“Divergent” by
Veronica Roth, “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne
Collins used to be in our YA (Young Adult) fiction collection. Now, to find one
of those titles, you need to go to our Teen fiction collection.
The Future
Business Leaders of America from Ridgefield High School spent several hours in
the Ridgefield Library on October 24, helping us re-label the entire YA Fiction
collection. These cheerful teenagers spent their volunteer time sticking new
labels that read “Teen” over old labels that read “YA”, then taping the labels
down. They handled several thousand
books and helped us quickly make the transition to the collection’s new
designation.
Why did we make this change? Well, we have a staff position called Teen Services
Librarian, who works with our Teen Advisory Group. The Teen Services Librarian serves
people in middle school and high school; they are ages 12-18; they are teens, not
young adults. “YA” is a jargon-y term that book publishers’ marketing
departments use. It seems right to eliminate it from the Library, and to use a
word that is clearer, more accurate, and reflects what our patrons call
themselves: teens.
When the New Ridgefield
Library opens in the spring, there will be a new Teen Room for these patrons - the first dedicated space for this age group we have ever offered, where they will be able to study together, chat about books, play games and more.
2 comments:
But the majority of middle schoolers, namely 6th and 7th graders, are not teens. They are 11 and 12 years old. Will they be allowed to participate in this newly named "teen" program?
Thank you for asking! Yes, people in middle school and high school are the folks who will be able to use the New Ridgefield Library’s Teen Room and take part in teen programs.
Although, as you pointed out, many sixth and seventh graders are not technically teenagers, the Ridgefield Library considers all middle school and high school students to be “teens,” at least as far as materials and programs go. Their needs and interests for both school and leisure are substantially different than those of younger children.
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