Who are we helping?

It seems obvious...our patrons are teens and pre-adolescents who want to move on from children's material and programming.  They are middle- and high school students.  We are helping sixth-graders adjust to new social pressures at school and we are helping high school seniors navigate scholarships and look up possible colleges.  There are athletes, musicians, artists, writers, and many others passionate about their hobbies who want to check out relevant materials.  And there are many--LGBTQ teens, minority teens, those from impoverished families or who have gone through the legal system--who want to know there are others like them, to find inspiration.

"Teens are great.  They're pretty much always willing to try new things...and they understand sarcasm, which a huge plus!  Teens are just a fun group to work with, once you get them in the door."
--Leah, teen librarian at Wells County Public Library

Wells County Public Library, Ossian Branch

But I've also noticed we help a lot of adults.  Many YA "blockbuster books" attract more than just those in the age range of 12-18.  I'm going to link an article written by Gretchen Kolderup for In the Library With a Leadpipe, an open access, peer-reviewed journal for librarians.  Kolderup is the Young Adult Education and Engagement manager at the New York Public Library.  The article "Are You Reading YA Lit?  You Should Be" makes a great case as to why YA literature crosses age boundaries.  Leah, the teen librarian I quoted above, admits to liking YA books more often than adult as well.  "[YA books] are faster-paced, because if they dragged like adult fiction, they'd lose their audience!"

Beyond adults searching for themselves, there are parents coming in who are looking to resources to help prepare their teen for their coming adult life after graduation.  I've also seen parents playing library-provided board games with their teens or giving in to their kid's recommendation of the latest dystopian series, laughing while they strengthen bonds.