I think the most important thing to keep in mind is listed at the beginning of the class syllabus. Ranganathan's five laws are:
1. Books are for use
2. Every reader their book
3. Every book its reader
4. Save the time of the reader
5. The library is a growing organism
Basically it doesn’t matter if some members of the public do not consider young adult or new adult “appropriate” reading choices for adults in general. We have a duty to see that every person’s reading choices are valued no matter how we may personally feel about the value of certain genres. I for one cannot stand Amish fiction or Christian fiction in general. Some other person may think romance has no place in the library, or another may think magazines don’t belong in a public library. It doesn’t matter how I or anyone else feels about the subject. A public library is for the public and we must try to serve every member of our public no matter how impossible it may seem. You can bet your bottom dollar I’m still going to keep up on what the latest Karen Kingsbury, Richard Paul Evans and Shelley Shepard Gray is because even if I don’t enjoy them I know my patrons do and it’s my job to keep up with them and their interests.
Now that I got that out of the way, how exactly can we serve adults who enjoy young adult, graphic novels, or new adult books? In their article “What’s New About New Adult?” Brookover et. al. talk about how each library has a slightly different definition of young adult. For some libraries, the ages range from 12 and up and others for 14 and up. Some young adult sections include more graphic new adult novels that appeal to older teens and early twenties adults while others keep those firmly in the adult section. When doing reader’s advisory for these interests keep in mind the typical books located in your young adult section. If your young adult section has books that skew younger maybe don’t immediately lead the 22 year old in front of you to that section. Instead get to know their interests a little using the same techniques you would for a regular adult fiction readers advisory interview.
Another option is to create displays or reading lists that list these types of books. Creating a display of new adult books or graphic novels could show patrons that these types of books exist in your library and that reading them is a valid entertainment choice. Creating bookmarks of “young adult books with adult appeal” is another way to get the word out that young adult books are a valid reading choice for an adult audience.
The last thing we can do to help patrons with these reading interests is to just keep up with what’s being published and what’s new and hot. In her article “Betwixt and Between: New Adult Fiction” Cataldi lists the best new adult fiction books for building your library’s collection along with websites to explore further. Bookriot is a book review website with a great section for comics as well as a plethora of other genres. Use these resources to keep up to date on new graphic novels and new adult novels.
Resources:
Brookeover, S. (2014). What’s New About New Adult? Horn Book Magazine, 90(1), 41-45. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.
Cataldi, Erin. (2015). Betwixt and Between: New Adult Fiction. The Library Journal. Retrieved from https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=betwixt-and-between-new-adult-fiction-collection-development-september-1-2015
1. Books are for use
2. Every reader their book
3. Every book its reader
4. Save the time of the reader
5. The library is a growing organism
Basically it doesn’t matter if some members of the public do not consider young adult or new adult “appropriate” reading choices for adults in general. We have a duty to see that every person’s reading choices are valued no matter how we may personally feel about the value of certain genres. I for one cannot stand Amish fiction or Christian fiction in general. Some other person may think romance has no place in the library, or another may think magazines don’t belong in a public library. It doesn’t matter how I or anyone else feels about the subject. A public library is for the public and we must try to serve every member of our public no matter how impossible it may seem. You can bet your bottom dollar I’m still going to keep up on what the latest Karen Kingsbury, Richard Paul Evans and Shelley Shepard Gray is because even if I don’t enjoy them I know my patrons do and it’s my job to keep up with them and their interests.
Now that I got that out of the way, how exactly can we serve adults who enjoy young adult, graphic novels, or new adult books? In their article “What’s New About New Adult?” Brookover et. al. talk about how each library has a slightly different definition of young adult. For some libraries, the ages range from 12 and up and others for 14 and up. Some young adult sections include more graphic new adult novels that appeal to older teens and early twenties adults while others keep those firmly in the adult section. When doing reader’s advisory for these interests keep in mind the typical books located in your young adult section. If your young adult section has books that skew younger maybe don’t immediately lead the 22 year old in front of you to that section. Instead get to know their interests a little using the same techniques you would for a regular adult fiction readers advisory interview.
Another option is to create displays or reading lists that list these types of books. Creating a display of new adult books or graphic novels could show patrons that these types of books exist in your library and that reading them is a valid entertainment choice. Creating bookmarks of “young adult books with adult appeal” is another way to get the word out that young adult books are a valid reading choice for an adult audience.
The last thing we can do to help patrons with these reading interests is to just keep up with what’s being published and what’s new and hot. In her article “Betwixt and Between: New Adult Fiction” Cataldi lists the best new adult fiction books for building your library’s collection along with websites to explore further. Bookriot is a book review website with a great section for comics as well as a plethora of other genres. Use these resources to keep up to date on new graphic novels and new adult novels.
Resources:
Brookeover, S. (2014). What’s New About New Adult? Horn Book Magazine, 90(1), 41-45. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.
Cataldi, Erin. (2015). Betwixt and Between: New Adult Fiction. The Library Journal. Retrieved from https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=betwixt-and-between-new-adult-fiction-collection-development-september-1-2015
We all seem to be in agreement that patrons should be able to read what they want. I agree with you on Christian and Amish fiction. I hate it, but it's the most popular type of fiction we circulate. As such, like you I stay on top of what's popular in the genre.
ReplyDeleteI brought up the same point at the beginning of my post, the 5 laws!
ReplyDeleteOur personal opinion stays out of it and it is all about the patrons! It is hard to fathom that there are still people in the world who do not understand that. But, I honestly find it in my library. Our Youth Librarian tends to think that popular books teens want should not be what we order because everyone reads them. Shouldn't our teens want to read what other's aren't? But I think she seems to forget that all books start that way... people read a new title and it spreads because it is good! Give the kids what they want to read, not what you think they need to be reading.
There's something thrilling about reading an up and coming popular book. When The Girl on the Train came out tons of people started reading it, and it became a nationwide (worldwide) sensation. Teens want that experience too. They want to read the popular stuff with their friends and keep up with the trends. If that book just so happens to be Twilight, then oh well!
DeleteGreat job on this prompt response, you really hit the nail on the head. Rangathan is perfect to fall back on for this assignment. Who are we to judge? We're here to provide. Full points!
ReplyDelete