information Science at Long Island software (which converts print into speech) University and is currently the chair of YALSA’s Outreach to Young or have a Kurzweil machine (which converts Adults with Special Needs Committee. text to speech or Braille).8

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 33

Technology for Every Teen @ Your Library

Many of the areas where teen librarians focus their technology programming can pose real difficulties for teens with disabilities, even with assistive hardware. In his post to the YALSA blog, Joseph Wilk refers to a recent article about how lack of captioning and narration on many websites are limiting use by people with visual and hearing impairments.9 This can also affect teens with learning disabilities. For example, while social networking sites remain hugely popular with teens, many of these sites lock out users with certain types of disabilities before they can even open an account. These sites use CAPTCHA, a visual verification code shown as a display of distorted letters and numbers that cannot be deciphered by software to ensure that people, not computers, are trying to set up accounts. This technology works so well, in fact, that screen reader programs cannot interpret the code, so for users with vision impairments, dyslexia, or other learning difficulties, trouble interpreting the graphic can prevent them from going beyond the signup page.10 Since this information made Web headlines in January 2008, Facebook and Google have added an audio option to CAPTCHA, but CAPTCHA may show up unexpectedly in other places teens visit on the Web. Of course, anyone who has tried to buy tickets online has run into that Video game programs continue to presentation to MIT’s Gambit game lab window of weird characters (Ticketmaster gain popularity, allowing teens to play in that offers practical insight on the issues does offer an audio verification option), but a social setting they don’t get at home on facing gamers with disabilities.14 during Virtual Library Day on the Hill at their couch. Elizabeth Burns, youth servic- Today’s teens are technologically re- ALA Annual Conference 2008, we found es consultant at the New Jersey Library for silient, making them able to figure out a that many elected officials use CAPTCHA the Blind and Handicapped, says that some way to get to the information and services (without an audio option) to authenticate of the most popular games at her library they want even if it is not obviously acces- the electronic messages they receive. Reed are accessible for teens with specials needs; sible. If your library’s adaptive technology also points out that few social networking the Nintendo Wii sports games work tools are only on computers designated for sites are alt-tagged: equipped with descrip- well for teens with visual impairments, adult use, look for creative ways to ensure tive text as an alternative to images that is especially boxing, baseball, and bowling.12 that teens have access to those machines read by screen readers and search engines. Huntington says a teen who uses a wheel- in ways that are comfortable for them. You One way around these problems is for chair and has good use of his hands can could also invite teens who use adaptive or adaptive technology users to use the differ- participate in a Guitar Hero program quite assistive technology to show other teen and ent features (like blogs or instant messag- easily. 13 There are many resources on the adult patrons (and staff members!) how ing) separate from the larger site so teens Web for gamers, educators, and game de- it works.15 Reed suggests that simply ask- with special needs can be creative about signers about using and building accessible ing teens with special needs how they use how they use these features.11 games such as the notes from a June 2008 technology or having them test Library 2.0

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Terrile

tools and utilities for accessibility will not only increase their access but can improve Accessibility Resource Guide access awareness within the library.16 Having a strong virtual presence is General Information important for all libraries that support teen Youth with Special Needs: A Resource and Planning Guide for Wisconsin Public Libraries, services, so work with your teens to create http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/ysnpl.html. virtual services that are as teen friendly as A resource and planning guide intended to provide guidance and practical sugges- they are accessible. Look at how you can tions to ensure that all youth with special needs have appropriate, convenient, and equi- have audio options for print information or table access to materials and technology at public libraries. alternative text and captioning for pictures and video. If you are fortunate enough to New Jersey State Library, www.njstatelib.org/LDB/Disabilities/dsequa2.php#programs. have an IT department or webmaster, they Information for libraries serving people with special needs. should be included in conversations with the teens so that they can understand the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), www.cslpreads.org/diversity/ teens’ needs and offer technologically sound diversity.htm. suggestions. If you are directly responsible Resources and information from the CSLP Diversity Committee on creating a for maintaining your library’s teen web- more inclusive community of summer readers. pages, consider having the teens themselves work on creating the transcripts and captioning, for example, of the podcasts and Accessibility videos they produce. American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Home Page, www.ada.gov. Once your library’s teen webpage Information and technical assistance on the ADA. is fully accessible, it can become a true gateway to all your services. For teens The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), www.w3.org/WAI. with adaptive technology at home, virtual WAI is working with organizations around the world to develop strategies, guide- programs can eliminate transportation lines, and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities. and mobility barriers. An online book discussion may facilitate participation for a Section 508, www.section508.gov. variety of teens who might not participate A website for Federal employees and the general public about Section 508, which at the library, teens with speech problems, requires that Federal agencies’ electronic and information technology be accessible to for example, or those in a hospital with a people with disabilities. long-term illness or even teens in deten- 17 tion. Newsletters, e-mail updates, and United States Access Board, www.access-board.gov. a frequently updated website are all easy The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for ways to let teen library patrons know about people with disabilities. new virtual programs in addition to what is happening in house. These tools can also Think Accessible Before You Buy, www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaprotools/ be effective ways to receive feedback about thinkaccessible/default.cfm. what you are offering. Consider adding a An ASCLA Tool Kit on accessible technology for libraries. virtual component to your teen advisory board so that teens who cannot or do not come into the library can have more of a are teens with special needs in your com- sure all patrons know that Talking Book voice in planning library services.18 munity (there are!). Rawlins says things Libraries provide services to anyone who When considering access, don’t forget like high-interest and low-reading-level has difficulty reading print (including pa- to think beyond technology to the many books, large-print teen books, audiobooks, trons with physical and reading disabilities) other programs and services you offer and e-books for teens, and shelving and for free. This is also a good time to consider teens. Physical teen spaces and collections computers that are easily accessible are all your library’s policies and procedures to should also be as welcoming and inclusive things that will make the library easier to make sure they are not unintentionally as possible, even if you do not think there use for a variety of teen consumers.19 Make alienating teens or anyone else with special

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Technology for Every Teen @ Your Library

print above other formats is a common 3. IDEAdata.org, “IDEA Part B Child Avatar Me! example of this; excluding audiobooks Count (2006),” table 1-1, www.ideadata from summer reading tells teens who lis- .org/arc_toc8.asp#partbCC (accessed Apr. An avatar is a computer user’s representa- ten to books that they are not welcome.21 14, 2008). tion of himself or herself . They allow you “Truly realize that there are many ways to 4. Blansett, Jim, “Digital Discrimination,” to be more anonymous online. Here are read,” says Gould. “Listening to books is Library Journal 13 (Aug. 15, 2008): 26. sites where you can make an avatar for not any less valuable than reading print.”22 5. ASCLA, “Tip Sheet 11: Library free: Of course, the biggest barrier to access Accessibility: What You Need to Know,” Doppel Me, www.doppelme.com. may be the attitudes of staff. The fact that ed. Monique Delatte, www.ala.org/ala/ Gaia Dream Avatar, www.tektek.org/ you are not seeing teens with special needs ascla/asclaprotools/accessibilitytipsheets/ dream. from your community in your library may default.cfm (accessed Sept. 3, 2008). Lego Head, www.reasonablyclever.com/ be an indicator that somewhere along the 6. William Reed, personal communication blockhead. way teens received a message that they are with author, May 27, 2008. Otaku Avatar Maker: www.moeruavatar not welcome.23 If you hear from teens that 7. Barbara Huntington, personal communi- .com/index_en.shtml. this is the case, bring their concerns to your cation with author, May 23, 2008. Portrait Illustration Maker, http://illust administration to see what can be done 8. Sharon Rawlins, personal communication maker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml to improve the behavior of staff. Consider with author, June 4, 2008. Yahoo Avatars, http://avatars.yahoo.com. whether this is an issue with teens in gen- 9. Wilk, “When it Comes to Teens, Don’t eral, people with disabilities, or some com- Forget Accessibility.” Try these virtual doll makers to create im- bination of the two. 10. AbilityNet, “State of the ENation ages of your friends or favorite characters: Through outreach efforts and a com- Reports,” www.abilitynet.org.uk/ Some Virtual Doll Makers, http://elouai mitment to the participation of a wide and enation85 (accessed May 16, 2008). .com/doll-makers.php. diverse population of your teen commu- 11. Reed, personal communication. Dollz Mania, www.dollzmania.com. nity, you will learn what matters to them 12. Elizabeth Burns, personal communication Edit an existing photo online, www.picnik and may also discover what has happened with author, June 13, 2008. .com. (or not) to make them feel welcome in the 13. Huntington, personal communication. library and at programs. Use what you 14. Kestrell, “Reading in the Dark—Notes —The Teen Tech Week™ Committee learn to inform your work with staff to en- on Accessible Games Presentation at sure that all patrons—including teens and MIT,” Online post, June 16, 2008, http:// people with special needs of any age—are kestrell.livejournal.com/431444.html (ac- needs. Consider using universal design as welcome and can have equal access to the cessed Sept. 3, 2008). your service model. This concept, borrowed materials and services your library offers. 15. Burns, personal communication. from the building industry, shifts the focus YALS 16. Reed, personal communication. from adapting existing or adding extra ser- 17. Huntington, personal communication. vices for people with special needs to creat- 18. Rachel Gould, personal communication ing an array of services that will be more References with author, June 13, 2008. easily used by all consumers. According to 19. Rawlins, personal communication. Rachel Gould, children and youth services 1. Wilk, Joseph, “When it Comes to Teens, 20. Gould, personal communication. librarian at Perkins Braille and Talking Don’t Forget Accessibility,” online post, 21. Burns, personal communication. Book Library, program and outreach plans YALSA blog, 8 July 2008, http://yalsa.ala 22. Gould, personal communication. that use a universal design approach and .org/blog/2008/07/08/when-it-comes 23. Burns, personal communication. integrate multiple intelligences and diverse -to-teens-tech-dont-forget-accessibility learning styles will benefit all library users, (accessed Sept. 3, 2008). including those with special needs, without 2. Erica Steinmetz, Americans with singling anyone out.20 Disabilities: 2002 Household Economic There may be some barriers to teens’ Studies, Current Population Reports library use that you are not even aware (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau, of—things teen customers perceive as un- 2006), www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/ welcoming. Burns points out that valuing p70-107.pdf (accessed Sept. 3, 2008).

36 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 feature Hot Spot: Teen Tech Weektm

hort on time and money this Teen Tech Week? Here are a few ideas Son how your library can participate Teen Tech Week™ in Teen Tech Week, without giving you a nervous breakdown! on a Budget Idea 1: Hold a Contest Last year for my Teen Tech Week I held a Jami Schwarzwalder “best of ” contest. I let teens recommend and then vote for the best video game, movie, TV show, YouTube video, and website. My teens enjoyed the opportunity to share what they loved, but I used this information to evaluate our collection. I Pro: Great for teen input. com, or compile of list of best online-game used both a paper and an online ballot, but Pro: Reaches teens who do not come to websites. the teens preferred to fill out the papers at regular programs. my desk and then talk about their favorite Con: Provide pencils, not markers, to write Pro: Uses equipment you already have. media. on poster, in case you get anyone who Pro: Gives teens without the Internet at wants to add “off-topic” pictures or home more time to engage online. Pro: Great for teen input. phrases. Con: Do this during nonpeak hours Pro: Reaches teens who do not come to Con: This medium is anonymous. Teens so nonteen Internet users are not regular programs. who disagree often try to write bigger displaced. Pro: Can recommend books and other or cross out others, and teens who media teens might like on the basis of agree don’t get a chance to correct. what they voted for. Idea 4: Buy a Flip Video Con: Many teens complained that “best Camera book” was left off the list. Idea 3: After-Hours Alternative This idea does cost about $100, but shouldn’t use much of your time. Like a Often you can’t afford to have an after- digital camera, the Flip Video can be used Idea 2: Poster Tag hours program, but one of the draws to to record impromptu actions of teens like Clouds and Comments these programs is the ability to use all of book and media reviews, Dance Dance the public Internet computers. Provide this Revolution skills, or something positive Similar to the contest idea, you could also by reserving computers at the library just you can show staff or your board. Flip put blank poster boards on the end panels for teens for a specified hour. If you want to makes it easy to store and share videos. All of your stacks asking the teens a general have a focused program, consider printing of the software to view and edit is saved question. I put up two posters last sum- a list of avatar-creation sites, ask the teens on the camera, where you can easily copy mer before Harry Potter and the Deathly to post reviews on a blog or teenreads. to your PC or e-mail to the teens. If you Hallows was released that had at the top: “Snape will Betray” and “Snape is Loyal.” I was surprised to see the responses and JAMI SCHWARZWALDER is a Teen Librarian for the South Hill arguments that appeared on the posters. Branch of the Pierce County Library System in Washington and Over time I’ve created new posters and questions ranging from “What is your a member of YALSA’s Teen Tech Week Committee. She invites favorite manga?” to “If you could chose you to find even more ideas at the Teen Tech Week wiki at http:// only two movies to ever watch again, what wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Press_Play_%40_Your_Library_ would they be?” TTW_2009.

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Teen Tech Week™ on a Budget

games and the DS before they start Get Your Game On with These Online Games playing. Con: Equipment is pocket-size, so make Puzzles Web-Based Strategy Games sure that everyone understands the and Games with a Message risks in sharing or leaving games Falling Sand, http://chir.ag/stuff/sand. unattended. Set Daily Puzzle, www.setgame.com/set. Darfur is Dying, www.darfurisdying.com. SuDoku, www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku. iFiction, www.ifiction.org. Virtual Jigsaw, www.jigzone.com. Ikariam, www.ikariam.org. Librarian Dash, www.library.cmu.edu/ Idea 6: Borrow Host Sites for Flash Games Libraries/etc/game2/game2.swf or www Equipment .library.cmu.edu/Libraries/etc. Addicting Games, www.addictinggames If you don’t have the expertise or the mon- Line Rider, http://linerider.com. .com. Try the Flash Version of Portal. ey to buy gaming equipment, try to find McVideo Game, www.mcvideogame.com. Alien Hominid, http://alien-hominid someone who does. Sometimes local game Now What, www.nowwhat.com. .freeonlinegames.com. stores, computer stores, and even comic Ogame, www.ogame.org. All Girl Arcade, www.allgirlarcade.com. book and hobby stores may have tech-savvy Renaissance Kingdoms, www.renaissance Armor Games, www.armorgames.com. adults who would come to your library to kingdoms.com. Kongregate, www.kongregate.com. offer a program. Many libraries have tested Sol, www.freeport.de/Sol. MiniClip, www.miniclip.com/games. Try gaming programs by having staff and teens Type Racer, http://play.typeracer.com. Youda Camper. bring in TVs, gaming consoles, and games. MySpace Games, http://games.myspace.com. If you don’t have gaming, you could give —The Teen Tech Week Committee WiiCade, www.wiicade.com. this a try. XGen Studios, www.xgenstudios.com. Pro: Gives teens a place to socialize and play games with their friends. are daring, you can also purchase a digital Idea 5: Have a DS Pro: A successful program in libraries all photo frame for your teen area where you Meetup over the country. can display book covers and videos. Con: Equipment could get damaged. A DS is the handheld gaming console Con: If you are using older TVs, make sure Pro: Gives teens a chance to comment made by Nintendo. There are many games they have a port for the red, yellow, and discuss their favorite mediums available for it that allows players to play and white AV cables. (You can find without being in one place. together if their friends have a DS and a adapters at Radio Shack.) Pro: Documents for staff what you do and second copy of the game. Consider inviting Con: Make sure you have the right games the positive effect it has on teens. teens and tweens who have a DS to come for teen appeal and the console you Pro: Easy to use, even if you don’t know a to the library to play together. are borrowing. Best choices are Rock lot about computers. Band, Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Con: Encourage teens to not say their Pro: Gives gamers a chance to socialize. Revolution, Super Smash Brothers names when being recorded. Pro: If you advertise at game stores and Brawl, and Mario Kart. YALS Con: Before you post on YouTube or movie theatres, you may get new teens another public website, get the teens’ in the library doors. parents to sign a photo/video release Con: Gamers bring the games themselves form. so they may not bring multiplayer Con: If you don’t have a digital photo versions. frame, then there are not many ways Con: Teens may share equipment, so to share videos with teens within the provide masking tape and markers library. for everyone to put their name on the

38 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 LITERATURELITERATURE SURVEYS SURVEYS AND AND RESEARCH RESEARCH

The Structure of Power in Young Adult Problem Novels By Brian W. Sturm and Karin Michel

oung adult (YA) reading interests that didn’t enter their frame of reference l audacity and insecurity; and preferences have been the sub- as children. As early as 1904, psychologist l loneliness; 1 Yject of ongoing study for decades. G. Stanley Hall described adolescence as l psychological vulnerability; These and other studies show conflicting a series of “antithetic impulses,” including l mood swings; results about what adolescents are reading overactivity and sluggishness, euphoria l peer group need; and in terms of genres and formats, but some and despondence, egotism and self-abase- l the need to be argumentative and trends do emerge. Girls tend to read more ment, selfishness and altruism, seclusive- emotional.5 (and more fiction) than boys2; adolescents ness and gregariousness, sensitivity and seem to prefer realistic stories featuring callousness, radicalism and conservatism, More recently, the American Acad- teens (though fantasy, mystery, and hor- and precociousness and foolishness.4 He emy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ror/supernatural are recurring favorites); viewed adolescence as a chaotic time in has described the middle school and early and, according to one study by Barbara which young people had to contend with high school years (approximately ages thir- Samuels, one of the favorite types of fic- the extremes of life in all aspects of their teen to sixteen) as characterized by (1) a tion for adolescents is problem novels.3 development. In 1973 Gisela Konopka movement toward independence (struggle Adolescents possess an increasing variety found similar traits in her article describ- with sense of identity, moodiness, feeling of choices for reading materials (in print ing the requirements for healthy develop- awkward about one’s self and one’s body, and online), so how do adolescent problem ment of adolescents. She explains that occasional rudeness, and a tendency to novels capture the interest of young adults adolescence is characterized by return to childish behavior, especially when and adults alike? Brian W. Sturm is Associate Professor at the School of The World of Information and Library Science at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He conducts research into the entrancing power Adolescence of story (whether in oral, print, or digital/game form), and he YAs who are twelve to eighteen years old teaches courses in youth services, technologies, and literatures. are in a transitional period of their lives His favorite activities include learning about life from his two-year- that is fraught with change. Their bodies old son, gardening, and curling up with a great teen or children’s are maturing physically and chemically, book. Karin Michel works as Head of Youth Services at the Chapel their minds are expanding beyond their Hill Public Library. Her favorite parts of the job are collection egocentric childhood confines, they are development and readers advisory. She loves the weather in North developing a social network that far exceeds physical proximity (technology has Carolina and spends her free time outdoors whenever possible— redefined our understanding of commu- reading or hiking with her dogs and husband. She especially loves nity in this regard), and they are exploring teen fantasy, contemporary and realistic teen lit, and books written emotions, spirituality, and possibilities by Australian authors.

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stressed); (2) cognitive change (still present concerns, standards, and expecta- In 1981, Sheila Egoff described the oriented but a growing array of intellectual tions—which are more vulnerable problem novel. She claimed that while interests); (3) developing sexuality (in- to being disappointed.10 “most of these books could be destroyed on creased interest in sex but often shy about literary grounds, or challenged as amateur- it as they are also concerned about their at- ish forays into the disciplines of psychology tractiveness to others, frequently changing YA Contemporary and sociology, as a group they are formi- relationships and sexual experimentation, Realistic Fiction and dable in their popularity and influence.”13 and a concern about being “normal”); and She explains that the subgenre is recogniz- (4) defining values and developing a sense Problem Novels able in that of self (testing rules and limits, choosing “Contemporary realistic fiction is derived a protagonist is laden with griev- role models, and developing ideals).6 from actual circumstances, with realistic ances and anxieties that grow out What all of this literature addresses settings and characters who face problems of some form of alienation from is the upheaval and unease that many and opportunities that are within the the adult world, to which he or she adolescents face during this time in their range of what is possible in real life.”11 The is usually hostile; sentences and lives. Certainly there are wonderful times characters in realistic fiction “resemble real paragraphs are short; locutions as well, filled with joy, excitement, love, people; live in a place that is or could be are colloquial and language is flat, a sense of belonging to a peer group real; participate in a plausible, if not prob- without nuance, and often emotion- (whether physical or digital), and won- able, series of events; are presented with a ally numb; vocabulary is limited; der,7 but many YAs also find the transi- dilemma that is of interest to [the reader]; the narrative is almost always in tion to adulthood filled withsturm und and discover a realistic solution.”12 In short, the first person and its confessional drang (storm and stress). Reed Larson the characters, settings, situations, and tone is rigorously self-centered; sex and Linda Asmussen offer several possible resolutions in these novels strike the reader is discussed openly; and there is an explanations for this. They discuss a 1989 as plausible; they could happen. obligatory inclusion of expletives.14 study that found “first, that our adoles- Realistic fiction for young adults cents experienced more negative events changed in the late 1960s, when publishers She further describes that adults are in their lives than did our preadolescents felt that the social and educational values usually the teens’ biggest problems (they are and, second, that those who reported had changed enough to allow them to pub- inept, uncaring, or downright callous and more negative events experienced a greater lish more edgy stories for this market. This insensitive), encounters (with drugs, sex, or frequency of negative states.”8 There is new realism, as it was called (to separate other hitherto taboo subjects) are explic- a correlation, then, between the sheer it from the more romanticized stories that itly described, and “reflecting the fatalism number of problems and negative effect, were deemed appropriate for children), and resignation of the young who see their though establishing a causal link is dif- began to explore the problems and crises lives as compounded of one ‘problem’ after ficult. They also suggest that adolescence particular to adolescence with increasing another, none of them with any hope of is “associated with an expanding horizon, candor and sophistication. Young adult resolution, some of these novels are almost an increased awareness of a wider social, authors put adolescence under intense existential in not having a conclusion.”15 political, and economic world . . . [and] in- scrutiny and began to examine the myriad While the term “problem novel” has vestments in this wider world of concerns dilemmas, dysfunctions, and difficulties been used synonymously with realistic fic- potentially increases [sic] their area of vul- that the young people of the day faced. As tion in general, it has come to represent the nerability to worry, disappointment, and life for this age group became more com- subgenre of “wayward children”—contem- hurt.” 9 Finally, they claimed that young plex and varied, and as opportunities con- porary realistic fiction that exhibits a nearly adults are increasingly able to tinued to open up to them (created, in part, unrealistic number of problems, poor by increased wealth, delayed onset of work, quality of writing, pedestrian language, and see beneath the surface of things, and, more recently, technological innova- formulaic plots. Patty Campbell described including an ability to perceive the tion), the novels, too, included more—and this formula: point of view of others and analyze more varied—problems for their characters their own and others’ emotions . . . to face, and the term problem novel was as- A teenager (or a friend) becomes [and] these abilities may lead to cribed to this developing subgenre of young a victim of a social problem. This greater sensitivity, to a deeper set of adult realistic fiction. young person is statistically typical

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(“The average rape Table 1. The Stages of Literary Appreciation subject is . . .”). He Level Optimal Age Stage or she struggles with the problem, and the 7 Adulthood to Death Aesthetic appreciation struggle defines the 6 College Reading widely issues for the reader. 5 High School Venturing beyond self The good guys suggest the approved solutions 4 Junior High Finding oneself in literature and mouth the ac- 3 Late Elementary Losing oneself in literature cepted current think- 2 Primary Grades Learning to decode ing; the bad guys do the opposite. There is a 1 Birth to Kindergarten Understanding of pleasure and profit in print and pictures big scene that crystal- lizes the horror of the both of these needs. They offer a familiar Sheila Egoff, in her 1979 May Hill problem. Secondary characters are (i.e., formulaic) structure, and their char- Arbuthnot Honor Lecture, described four destroyed by it, while protagonists acters often reappear in further novels (i.e., possible reasons that problem novels engage are badly damaged but survive with problem novels in series). Readers see char- adolescents. “One explanation—or perhaps hope.16 acters in familiar settings who do familiar claim is the more accurate word—is that things and face similar problems. On the the problem novel has therapeutic value.” Despite these professional critiques other hand, they also encounter problems She reasoned that young people could find (and perhaps even because of them) and with which they have not dealt, and they new solutions to their own issues by read- the contempt of the literati (much like sometimes find coping strategies for their ing about characters in similar situations; at comics, series fiction, romance, fantasy, and issues that they had not considered, open- the very least, they might realize that they other genres), problem novels continue ing the door to personal growth and devel- were not alone. Just as Nilsen and Donelson to capture the interest of droves of young opment. In short, they can see who they are explain the attraction of the familiar and the adults. How? and who they might become. new, Egoff ’s second reason for the appeal of Alleen Nilsen and Kenneth Donelson While the protagonists in these stories problem novels is that those whose lives are explain the stages of literary apprecia- may be statistically average, many of the not problem-filled might find these novels tion in their book, Literature for Today’s problems in these novels are statistically exotic and therefore interesting. They can Young Adult.17 They propose a seven-level, significant. Statistics on adolescent crime, use them to explore how others live: “Just age-related hierarchy of appreciation that smoking, drinking, sex, violence, pregnancy, as adult, upper-class suburbanites findThe describes the most common stance toward illiteracy, school failure, abuse, etc., abound,18 Godfather absorbing, so well brought up girls reading of each age. and many give the impression that, indeed, may find a kind of romance and excitement young adulthood is a time of chaos, extrem- in the ‘hard-boiled’ naturalism of the prob- ism, and problems. As Mary Gallagher lem novels.” A third option proposed by Eg- Stages of Literary claimed in 1990, off is that a problem novel “wins its audience Appreciation by flattery. Children want to feel grown-up Is it any wonder that in the recent and problem novels offer to youngsters—in As table 1 depicts, the young adults in past, two of the most popular types simple language that they can follow per- junior high and high school look to their of young adult literature have been fectly well—the implication that they are reading to identify with story characters— the problem oriented junior novel ready to deal with issues and themes that are to see themselves in their reading—and and the crisis book that features indisputably ‘adult.’”20 Finally, Egoff proposes to explore the “other.” They want the fa- courageous young people, in either that problem novels appeal due to the titilla- miliarity to help them feel they are not true-to-life or fictionalized action of “prurience and peer pressure”: alone (despite what peers or society might counts, who are forced to face and tell them), and they want the novelty to cope with seemingly insurmount- How welcome it must be to find be- broaden their horizons and to play with able physical, social, and/or emo- tween the covers of a book words and future possibilities. Problem novels address tional obstacles?19 subjects that have been considered

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taboo and may still be so in an indi- descriptions is the experience of angst or presentation—their emotions ride the vidual child’s home or school environ- stress. According to Janet Gans, nearly rollercoaster along with the characters. Not ment. While they may give the child half of all young adults report problems only are the problems more numerous, they a delicious frisson, they also spell re- coping with stress in the home or school.22 are also more exotic. spectability. . . . Not to have read Judy TheOxford English Dictionary defines Blume seems as socially unacceptable angst as “anxiety, anguish, neurotic fear, We’re probably going to see more as not being familiar with the latest guilt, or remorse” and stress as “an adverse ‘zaniness,’ as well as other kinds of “in” television show.21 circumstance that disturbs, or is likely to literary experimentation, in books disturb, the normal physiological or psy- written for young readers because These articles and books address sev- chological functioning of an individual.”23 authors are being forced to work eral values of problem novels. They discuss Other related emotions mentioned in the harder to involve their readers’ the comfort of seeing yourself in literature, literature on adolescence include feelings of emotions. The effect of living in a the information potential of finding new insecurity, alienation, loneliness, hostility, global village is that we are privy coping strategies to existing problems, the anger, depression, embarrassment, disgust, to so many people’s problems that intrigue of new (and often taboo) situ- frustration, confusion, and worry.24 we simply don’t have the energy to ations, the flattery of considering young The experience of stress arises when empathize with all those we hear readers old enough to cope with adult con- adolescents face “conflict with parents and about.27 tent, and the social pressure to be exposed insecurity in the home; new demands for to these situations even if only in print. independent behavior; heightened sexual Once habituated to excessive prob- What we find missing in these analyses is and aggressive drives and increased de- lems, readers require more and wilder is- the way in which the form of the problem mands for sexual activity; school change sues to keep their attention. novel creates an emotional response in the from elementary, middle, or junior high The short paragraphs and limited reader. Perhaps the true power of problem school to high school; increased academic vocabulary prevalent in these novels serve a novels lies in that not only can readers demands; poor progress in school; peer dual purpose. First, they make the reading identify with elements of the story, but they expectations; and peer rejection.25 Other level easy, enabling even reluctant read- can also identify with the feelings of chaos sources cite such issues as personal appear- ers to access the stories and providing a and exaggeration that the structure of these ance, parental divorce, crime or other social comfort level that helps engage readers’ particular books creates within us. While violence, financial uncertainty or poverty, attention. Short paragraphs also increase we may logically dismiss many of these high-risk activities (sports, drugs, weapons, the perceived speed with which events take stories as vapid or trite exaggerations of etc.), thoughts of death or suicide, teasing, place, leading readers forward quickly in reality, we cannot disconnect emotionally bullying, indecision, and chronic illness or the plot and building suspense, but also from the feelings of upheaval and anxiety disability.26 creating a hurried, sometimes frenzied pace that the books engender and that are so How do these issues manifest in the that can leave readers breathless and shak- common to the adolescent experience. We structure of problem novels? One of the en. The limited vocabulary can also serve suggest that the same authorial techniques complaints of critics is that these stories to engender feelings of unease, as the short that make critics deride the subgenre (for- contain an unrealistic number of problems. words and lack of figurative language can mulae, common language, gross exaggera- Each character faces a litany of difficulties create a staccato rhythm that lacks fluidity. tion, and so on) are precisely the necessary that, in total, strike the reader (and often The humor in many of these novels ones to make readers feel the discomfort the characters for that matter) as insur- is that of sarcasm, or what Alleen Nilsen that often accompanies young adulthood. mountable. Feeling submerged in problems calls “gallows humor.” “Gallows humor does leaves the characters depressed, burdened, not try to solve problems nor move readers and staring at repeated failure leading to action as much as to focus their atten- to a sense of their inability to cope with tion on life’s absurdities and inconsisten- Angst and the Situations life, and readers who identify with these cies. Part of its power is that it frightens that Arouse It characters are made to feel the same way. and threatens us at the same time that it While readers can intellectually distance amuses us.”28 As readers struggle with the Young adults describe their lives in varied themselves from the characters’ situa- emotional and intellectual paradox of find- ways, but a key ingredient of many of the tions—and even laugh at their exaggerated ing story events simultaneously frightening

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and funny, they experience the feeling of and anxiety. New Problem Novels discord that often accompanies wrestling The formula in some problem novels with a conundrum. acts in two contrasting ways. The familiar Kevin Brooks, Candy. (New York: The language of the writing is also structure creates a sense of comfort that Scholastic, 2005). typically fairly commonplace. This makes helps balance the stressors in the story, Jake Coburn, Prep School. (New York: for ease of reading and ease of identifica- making them more tolerable. Once readers Dutton, 2003). tion with the protagonist (we needn’t be sense the novels formulaic nature, they can Alex Flinn, Fade to Black. (New York: special to see ourselves in these charac- also distance themselves from the story, Harper Tempest, 2005). ters), which develops the reader’s sense of knowing it to be fiction. On the other E. R. Frank, America. (New York: comfort, but simultaneously this common hand, the comfort can be antipodal to the Atheneum, 2002). language can be more raw and emotion- stressors, creating paradox and a sense of Ellen Hopkins, Impulse. (New York: Simon ally evocative. The prevalence of expletives disquiet. Like gallows humor, formulae & Schuster, 2007). is, perhaps, the most obvious example of provide emotional counterpoint to the Catherine Ryan Hyde, The Year of My this emotionally charged language. We problems in the novel, essentially asking Miraculous Reappearance. (New York: would disagree with Sheila Egoff that the the reader to relax into the familiar: “You Knopf, 2007). language is “emotionally numb.” Indeed, its know how this will end, so why worry?” Levithan, David (ed.), lack of color and nuance serves to create This juxtaposition of comfort and anxiety This is PUSH: . (New York: precisely the edginess on which these nov- recapitulates the “antithetical impulses” of New Stories from the Edge /Scholastic, 2007). els thrive: the terror of a pervasive grey and adolescence, resulting in the feeling that PUSH Suzanne Phillips, . (New York: the anxiety of monotony (boredom is a sig- readers feel they should be comfortable Chloe Doe nificant source of stress for adolescents).29 when, in fact, they feel the tension of these Little, Brown, 2007). Though the language may be banal, the oppositional forces. Adam Rapp, Under the Wolf, Under the descriptions of events, particularly taboo Dog. (Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick, ones, are often lurid and explicit. There is 2004). certainly a titillation in this that gives ado- Three Exemplars Paul Volponi, Black and White. (New York: lescents a voyeuristic pleasure, and they are Viking, 2005). safely distanced from it by the pages of the One of the early novels given the moniker book and a reading experience that they of problem novel, and a book that helped sexually active (always while high), and her control, but with these literary encounters define the subgenre, wasGo Ask Alice. Pub- first real crush turns out to be gay. She runs comes (for many adolescents) an embarrass- lished in 1971 by an anonymous author, away from home twice, only to find life ment and even guilt about these windows this book is the diary of a young woman away from home is worse, and she drops into illicit activity. Again, readers are subject who is overwhelmed by the problems in out of school each time. She has eating and to a disconcerting paradox—the attraction her life. The story begins with a litany of dieting issues and suicidal thoughts. Both and repulsion of the taboo—and navigating her troubles: “the whole world is cold and of her grandparents die, she is bullied and these waters can make readers uneasy. gray and unfeeling and my mother is nag- ostracized by her druggie friends, and she The first-person perspective of many ging me to clean up my room . . . school eventually ends up in a mental institution. of these novels heightens the complicity was a nightmare . . . how is it possible for When she is finally released, she deter- of the reader in these taboo topics because me to be so miserable and embarrassed and mines to “go straight” (as she does each readers are meant to identify with the “I” in humiliated and beaten . . . even my parents time her life turns desperate), and the book the book. Indeed, it is difficultnot to do so. treat me like I’m stupid and inferior and ends with her appearing to do well. The The word “I” is inherently self-referential; it ever short. I guess I’ll never measure up epilogue, however, claims that “the subject refers to whoever speaks it. Each time the to anyone’s expectations. I surely don’t of this book died three weeks after her de- character speaks, the reader reads “I” and measure up to what I’d like to be.” 30 Over cision not to keep another diary.”31 treats the experience as if it were his or her the course of the novel, she tries a variety The diary entries vacillate between own. If the character has a life steeped in of drugs and loves the experience of most extreme negativity and extreme joy. One problems, the reader takes on those prob- of them. Her habit leads her to sell drugs moment she claims to be having “fun, fun, lems—in addition to his or her own real to other students and to exchange sex fun,” and the next is the “worst night of life issues—increasing the sense of burden for drugs as well. She is indiscriminately my shitty, rotten, stinky, dreary, fucked-up

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life.” 31 The diary format forces the plot into The sentences are short, the sentence with Mary Elizabeth, he thinks, “All I could short glimpses of her life, giving the reader structure is unsophisticated, and the vocab- do was lie there and think about how much the impression of a strobe light that illu- ulary is ordinary. The voice is first-person her voice changed when she asked me if minates moments and creates a jerky and present tense, which should establish a she was pretty, and how much she changes awkward rhythm. The language is that of sense of immediacy; instead, the prose feels when I answered, and how Sam said she the street, coarse and brutal (“Another day, trite and melodramatic, creating an inau- didn’t like things like that, and how much another blow job. The fuzz has clamped thentic teenage voice. my arm was beginning to hurt.”35 down until the town is mother dry. If I The author’s choice of language is mild While the language of this book is not don’t give Big Ass a blow he’ll cut off my by today’s standards (“butthole,” “real witch”) nearly as raw as that of Go Ask Alice, it is supply. . . . The dirty ofay who wants me but she does occasionally throw in a real ex- incredibly self-revelatory (i.e., Charlie men- to lay it on him knows my ass is dragging, pletive. The most shocking language comes tions his erection after performing Rocky but he’s doling out the only supply I know during a racially motivated confrontation at Horror Picture Show), though adolescents about.”), and its rhythm, too, is frenetic and Disneyland on Senior Night. who are growing up with the unrelent- insistent. Finally, this book is written in Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Be- ing exploitation of others’ misfortunes in first person, which increases the identifica- ing a Wallflower is another, more recent, today’s tell-all TV talk shows may not find tion of the reader with the main character. example of the problem novel. As David this disturbing. While the information is Too Soon for Jeff is an early entry in Spitz mentions in an article in Time accurate, is it necessary? the True-to-Life Series from Hamilton Magazine, the main character, “Charlie has These books manifest the combination High, written by Marilyn Reynolds. High issues. His favorite aunt passed away, and of an issue-driven, somewhat formulaic school senior Jeff learns that his girlfriend his best friend just committed suicide. The plot, the superficial treatment of a number Christina is pregnant just as he is planning girl he loves wants him as a friend; a girl of taboo topics, ordinary language, and a to break up with her. He knows he is not he does not love wants him as a lover. His neatly (but not too neatly) resolved ending ready for the responsibility, but Christina is eighteen-year-old sister is pregnant. The that readers expect from a typical problem unwilling to consider abortion or adoption LSD he took is not sitting well. And he has novel, and they all leave readers feeling as alternatives. They break up, spend time a math quiz looming.”34 Other issues in this the edginess and emotional chaos of ado- apart, and eventually Jeff comes to realize reality show problem novel include being lescence, though the emphasis on each of that he must step up to the responsibilities teased at school, starting to chain smoke in these authorial techniques varies. of parenthood. response to stress (which evolves into pot This title, like the others in the series, smoking), several sexual encounters for the is written with a clear purpose and follows main character and others he witnesses, The New Problem a predictable formula in the mold of the and sexual abuse by his favorite aunt that is Novel? traditional problem novel. From the open- only revealed in the last three pages of the ing sentences of the first chapter of the novel and (somewhat) resolved—though In recent years, contemporary realistic fic- book, the tone is clearly established: “My never truly explored—in its epilogue. The tion for adolescents has matured as a genre, name is Jeff Browning. I’m seventeen years reader is left feeling manipulated by this and some of the characteristics of problem old, and I’ve got problems.”33 cursory treatment of such a profound issue, novels from the ’70s and ’80s are changing. In addition to the unplanned pregnan- though Charlie himself only remembers There are still, and probably always will be, cy, various other issues arise. Jeff is the child the experience at the story’s end. formulaic and problem-overdosed novels for of a single-parent family; Christina comes The story is written as a series of let- this age, but in the last ten to fifteen years from a strict, religious, Mexican American ters to an unknown recipient, putting it there has been an improvement in the quali- family and her father is verbally abusive; into first-person perspective. The style is ty of the writing. The use of expletives seems Jeff ’s good friend Byron has started running of spoken language, making the sentences to be decreasing, perhaps because readers with the wrong crowd; and Jeff ’s aunt has fairly short and the language uncompli- are inured to them and have outgrown their passed away from cancer. Jeff ’s relationship cated. One interesting technique that shock value or because they are no longer with his mother is adversely affected by her adds to the reader’s feeling of angst is the taboo words. There are more authors of disappointment in him over the pregnancy, author’s ending descriptions with jarring recognized literary merit who are writing in then compounded when he is caught drink- non sequiturs. For example, when Charlie this genre, and reviewers seem less likely to ing with friends in a public park. is philosophizing after some heavy petting dismiss these books as trite or vapid (some

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even receive starred reviews). Many critics shifts, the first-person connection to each just around the corner. use problem novel (or bleak books) synony- of the characters is intimate, sharing deeply The language of the novel is basically mously with contemporary realistic fiction, held secrets and painful memories. simple and straightforward, but strong without the derogatory overtones. It may be The novel is written in free verse, and explicit at the same time, with recur- time, then, to drop the subgenre of problem with short stanzas and formatting changes ring references to sexuality that are open novels and its negative connotations, and between chapters. This poetic structure is and unapologetic. The free-verse format simply refer to all of these books as contem- sparse, and allows the author to parcel out endows the language with a lyrical quality porary realistic fiction. If, as Alleen Nilsen additional information slowly and with and a veneer of sophistication, especially to suggests, our new global perspective forces maximum effect. The formatting of the a less experienced teen reader. The inclu- us to encounter myriad problems of which stanzas varies (indentations and justifica- sion of some coarse language, including ex- we would previously have been unaware, it tions) as does the formatting of the text pletives, when referring to particular events is possible that these novels are no longer itself (italics and font changes), further and situations contributes to a sense of excessive; they may, indeed, be realistic! throwing the reader out of a dependable hard-hitting reality, even as the situations For example, the novel Impulse by El- reading cadence. This leads to a feeling of may be unrealistic when fully examined. len Hopkins follows the lives of three teen uncertainty, not only about the events that Hopkins’ novel culminates in a cli- characters from different backgrounds who are unfolding, but about how the next page mactic scene where the main characters are are all institutionalized following attempt- will present itself for reading. In addition, tested on an outdoor survival and camp- ed suicides.36 Connor is recovering from the contrast between the physical heft of ing trip, to prove that they are ready to a self-inflicted gunshot wound after his the novel (more than 650 pages) and the return to their “regular” lives. While two sexual relationship with his English teacher brevity of the words (50–100 words on of the three characters are on an upward has ended. He is attractive and popular, most pages) creates another contradiction trajectory, having found solace in their de- and comes from a wealthy but uncaring and layer of ambiguity about what the veloping relationship and the therapy and family. Tony is a street-smart gay boy who reader expects to happen. medications they have received, one of the overdosed on pills and alcohol. He has en- The number of issues that are ad- teens spirals downward and succeeds in a dured growing up with a prostitute mother, dressed in this one novel, when tallied, are secondary suicide attempt, jumping off a a father who abandoned the family, and both numerous and highly improbable. mountain the group has just climbed. It is time spent homeless on the streets turning However, perhaps because of the structure a shocking moment, but not entirely unex- tricks to get by. Vanessa is the undiagnosed or the unfamiliar setting of the institution, pected to the reader, as the dark tone of the bipolar teen who cuts herself for emotional they do not feel unrealistic to the reader. book has prepared the reader for it. Ulti- release with a schizophrenic mom in a The author convinces the reader that be- mately, it is also a hopeful ending, allowing coma and a military father serving time in cause there are multiple troubled characters, the reader to take comfort that at least two Afghanistan. The three teens meet over and their lives have intersected in a time of the characters will survive. therapy sessions and cafeteria meals and and place where so many other things have come to care about each other in ways that gone wrong, perhaps all these multitudes of affect their own emotional development. problems could, in fact, exist simultaneously. Conclusion The first-person narration alternates For adolescent readers, it is an emotional ex- perspectives between the three teens, gradu- perience being exposed to this many issues We suggest that problem novels act in two ally revealing additional problems in each of at one time, but it also reassures them that principle ways that serve to foster an emo- the characters’ lives. The reader eventually their own lives are not that bad. tional reaction in the reader that is akin to learns that Vanessa feels guilt for not report- Even in the face of these unrelenting the angst common to adolescents: the story ing her mother’s overdose, that Tony has problems, and serious depression facing (on which most research focuses) and the served time in a juvenile detention facility each of the characters, they find humor in structure (as proposed here). in the past for killing one of his mother’s their situations—a dark humor that helps These books work for adolescents abusive boyfriends, and that Connor’s issues them cope. It momentarily lightens the precisely because they are emotional “coals with older women, including his mother, load that the characters, and the reader, are to Newcastle”; they mirror the feelings are partially influenced by the fact that he carrying, but doesn’t offer false hope that that adolescents struggle with every day. himself was molested by his governess when the problems are going to go away. In fact it Problem novels work for adults because he was very young. Though the perspective seems to underscore that more darkness is they serve as windows into the anxiety of

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 45 The Structure of Power in Young Adult Problem Novels Sturm and michel

adolescence, thereby catapulting adults Healthy Development of Adolescent Casey Foundation’s KIDSCOUNT Data back into the emotional space many oc- Youth,” Adolescence 4 (Fall 1973): 301. Center: www.kidscount.org/datacenter; cupied as young adults. We believe it is this 6. American Academy of Child and UNICEF: www.unicef.org/adolescence; emotional connection between the reader Adolescent Psychiatry, “Normal World Health Organization: www.who and the book that forms the basis for the Adolescent Development: Part 1,” http:// .int/child_adolescent_health/en. enduring success of problem novels. YALS aacap.org/page.ww?name=Normal+ 19. Mary Elizabeth Gallagher, Young Adult Adolescent+Development+Part+I&sec Literature: Issues and Perspectives, revised tion=Facts+for+Families (accessed June ed. (Winona, Minn.: Catholic Library References 2, 2008). Association, 1990). 7. See Zipora Magen, Exploring Adolescent 20. Sheila Egoff, “May Hill Arbuthnot Honor 1. For a sampling of such studies, see Happiness: Commitment, Purpose, and Lecture: Beyond the Garden Wall,” Top of Rosemary Hopper, “What are Teenagers Fulfillment (Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, the News 35 (Spring 1979): 264 . Reading? Adolescent reading habits 1998); and Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi and 21. Ibid., 264. and reading choices,” Literacy 39 (Nov. Reed Larson, Being Adolescent: Conflict and 22. Janet E. Gans, America’s Adolescents: How 2005): 113–20; Lisa A. Hale and Chris Growth in the Teenage Years (New York: Healthy are They? (Chicago: American Crowe, “‘I Hate Reading If I Don’t Have Basic Books, 1984). Medical Association, 1990). to’: results from a longitudinal study of 8. Reed Larson and Linda Asmussen, “Anger, 23. Oxford English Distionary, http:// high school students’ reading interest.,” Worry, and Hurt in Early Adolescence: an dictionary.oed.com (accessed June 16, The ALAN Review 28 (Spring/Summer Enlarging World of Negative Emotions,” 2008). 2001): 49–57; Stanley Bank, “Assessing in Mary Ellen Colten and Susan Gore, 24. William S. Sadler, Adolescence Problems Reading Interests of Adolescent Students,” Adolescent Stress: Causes and Consequences (St. Louis: C. V. Mosby Company, 1948). Educational Research Quarterly 10 (1986): (New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1991): 23. 25. Barbara M. Newman and Philip R. 8–13; J. Harlan Shores, “Reading Interests 9. Ibid, 24. Newman, An Introduction to the Psychology and Informational Needs of Children in 10. Ibid. of Adolescence (Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Grades Four to Eight,” Elementary English 11. Charles Temple, Miriam Martinez, and Pr., 1979). 31 (1954): 493–500; Pearl S. McCarty, Junko Yokota, Children’s Books in Children’s 26. Michael L. Jaffe,Adolescence . (New “Reading Interests Shown by Choices of Hands: An Introduction to Their Literature York: Wiley, 1998); Laurence Steinberg, Books in School Libraries,” School Review (Boston: Pearson, 2006): 308. Adolescence, 3rd ed. (New York: McGraw- 58 (1950): 90–96; Clara Vostrovsky, 12. Ibid., 308–309. Hill, 1993). “A Study of children’s Reading Tastes,” 13. Sheila Egoff, “The Problem Novel,” 27. Alleen Nilsen, “That Was Then . . . This is Pedagogical Seminary 6 (1899): 523–35. Thursday’s Child: Trends and Patterns Now: Reflections on the 25th Anniversary 2. OECD Programme For International in Contemporary Children’s Literature of the Problem Novel,” School Library Student Assessment (Pisa)/Unesco (Chicago: ALA, 1981): 66. Journal 40 (Apr. 1994): 33. Institute For Statistics, Literacy Skills for 14. Ibid., 67. 28. Ibid., 33. the World of Tomorrow: Further results from 15. Ibid., 72. 29. Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi and Reed PISA 2000 (Paris: OECD/UNESCO, 16. Patty Campbell, “The Young Adult Larson, Being Adolescent (New York: 2003); Frank Whitehead, Children and Perplex,” Wilson Library Bulletin 54 (Nov. Basic Books, 1984); Reed Larson and Their Books (Basingstoke: Macmillan 1979): 184. Linda Asmussen, “Anger, Worry, and Education, 1977). 17. Alleen Pace Nilsen and Kenneth L. Hurt in Early Adolescence: an Enlarging 3. Barbara Samuels, “Young Adults’ Choices: Donelson, Literature for Today’s Young World of Negative Emotions,” in Mary Why do Students ‘Really Like’ Particular Adults (New York: Longman, 2001). Ellen Colten and Susan Gore, Adolescent Books,” Journal of Reading 32 (May 1989): 18. For statistics on the state of adolescence Stress (New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 714–19. in America and around the world, see 1991); Reed W. Larson and Maryse 4. G. Stanley Hall, Adolescence: Its such sources as The National Center for H. Richards, “Boredom in the Middle Psychology and Its Relations to Physiology, Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov; School Years: Blaming Schools Versus Anthropology, Sociology, Sex, Crime, The U.S. Census Bureau: www.census Blaming Students,” American Journal Religion and Education, 2 vols. (New York: .gov; The U.S. Department of Justice’s of Education 99 (Aug. 1991): 418–43; D. Appleton, 1904). Bureau of Justice Statistics: www.ojp Susan, M. Shaw, Linda L. Caldwell, and 5. Gisela Konopka, “Requirements for .usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html; Annie E. Douglas A. Kleiber, “Boredom, Stress and

46 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 The Structure of Power in Young Adult Problem Novels Sturm and michel

Social Control in the Daily Activities of 32. Ibid., 58. 35. David Spitz, “Reads Like Teen Spirit,” Adolescents,” Journal of Leisure Research 28 33. Marilyn Reynolds, Too Soon for Jeff (Buena Time (July 19, 1999), www.time.com/ (1996): 274–92. Park, Calif.: Morning Glory Pr., 1994). time/magazine/article/0,9171,991531,00 30. Anonymous, Go Ask Alice (Englewood 34. Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a .html (accessed June 16, 2008). Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1971): 2. Wallflower (New York: MTV Books; 36. Ellen Hopkins, Impulse (New York: Simon 31. Ibid., 159. Pocket Books, 1999). & Schuster, 2007).

Guidelines for Authors

Young Adult Library Services is the official publication of the Young practice relating to teen services and spotlights significant activities Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American and programs of the division. Library Association. Young Adult Library Services is a vehicle for For submission and author guidelines, please visit www.ala continuing education of librarians working with young adults (ages .org/yalsa and click on “Publications.” twelve through eighteen) that showcases current research and

Index to Advertisers AASL ...... 49. Orca Book Publishers ...... 13. ALA Graphics ...... 7 Recorded Books ...... cover. 3 Disney-Hyperion Books ...... cover. 4 Scholastic ...... 11. Freedom to Read Foundation ...... 15 Wizards of the Coast ...... 5 H . W . Wilson ...... cover. 2 YALSA ...... 21

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 47 the YALSA update Association news

Find the latest YALSA news every Thursday at the YALSA Blog, http://yalsa.ala.org/blog.

Join YALSA at the 2009 Find more details about registration and Jenkins, Betsy Levine, Hollis Rudiger, ALA Annual Conference! housing at the Annual Conference website, Caryn Sipos www.ala.org/annual. For the latest details Early Bird Registration Ends on YALSA’s Annual Conference schedule, 2011 Printz Committee: March 6 visit the YALSA Annual Conference Wiki, Joni Bodart, Jan Chapman, Erin Downey http://tinyurl.com/YALSAannual. Howerton, Jan Sarratt, Brenna Shanks, Eva YALSA has big plans for the 2009 ALA Volin, Jamie Watson, Melissa Rabey Annual Conference—join us in Chicago on July 9–15! 2011 Nonfiction Committee: YALSA will offer two preconferences 2009 ALA/YALSA Christine Allen, Carrie Bryniak, Barb on July 9: Details are available at http:// Elections Conkin, Monique Franklin, Jeanette Lar- tinyurl.com/YALSAannual. son, Don Latham, Mary Long, Charli YALSA’s Nominating Committee has Osborne l Genre Galaxy: Explore the Universe submitted the following slate for 2009. of Teen Reading. Lunch included. According to YALSA’s bylaws, the Com- This full-day preconference runs from mittee will obtain at least two candidates 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $195 for for Vice President/President-Elect, two Help Make YALSA Work YALSA members and student/retired candidates for councilor, six candidates for members; $235 for ALA members; Board Members, at least six candidates for YALSA needs your help—share your and $285 for nonmembers. the Edwards Committee, and at least eight expertise and better the association by join- ing one of our process committees. Presi- l Moving Up the Career Ladder. This candidates for the Printz Committee. Elec- half-day preconference costs $129 and tions will be held March 17 to April 24, dent-Elect Linda Braun will be appointing runs from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. 2009. The 2009 election will take place en- committee members to the several commit- tirely online. Details on the 2009 election tees that do the work of our association. YALSA will also host three special can be found at www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/ Interested in being more involved? Read on events: the Edwards Award luncheon, the governance/alaelection/index.cfm. to find out how. Printz Awards reception, and the Morris Award Presentation/YA Authors Coffee YALSA 2009 Slate A Guide to Process Klatch featuring honorees from YALSA’s Committees Quick Picks and Popular Paperbacks list, Vice President/President-Elect: as well as a speech from the winner of the Jerene Battisti, Kim Patton YALSA has two types of committees: se- new Morris Award. lection committees, which select specific li- In addition, YALSA offers plenty of Board Member: brary materials or choose YALSA’s awards, interesting programs (see the full list at Kelly Czarnecki, Dora Ho, Sara Ryan, and process committees, which help carry http://tinyurl.com/YALSAannual). Be Stephanie Squicciarini out the work of the association. Process sure to arrive in time on Friday for YAL- committees include SA’s popular YALSA 101 and to attend the Councilor: YALSA Happy Hour and Fashion Show Nick Buron, Elizabeth K. Shuping l those that plan YALSA events, on Friday night sponsored by Hyperion including initiatives and conferences, Books for Children. 2011 Edwards Committee: such as Teen Tech Week, Program Early bird registration ends March 6. Amy Alessio, Robin Brenner, Christine Clearinghouse, and Local

48 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Over 100 Don’t Miss – Opening General Session Speaker COnCurrent SeSSiOnS danah boyd PreCOnferenCeS Dubbed the “high priestess” of networked social media. Expert on online social network sites AuthOr SigningS – interdisciplinary research related to technology, communication, identity BOOk DiSCuSSiOnS and social behavior. SChOOl tOurS

SPeCiAlS eventS Closing General Session Speaker AnD MuCh MOre! Marco torres For general information contact the Filmmaker, author of a wide variety of American Association of School Librarians (AASL) at 800-545-2433, digital content, and high school social ext 4382 or [email protected] studies teacher in California. Arrangements; for your particular committee request, apply is December 1 each year. Go l those that help YALSA govern itself, your forms will be turned over to the next to www.ala.org/yalsa and click on such as Organizations and Bylaws, president-elect. Forms are only kept on file “Awards & Grants” to learn more.) Strategic Planning, or Nominating; for one year, so it’s important that you fill 3. Make a case to your supervisor as l those that spread YALSA’s messages, one out each year that you would like to to how you, your library, and your including Publications, Web Advisory, serve on a committee. patrons will benefit from your and Division and Membership attendance. Here are some points to Promotions; and The Fine Print cover: (1) Discuss the opportunity l many more. you will have to visit the exhibit Appointments are for either one- or two- floor and see the latest print and What to Know Before year terms, depending on the committee. audiovisual materials and newest Committee members are expected to You Volunteer emerging technologies. Knowledge attend committee meetings at both Mid- of these resources enhances your Before you volunteer to serve on a commit- winter Meeting and Annual Conference. ability to serve library patrons. (2) tee, you’ll want to learn what the commit- The exception is for virtual committee Identify which conference programs tee does and what your responsibilities will members. According to ALA policy, up will help you meet your professional be. You should contact the chair directly, to one-third of a committee may be made development goals at work and help explain that you’re interested in serving, of virtual members. YALSA does not pay further the library’s mission. Check and then ask questions about what your travel expenses for committee members. the March issue of American Libraries involvement will entail. Names and contact Some committees are very popular and for a complete list of preliminary information for all the committee chairs may receive dozens of volunteer forms for programs being offered. YALSA are available by clicking on the “Gover- just two or three available spots. You might lists its complete slate of events and nance” link on YALSA’s homepage. Be sure also want to volunteer for a task force. Un- programs at http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa to attend the All Committee Meeting on like standing committees, task forces are (click on “Upcoming Conferences”). Saturday during Midwinter Meeting or established from time to time to complete The final list of all ALA programs will Annual Conference to meet with the com- a specific assignment. Terms on task forces be available in May at www.ala mittee chair and members. You’ll have a end when the YALSA board considers the .org/annual. Offer to share what you chance to learn more about the committee assignment completed. learned at the conference with your and establish an important contact with coworkers through a presentation the committee chair, who helps fill seats as at a staff meeting or other means they become vacant. Looking to Fund a Trip when you return. (3) Point out the On the Governance section of YALSA to Annual Conference? fact that most exhibitors offer special website you’ll also find information about discounts for conference goers. Also, each of the committees’ functions, size, and Do you want to come to Annual Confer- many exhibitors steeply discount or more. Lastly, be sure to read through YAL- ence, but are worried about the expense? even give away books on the last day SA’s Handbook, especially the sections that YALSA has a few tips to help you make the exhibit hall is open. This is a way list responsibilities for committee mem- Chicago more affordable for you. to enhance your collection on a tight bers. Go to www.ala.org/yalsa and click on budget. “Handbook” in the left menu. 1. Find out if your library or school has 4. Think about ways you can limit professional development or travel expenses: (1) Register for the Complete the Committee funds that you may be eligible for. conference as early as you can to get Learn how the funds are dispensed the best rate. For Annual Conference, Volunteer Form (e.g., first come first serve, through the best rates are always when To be considered for any committee, you’ll an application process, etc.). Be sure registration first opens in January. For need to fill out a committee volunteer form. to meet deadlines and fill out all 2009, Early Bird Registration ends It is available online at www.ala.org/ala/ paperwork completely. March 6 and Advance Registration mgrps/divs/yalsa/boardandcommittees/ 2. Research which organizations offer ends May 22. (2) Become an ALA boardcommittees.cfm. When you fill out professional development scholarships member to get discounted rates. (3) a form, please be sure to include the name that may help defray your conference Reduce hotel costs by sharing a room of the committees on which you’d like to costs. Be sure to check with your or explore inexpensive options such as serve. If you don’t indicate a few that you’re state or regional library association. housing on university campuses. (4) interested in, it is very difficult for the pres- Sometimes other organizations Seek out airfare sales, or car pool, if ident-elect to find the best fit for you. If may also be willing to support your practical. you already submitted volunteer forms for professional development, such as 5. Plan ahead. The ALA website posts a committee, but either weren’t appointed the PTA or PTO. (YALSA has a its meeting dates at www.ala or missed the deadline for appointments conference grant, and the deadline to .org/annual.

50 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 6. If you have any questions about Literature Day with this new project. to sponsor a Spectrum Scholar in the next YALSA at ALA conferences or Twenty publishers donated ten thousand round of the program and conducted a meetings, please don’t hesitate to books, which YALSA will distribute to scavenger hunt for students attending the contact us at [email protected]. twelve children’s hospitals nationwide and symposium. in Canada so recuperating teens will have On Sunday, keynote speakers Kevin J. something great to read during their hospi- Anderson and Rebecca Moesta discussed Mark Your Calendars tal stay. Library workers are encouraged to their experiences as writers and the impor- take part in their own communities. tance of young adult literature during the Press Play @ your library® YALSA has compiled a list of ac- closing session. for Teen Tech Week™ tivities, display ideas, and contests to help Sponsors for the 2008 Young Adult librarians and Teen Advisory Groups Literature Symposium were the American Make sure to register for Teen Tech Week! celebrate Support Teen Literature Day— Civil Liberties Union; Capstone Publish- Registration for the third annual event learn more by visiting the Support Teen ers; HarperCollins; Houghton Mifflin closes on February 8. This year’s theme Literature Day webpage at http://wikis Harcourt Children’s Book Group; Little, is Press Play @ your library. The general .ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Support_Teen_ Brown Books for Young Readers/Yen theme for Teen Tech Week is Get Con- Literature_Day. Press; Pop Goes the Library; and Scho- nected. Teen Tech Week 2009 will be cel- lastic. ebrated March 8–14. YALSA announced that the next YALSA is a nonprofit organization YALSA Celebrates Young Adult Literature Symposium will that depends on its members for support. at First Young Adult take place November 5–7, 2010 in Albu- By registering, you are letting us know that querque, New Mexico. technology literacy is important to you and Literature Symposium your teen patrons; you are telling YALSA More than six hundred librarians, educa- that this program is valuable and worth tors, and authors came to the Millennium Eclipse Tops YALSA’s continuing. Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Ten- 2008 Teens’ Top Ten nessee, November 7–9 to celebrate teen Support Teen Literature Day reading at YALSA’s first Young Adult More than eight thousand teen readers Literature Symposium. The 2008 theme across the country chose Eclipse by Ste- Love YA literature? Tell everyone that YA was How We Read Now, and it encom- phenie Meyer as their favorite book in the lit matters on Support Teen Literature passed the many ways in which reading has annual Teens’ Top Ten (TTT) vote. The Day on April 16, celebrated in conjunction changed. The Young Adult Literature Sym- online vote took place during Teen Read with ALA’s National Library Week (April posium is funded in part by the William C. Week, Oct. 12–18, with the third entry in 12–18, 2009). Morris Endowment. Meyer’s popular vampire romance series Support Teen Literature Day aims to “Our attendees were really able to im- winning easily. raise awareness among the general public merse themselves and devote three days to Here is the 2008 TTT list: that young adult literature is a vibrant, grow- teen reading. Our strong turnout shows ing genre with much to offer today’s teens. that, for librarians, reading is still what 1. Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer, Little, Support Teen Literature Day also seeks matters most, no matter how it’s done,” said Brown Books for Young Readers/ to showcase some award-winning authors YALSA President Sarah Cornish Deb- Hachette Book Group USA. and books in the genre as well as highlight raski. “I came back fired up about engaging 2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, librarians’ expertise in connecting teens with teens in reading, and I’m sure others are J. K. Rowling, Scholastic, books and other reading materials. Many of feeling the same way.” 3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney, these activities can be featured throughout Attendees learned about manga and Abrams Books for Young Readers. National Library Week or simply featured graphic novels during a symposium pre- 4. Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead, on Support Teen Literature Day. conference and enjoyed breakout sessions Razorbill. Support Teen Literature Day will also on Saturday and Sunday on topics ranging 5. Maximum Ride: Saving the World and be the official launch of YALSA’s 2009 from nonfiction for young adults to cen- Other Extreme Sports, James Patterson, Teen Read Week initiative, which will be sorship to the evolution of reading from Little, Brown Books for Young celebrated October 18–24, 2009, with a solitary pursuit to a dynamic activity in Readers/Hachette Book Group USA. the theme “Read Beyond Reality @ your many forms. There were more than twenty- 6. City of Bones, Cassandra Clare, library.” five popular young adult authors on hand Margaret K. McElderry. YALSA will again participate in Op- to sign and talk about their work at both 7. The Sweet Far Thing, Libba Bray, eration TBD on Support Teen Literature the ticketed genre luncheon and at social Delacorte. Day, along with the readergirlz (www events open to all attendees, and many 8. Extras, Scott Westerfeld, Simon Pulse. .readergirlz.com). In 2008, YALSA and attendees came home with piles of free 9. Before I Die, Jenny Downham, the readergirlz celebrated Support Teen books. In addition, YALSA raised funds Random House/David Fickling.

Winter 2009 | Young Adult Library Services | YALS 51 10. Twisted, Laurie Halse Anderson, like both of these programs,” YALSA Pres- will provide an opportunity for others to Viking Juvenile. ident Sarah Cornish Debraski said. “The see just how necessary it is to keep teens a more well-trained young adult librarians priority in libraries,” Land said. TTT is a “teen choice” booklist, put and advocates there are, the better off teens Voss is equally motivated, “As a school together as part of YALSA’s YA Galley are! YALSA is delighted to offer these op- librarian, I am always looking for ways project, which facilitates access to advance portunities to Jamie, Carla, and Katherine.” to make the library relevant to students’ copies of YA books to national teen book YALSA’s Spectrum Scholar, Jamie academic and social lives,” Voss said. “I am discussion groups. These groups evaluated Young, is pursuing a master’s degree in interested in finding ways to market the books published between January 2007 library and information science at Drexel library more effectively and promote what and April 2008 and then created a list of University in Philadelphia. She hopes to librarians really do in the lives of youth: twenty-six nominations. Teen voters across work with young adults at a public library provide access to all kinds of information, the country then cast ballots for their three after she graduates in 2011. YALSA is able teach information literacy skills, and de- favorites, creating the 2008 TTT. Final to support a Spectrum Scholar for the first velop lifelong learners and readers.” nominations for the 2009 TTT vote will time as part of its 2008 diversity campaign. Established in 1997, the Spectrum be posted during National Library Week “This is an invaluable opportunity Scholarship Program is ALA’s national 2009 at www.ala.org/teenstopten. for me,” Young said. “There is so much diversity and recruitment effort designed to To learn more about the teen book uncertainty in the lives of young adults. I address the specific issue of underrepresen- groups and participating in the YA Gal- feel like libraries have the ability to help tation of critically needed ethnic librarians ley project, visit www.ala.org/teenstopten. address some of these issues, and when I within the profession, while serving as a Publishers interested in participating in go to work full time, I’d like to create an at- model for ways to bring attention to larger the program may contact Nichole Gilbert mosphere and programming that welcome diversity issues in the future. ([email protected]) for more information. young adults to hang out and feel like they The Emerging Leaders program belong to a community. It’s awesome to enables newer librarians from across the have an organization believe in me and my country to participate in workgroups, net- YALSA Names First goals.” work with peers, gain an inside look into Spectrum Scholar, Two YALSA’s Emerging Leaders are Carla ALA’s structure and have an opportunity 2009 Emerging Leaders Land and Katherine Voss. Land is the to serve the profession in a leadership Children’s Services Department Head at capacity. Emerging Leaders receive up to As part of its commitment to furthering the Summerlin Library of the Las Vegas- $1,000 each to participate in the Midwin- YA librarianship, YALSA chose its first Clark County (Nev.) Public Library. Voss ter Meeting and Annual Conference, and Spectrum Scholar as well as two Emerging is a department chair and teacher librarian each participant is expected to provide two Leaders for 2009. Jamie Young is YALSA’s at the Mary Institute and St. Louis (Mo.) years of service to ALA or one of its units. Spectrum Scholar, and Carla Land and Country Day School. More than one hundred librarians will get Katherine Voss are the division’s Emerging “Teens are underserved and often on the fast track to leadership in ALA and Leaders. brushed aside by both adult and children’s the profession through the 2009 program. “The best way to further the profes- services staff, and I hope that my involve- sion is to sponsor opportunities for growth ment with the Emerging Leaders program

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Young Adult Library Services, Publication No. 024-294, is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December by the American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, Illinois 60611-2795. It is the official publication of the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of ALA. The editor is RoseMary Honnold, Coshocton Public Library, 655 Main St., Coshcoton, OH 43812-1697. Annual subscription price, $50.00. Printed in U.S.A. with periodicals-class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. As a nonprofit organization authorized to mail at special rates (DMM Section 424.12 only), the purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding twelve months. (Average figures denote the average number of copies printed each issue during the preceding twelve months; actual figures denote actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: Summer 2008 issue.) Total number of copies printed: average, 6,268; actual, 5,828. Sales through dealers, carriers, street vendors and counter sales: average, 140; actual, 135. Mail subscription: average, 5,309; actual, 5,345. Free distribution: average, 223; actual, 273. Total distribution: average, 5,672; actual, 5,753. Office use, leftover, unaccounted, spoiled after printing: average, 596; actual, 75. Total: average, 6,268; actual, 5,828. Percentage paid: average, 96.07; actual, 9.25. Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation (PS Form 3526, September 2008) for 2007/2008 filed with the United States Post Office Postmaster in Chicago, October 1, 2008.

52 YALS | Young Adult Library Services | Winter 2009 Yalsa-Dec08.qxp:rb_yalsa 12/2/08 1:18 PM Page 1 But is it really reading?

Pairing audio with print text is a Yes! proven way to engage students with the reading process and to improve their reading skills. Try it for free in your own classroom today. Download a free audio excerpt and printable lesson at http://recordedbooks.wordpress.com: � Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz � Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum � Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Recorded Books on Playaway are handheld digital devices that function as both player and audiobook in one. Books are also available on CD and cassette, with or without matching print books.

Recorded Books K-12 1-800-638-1304 www.recordedbooks.com Visit our blog: http://recordedbooks.wordpress.com ★ “Much Fun!” —The Horn Book, starred review ★ “Witty and cinematic storytelling propels Stroud’s engrossing novel.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ “Funny, exciting, thoughtful, and, most of all, timeless in the way of all tales worth spinning again and again.” —Booklist, starred review

Tr. ed. ISBN: 978-1-4231-0966-2 • $17.99 • 418 pages • January ‘09

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