Making Youth Participation Work for Teen Spaces… Dr. Anthony Bernier San Jose State University [email protected].

Making Youth Participation Making Youth Participation Work Work for Teen Spaces…for Teen Spaces…

Dr. Anthony Bernier San Jose State University

[email protected]

book “butts” out

left-to-right

same-level shelving

open space on right

everything to shelf lip…

Shelving Basics: What we get used to in library school

Everything in alpha-numeric order

Shelves are for books

Order preserves access

“Consistency is the foundation of virtue”

Shelving Basics 101: What we get used to in library school

Library Aesthetics:

•“Order”

•“Structure”

•“Balance”

•“Flow”

•“Unity”

•“Consistency”

~asymmetry~contrast ~exaggeration~irony~reuse~totems

Teen Aesthetics:

Library Aesthetics:

•“Order”

•“Structure”

•“Balance”

•“Flow”

•“Unity”

•“Consistency”

Teen Aesthetics:

~asymmetry~contrast ~exaggeration~irony~reuse

~totems

“HotShelving” Review: Book Cover Art:Shelf Space:Shelving Appliances:Off-the Shelf Applications:

Book Covers:“While we might feel that no one should judge a book by its cover, the truth is that everyone does. It doesn’t matter how popular the content will be with young adults if the cover design keeps them from picking it up.”

Dorothy Broderick, (former editor, Voice of Youth Advocates - VOYA)

Book Cover Art:Face out book coversRepetitionVary height and color

HotShelving as Communication

Shelf Space:Use entire shelf, every inch“Wrap” shelvesUse back of shelves and “end caps”Use airspaceVary shelf heightsUse “Book bricks”

HotShelving as Communication

Stacking and Grouping: “Pancaking” Author or series “stacking” Genre or theme building

“Merchandizing your YA collection means taking an active role in making the collection one that teens will want to browse through and spend time within.”

-Mary Ann Nichols, 2002

“Cover a portion of your wall with heavy paper and use that as an ongoing canvas for poetry, doodling, or composing.”

-Susan LevittTeen Feng Shui, 2003

Libraries are spaces of exploration not spaces of collections!

“HotShelving” Concepts: book cover art

shelf spaces

shelving appliances

off-the-shelf-applications

Repetition

Angularity

Color

Three-dimensionality

“HotShelving” helps poor readers

“HotShelving” helps teens reluctant approach our desks

“HotShelving” entices teens into picking up material they ignore otherwise.

1) Spatial diagnosis

2) User satisfaction survey

3) Develop décor and space change options

4) Focus group

Phase I: Research4 Steps…

1) Briefing with selected (youth) staff

2) Vetted plan for administration

3) Presentation to system-wide staff

Phase II: Collaboration and Review3 Steps…

1) Implement accepted plan

2) Do post-occupancy study

3) Final written assessment (for administration and staff)

Phase III: Execution and Evaluation

3 Final Steps…

Teen Advisory GroupsTeen Advisory Groups

Indeterminate size/number of participants

Regular or on-going meetings

Broad range of activities and interests

Teen Space Focus GroupTeen Space Focus Group(10 key factors)(10 key factors)

1. Participant limit between 10-15

2. 1 or 2 meetings only

3. Narrow topic range

4. Not brainstorming but responses

5. Discipline the agenda

1. Participant limit between 10-15

2. 1 or 2 meetings only

3. Narrow topic range

4. Not brainstorming but responses

5. Discipline the agenda

Teen Space Focus GroupTeen Space Focus Group (10 key factors) (10 key factors)

6. “R-form” the group often

7. Show examples more than once

8. Lots of ways to record responses

9. See sample agenda in packet

10. Have fun!

6. “R-form” the group often

7. Show examples more than once

8. Lots of ways to record responses

9. See sample agenda in packet

10. Have fun!