Wonderful article entitled “The Transparent Library: Embracing Service to Teens” by Michael Casey and Michael Stephens in the May issue of Library Journal on providing library services to teens and how we can accommodate teens with appropriate library services that they want rather than just pushing them away because they are too loud or noisy.
In MPOW, we have developed a space called Virtual Verging All Teens (V.A.T.) at the Jurong Regional Library to cater to teens. We have teen volunteers help run V.A.T. by organizing programmes such as band performances. The volunteers also conduct book club sessions although we have not gone the route of having game consoles like some libraries in the U.S. In a couple of years’ time, we will have another space for teens to hang out at a new library at the soon-to-be=built youth park/centre, *scape.
So, what are your thoughts on services to teens in libraries? Should we be chasing them out of our libraries or actively work with them to make it a win-win situation?
Anyway, I’ll be sharing this article with my colleagues and hopefully, we can think of ways to encourage more teens to make better use of our libraries.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Isaak, the space is known as “Verging All Teens”
@Rae: Thanks. This is so embarrassing.
Guess I might have been typing a little too quickly.
Hi Isaak, I think gaming events are a great way to attract teens to the library. The choice of games, which varies with the goals of the service, is the crucial point. Many people don’t realize there are alot of literacy skills that games can teach kids. I know a secondary school in Singapore that’s using a flight simulator in physics classes. The bigger challenge is communicating the benefits of gaming to the wider population for it to be acceptable in libraries.
@Aaron Tan: Hi! Thanks for dropping by.
Yes … I do agree with you that games do play a part in increasing literacy skills. I know a academic library that has game consoles on their premises to let the kids play games. Although it is not directly related to reading, it allows the librarians to draw the students into the library and then explore with the students relevant books and resources related to the game.