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This paper presents the results of an empirical study examining teen social media practices, which was collaboratively developed, carried out, analyzed, and presented by a team of researchers that included seven teens. This co-designed study characterizes the social media use of thirteen teens through a survey, highlighting their complex relationships to technology and their prioritization of learning when online. Further, the results highlight that some teens' assessment of information shared through social media is socially informed, while others rely on preexisting perceptions and beliefs when deciding what to believe on social media. Through the analysis of these findings, the teen researchers who participated in the project had access to opportunities for metacognition and literacy skills development. By connecting the co-designed study and the experiences of the teen researchers, this paper contributes an argument that teens have complex perceptions of their relationships with social media and that collaborative research with teens is achievable and valuable, with direct implications discussed for youth services providers in libraries as well as researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teen services librarians are well positioned to embrace connected learning principles in designing and implementing teen programs and services at their libraries. Due to the proliferation of participatory culture among teens, it is crucial that teen services librarians obtain teens' voices (especially from non-dominant teens) as they conceptualize, design, implement, and evaluate connected learning programs and services for teens. By illuminating the desired librarian-teen engagement practices in connected learning using Radical Change theory, this paper describes six cooperative inquiry techniques utilized by human-computer interaction scholars to co-design technologies and learning programs with children that can be adapted for designing library programs and services with and for teens. In addition to explaining these techniques, potential ways that these techniques can be used by teen services librarians are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of many important objectives for teen services librarians is to develop a relevant and current collection of materials. This collection should be representative of the community in which the library resides and the teens in that community. It is important for teens to be able to see themselves in books as both characters and writers. The writing of this paper was triggered by a group of teens advocating for more books (covers specifically) in their collection reflecting the vast diversity of the town in which they live. This paper contains results of a survey of 6,785 teen fiction book covers, across six different libraries and two bookstores in metro Boston and southeastern Massachusetts. Correlations drawn using the collected data reveal that the current state of books in both libraries and bookstores is lacking when it comes to racially diverse covers. This data can be used to further the discussion already under way concerning the need for more racially diverse teen books and the responsibility of teen service librarians to advocate for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the second phase of a three-year ethnographic study project exploring teens and data literacy in the context of Teen Services in public libraries, with the goal of building an understanding of the potential roles that Teen Services staff (librarians and library workers) can play in supporting data-literacy competencies youth will need to have. We report on current research in the area of data literacy, teens, and public libraries. Then we describe our interview fieldwork, which focused on the perspectives of library staff working with adolescents. Findings in this paper draw from our formal examination and synthesis of interviews with thirteen Teen Services staff, working in five public library branches in a midsized urban city in the northeastern United States. Based on interview data, observational fieldwork, and synthesis from previous research, we report on five themes that emerged from the investigation and develop a model of youth data literacy based on the data life cycle. We argue for a holistic and humanistic approach to data in public library programming for youth that is aligned with broad, crosscutting themes such as data infrastructures, data rights, and data subjectivity in order for Teen Services staff to have an impact and prepare young people for a data-driven world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes how research was used to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of a public library young adult (YA) space design program with teens and librarians through a community-university partnership. Previous studies have shown why it's necessary for librarians to allow teens to participate in public library YA space design projects. This paper seeks to fill a gap in the literature by contributing a theoretical and methodological framework to study YA space design projects with teens and librarians using critical pedagogy and ethnographic action research. Community informatics is the theory and practice of using information and communication technology in support of community-defined development goals, which might include digital inclusion, civic engagement, and social justice. The Youth Community Informatics Studio, or YouthStudio, is introduced as a model of engaged scholarship that embraces both critical pedagogy and ethnographic action research to show how researchers can work with teens and librarians to design, implement, and evaluate YA space design projects in public libraries, as sites where teens can engage in social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses empirical research conducted in 2016 with seven Australian authors of OwnVoices young adult fiction who publicly identified as one or more of the following: Indigenous Australian, a person of colour, or a member of queer or disabled communities. Interview data was analyzed using critical discourse analysis to understand authors' professional journeys as publicly identifying marginalized creators within the Australian publishing industry and wider literary community. The study found that all seven authors directly or indirectly invoked the concept of education or learning through their books, with their books functioning as a "window" to readers from communities different from their own, per Bishop's 1990 metaphor. Five authors positively acknowledged this educational potential, while two did from a negative perspective. This research contributes to our understanding of the additional pressures and expectations placed on authors from marginalized communities, while inserting the voices of Australian authors into broader discussions about equity in children's and young adult fiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the insights that hip hop might afford young adult library researchers who study information behavior, particularly in online environments. A Critical Race Theory (CRT) approach was used to explain how existing information behavior models describe youth experiences in ways that mask their unique racialized experiences and culturally specific information-creating behaviors. Using CRT's counter-storytelling method, a new model called INFLO-mation is introduced, featuring a continuum of information behaviors captured within three descriptive categories of creativity: Rhythm, Rhyme, and Remix (R3). Findings include a discussion the INFLO model, its classification scheme, and illustrative examples from contemporary teens' digital media practices rooted in hip hop culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author proposes the term "empathetic services" to describe the social, emotional, and psychological support that librarians provide patrons. The role of empathy in the library has been infrequently researched in library and information science (LIS) literature. However, as demonstrated in the reactions of libraries and librarians during recent social movements, empathy is a critical component of librarianship and routine library work. Although frequently labeled "customer service" or "soft skills," empathetic services encompass the provision of compassion, social justice, and understanding in libraries. As part of the findings, the author identified three significant roles that librarians perform: librarians as an information resource, librarians as an instruction resource, and librarians as a source of social/emotion/psychological support. Using the context of rural school and public libraries, this mixed-method, exploratory study investigates the types of empathy and support that rural school and public librarians currently offer and would like to offer young patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and media literacy are essential for today's children and teens as they navigate an increasingly saturated information environment. Educators at all levels must seek to communicate and teach the skills that students need to evaluate, understand, and use information in engaging and innovative ways. This paper highlights such an effort by librarians and staff at Florida Institute of Technology in the planning and implementation of a camp called "What We Know: Understanding Media and Its Influence." The camp was administered by five library staff and attended by ten teens between the ages of 12 and 16. Throughout the camp, staff used campers' feedback and surveys to gauge the impact of the program. Camper age differences proved to be the biggest challenge to camp success. Overall, 78% of attendees reported that camp was more enjoyable than predicted. Qualitative data gathered through discussion and peerto- peer interactions indicated that, in general, camp attendees gained increased awareness of problematic issues in media. Future camps will include a more focused age range and more hands-on activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a three-year case study of collaboration between a university library, a research lab, and an NGO to provide college courses in digital, media, and information literacies to high school foster youth. The library staff and instructors expanded one another's literacy knowledge and explored best practices to teach the at-risk students. Data includes self-reflection based on observations and interviews of each other. Using narrative analysis, the team used four variables to showcase their collaboration: (1) vision and relationship, (2) structure, responsibilities, and communication, (3) authority and accountability, and (4) resources and rewards. Students' achievements reflected an increase in their literacy skills. This was strong evidence for the successful collaboration among the three entities. Each partner contributed by bringing digital, media, and information literacies to students, equipping them with rich skills pertinent in today's society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores homeschoolers' everyday life information practices, with a goal to develop contextualized information literacy instructions in public libraries. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of eleven teen homeschoolers (ages 13 through 17) and seven parents from a rural county in the United States. Qualitative data analysis following the constant comparison technique was carried out. Findings showed that families, peers, libraries, and the Internet constituted homeschoolers' information environment, in which homeschoolers interacted with these resources in accomplishing their learning projects, pursuing personal interests, and managing everyday tasks. Homeschoolers' information practices were influenced by factors such as their mother's information literacy, social engagement with friends and peers, resources available at local libraries, and their own information literacy. This study makes a significant contribution to the scant literature on homeschoolers in the field of library and information science. The findings have several important practical implications for librarians to consider when developing information literacy programs for homeschoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the discursive practices of librarians serving teens in school and public libraries during a specific span of the COVID-19 pandemic, the period from August through October 2020. A methodology of discourse analysis was applied to three multi-author blogs published by professional library organizations. The research examined how the discursive practices of librarians serving teens in school and public libraries suggest what the librarians value around teens and library services; and how librarians serving teens in school and public libraries use language to construct beliefs on their role(s) in providing teens access to information and reading materials. Through their language, the librarians show they value library services for teens, especially in times of crisis; they assume teens want and need library services such as book circulation; and they believe that libraries are social goods, essential for continued distribution in the pandemic. The librarians' language suggests the belief that librarians are responsible for, and follow through in, devising creative ways to serve teens upon library closures or in circumstances of limited library access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of librarians and teachers on the use of teen literature (also known as young adult literature [YAL] or adolescent literature in education scholarship) that portrays school shootings with teens. The researchers conducted both focus group interviews and an online Qualtrics survey to collect data, as well as group discussions from an online class for education graduate students on teen literature with school shootings as central to the plot. Both professional populations investigated supported the use of this literature with teens but lacked direct experience using literature with this subject matter and voiced a hesitancy in knowing where to begin in the selection of texts and planning for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sexual education programs are staples in the middle and high school curricula, many of these courses are abstinence-based, which do not serve the needs of the teen demographic, let alone those who are LGBTQAI+. Curricula for sex education often ignores or discriminates against LGBTQAI+ teens. LGBTQAI+-focused literature can help fill the gaps in sexuality/sexual health information not addressed in public school curricula. Qualitative research such as content analysis divulges sexuality and sexual health issues examined in LGBTQAI+- marketed teen literature. Individual interviews of LGTQAI+ teens add insight into whether the positive and negative aspects of the teen literature, discovered through content analysis, affect them in their enjoyment of or willingness to read the book, whether the issues in the book are authentic and pertinent to their everyday life, and if the books fulfill an information need they have about sexuality or sexual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a trope to say that teens are highly engaged online and are frequent and passionate members of fan communities, yet it is true. However, little is known about teens' information practices in this arena. This study examines the everyday life information seeking (ELIS) practices of teens in Nerdfighteria, a fan community, to answer the question: What kinds of everyday life information do teens seek in an online fan community? Using survey, interview, diary, and observational data, and concurrent, iterative data analysis incorporating grounded theory techniques, this study offers insight into the ELIS practices of teen fans. Teen Nerdfighters use their community to address a wide variety of information needs related to their development as adolescents. The primary information engagements were around social, cognitive, fan, and emotional needs, and they included seeking or giving emotional support; engaging in intellectual debates around current events, politics, science, and literature; sharing social events; and seeking and sharing fan-oriented information. The findings from this study illustrate the potential for information seeking in a fan community for purposes far beyond the fandom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Books published in Australia are strong choices for youth collections in other English-speaking countries because of the shared language and the use of different vocabulary and cultural expressions, enlisting readers to think critically about meaning and context. This article is the second in a two-part series exploring portrayals of culture in two popular Australian young adult literature awards: the Children's Book Council of Australia's (CBCA) Book of the Year: Older Readers, chosen by adults, and the Centre for Youth Literature's Gold Inky Awards, chosen by young adults. Using a critical content analysis approach, the research examined the twenty-four winners from 2007 to 2018 for depictions of nine cultural constructs including class, disability, gender, immigration, Indigenous Australians, language, the LGBTQIA community, race/ethnicity/nationality, and religion. Findings suggest that class is an ever-present cultural element in the titles, especially in the CBCA award winners, and issues of class privilege and disadvantage are linked to other constructs, notably gender, immigration, language, and race/ethnicity/nationality. While two titles portrayed Indigenous Australians authentically, this construct was the least represented in the sample and reflects a gap in the awards and Australian youth publishing overall, as noted by other researchers. These titles offer an alternative perspective to issues affecting young adults on a global level such as immigration, racism, and sexism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines a facet of the English-language publishing industry that may be evading your collections: Australian young adult literature. This first article of a two-part series analyzes the portrayals of culture in the winning books of two popular Australian YA Awards from 2007 to 2018: the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year for Older Readers chosen by a panel of adults and the Centre for Youth Literature's Gold Inky Award selected by teen readers. Using a wide definition of culture to encompass nine constructs (class, disability, gender, immigration, Indigenous Australians, language, the LGBTQIA community, race/ethnicity/nationality, and religion), the researcher read the twenty-four titles and used critical content analysis to identify critical incidents of these constructs. The most commonly coded theme was gender focused on issues like body image and sexual harassment, especially interesting to consider in light of the #MeToo movement. Mental health was another strong theme and distinctly present in the Inky Awards. The LGBTQIA community was also represented, but on a smaller scale and often in a tokenistic manner. The second article in this series delves deeper into the other constructs and considers the implications of Indigenous Australians being the least common construct in the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disability narrative theory can shed light on what kinds of young adult novels of mental illness are currently available and suggest directions for authors and library collections to go in the future. As library staff members develop their collections and assist students, patrons, and scholars in navigating the recent publication explosion of YA novels of mental illness, they should be aware that these novels generally fall into one of disability narrative theorist Arthur Frank's three categories: "restitution," "chaos," or "quest" narratives.i While Frank's research covers memoirs of physical disability, my study found that his categories can also be helpful in sorting fiction about mental illness. Mental illness in this study refers to biological brain disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In what Frank calls a "narrative of restitution," the disability is cured. A "narrative of chaos" focuses on a period of time in which the disabled person's symptoms cause significant disruption in his or her life. In a "quest narrative," the disabled person is managing his or her symptoms in a healthy way and living life to his or her fullest potential. Most young adult novels of mental illness in this study fall into the category of the chaos narrative. While this is helpful for adolescents (as well as their friends and families) because they can read these books and know that they are not alone in their struggle with alarming symptoms and erratic behavior, authors should shift the emphasis of their future novels to the third type of story, the quest narrative, in which characters live in recovery, managing their mental illnesses and leading a fulfilling life. Library personnel should watch for such empowering recovery stories and recommend them to teens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of the representation of the anti-Vietnam War movement in 53 young adult novels published from 1967 to 2018 includes every young adult novel that lists the Vietnam War as its first or second Library of Congress subject descriptor. The teen characters who participate in the antiwar movement or question our government's war policy are regularly ignored or vilified. Only 32 novels acknowledge the existence of an antiwar movement. Most novels equate antiwar sentiment with aggressive anti-soldier action, even though the historical record does not bear this out. When young readers are repeatedly shown protesters as vicious idiots who regularly attacked veterans, they learn that there is no legitimate way to question our country's war policies. When they're never shown active-duty GIs (many of whom were teens) and veterans who worked tirelessly as antiwar activists, this dishonors veterans. These representations, combined with images of protesters ubiquitously spitting on veterans and shouting "baby killer" at them, have served to discredit the antiwar movement and the young people involved in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gerard Genette defines the "peritext" as those parts of a book that wrap around the book but are not part of the book proper. Such elements include the book jacket, title page, table of contents, foreword, glossary, index, and so on. These elements can serve various functions, and giving careful attention to these framing elements can enhance the reading experience. Sometimes these elements contain, or consist wholly of, images that help to promote reading of the book or provide supplemental information to that contained within the book proper. In this essay, we use Gross and Latham's peritextual literacy framework (PLF) as a means for investigating how peritextual images serve the promotional and supplemental functions as defined by the PLF of winners of the Young Adult Library Services Association's Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. We also employ Serafini's categories of representational, interpersonal, and compositional structures in examining how these images serve to arouse curiosity and to provide additional information that enhances the reading experience and invites readers to cross the threshold and enter the text proper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines young people's perceptions of government, as well as the connection between these perceptions and their information and civic literacies. A case study of 37 young teens uses descriptive survey data, along with participant observation and other qualitative data collection methods, and finds that participants base their perceptions of government on a variety of factors, including institutions, the presidency, policies and policy outcomes, and the media's portrayal of government. Nearly half of the overall perceptions that each participant had of government was negative. Within these perceptions, however, participants demonstrated contradictory opinions and gaps in civic and information literacy, providing important implications for librarians and library workers and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early LGBTQ+ young adult literature painted a negative and depressing view of what it means to be queer, typically featuring isolated and socially rejected stereotypical LGBTQ+ characters, homophobia as a key plot element, and sad endings for the LGBTQ+ characters. This problematic representation has shifted over the years to be more inclusive, more diverse, and more positive. A sample of twenty-two English-language LGBTQ+ young adult novels written between 2009 and 2017 with happy endings and female protagonists was analyzed to determine the diversity of happy endings and characters now present in the genre. While there is still more progress to be made, particularly in the intersectionality of identities, our study finds that there is a clear direction away from the problematic past of this literary tradition with more diversity of representation and a range of positive outcomes for the protagonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries are developing transformative teen-centered spaces and services to facilitate informal learning, creation, socialization, and community engagement. For sustained success, it is crucial that qualified professionals staff these learning spaces. This study explored the following research question: What are the competencies required for professionals to provide teens with resources and services in informal learning spaces such as Learning Labs or Makerspaces? Survey results of professionals working in Makerspaces or Learning Labs in libraries in the United States are presented. Findings relate to (1) the participants' job responsibilities and competencies necessary to work in a Makerspace or Learning Lab; (2) their perceptions of the value of their higher-education experiences; and (3) choices of resources for learning competencies. The findings inform professionals working with teens about necessary competencies; provide library directors and managers with a research-based framework on staff recruitment and training; and offer suggestions for curricular updates to library and information science (LIS) educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the proliferation of sex education information sources in the twenty-first century, teenagers are faced with a wealth of available sources on the topic. However, hegemonic narratives from classroom education alienate certain youth, while negative misinformation from unreliable sources has the power to encourage harmful behaviors. At even greater risk are youth coping with trauma, particularly survivors of sexual assault and queer teens, or those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who have limited Internet access. This qualitative pilot study identifies the explicit and implicit choices that teenagers make to seek and select specific information sources for sex education, and it examines the factors that prevent teenagers from seeking such information from library resources. Data was collected in the form of semistructured, face-to-face interviews comprised of open-ended questions with four participants. The results suggest that teenagers use a variety of sources to gather sex education information, including curricular instruction and the Internet, as well as interpersonal, media, and print sources. A wide range of factors attracted participants to use specific sources, such as ease, privacy, comfort, perceived experience, familiarity, openness, and assured provenance. None of the participants visited the library for sex education, and lack of awareness of collections as well as confidentiality concerns represented the main barriers to use of libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the basic design layout, content, and usability of 300 randomly sampled elementary (n = 100), middle school (n = 100), and high school (n = 100) library websites representing all fifty states in the United States. Of the schools selected, 102 of the school librarians also completed a survey examining their libraries' information and service priorities, site maintenance, and primary users. The results show that the majority of school library websites contain information intended for students but rate low on recommended youth-oriented website standards for cognitive, affective (or emotional), and general design best practices regardless of the age group served. Trends in design layouts and content were also identified. Major implications of the study include a best-practices checklist and preliminary design and content guidelines to help school librarians create more age-appropriate websites for their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines school librarians' perspectives on collecting LGBT materials. Based on qualitative interviews with thirty-one school librarians, this project found generally strong support for collecting LGBT materials. School librarians discussed serving their communities, having resources for all students, and meeting the needs of diverse students. In addition, they shared several ways that school libraries can counter bullying: creating a bully-free zone in the library, collecting LGBT and anti-bullying materials, collaborating with guidance counselors and teachers, suggesting particular books for certain students, being a supporter of students, and positioning the school library as a safe space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media has been widely adopted in the twenty-first century, with high enthusiasm among youth around the world. Research on new media practices in Ghana has been described as wide open, with very few studies focusing on youth social media use. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the extent of social media use and the purposes, access, and challenges of its use by the young people of Nima and Maamobi, two suburbs of Accra, Ghana. One hundred fifty youth ages 11-19 and five adult Internet café attendants participated in the study. The findings revealed patterns of young people's social media use consistent with similar studies of youth in other countries, with high use among the youth in these two economically and educationally disadvantaged communities. The study revealed the need for young people to have a greater awareness of the risks of social media use. The conclusions include recommendations for nationwide education of youth in Ghana about responsible use of social media, with policy and educational interventions led by multiple stakeholders, including school and public libraries and government agencies, to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of social media use among Ghanaian youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic and professional literature in the field of library and information science (LIS) has increasingly recognized the need to provide LGBTQ*-inclusive materials for children and teens. However, little research has been carried out in the United Kingdom on collections of these materials in public libraries. This study used a checklist approach to assess the holdings of LGBTQ* teen fiction in thirteen English public library services. The findings showed room for improvement in library collections, with particularly low holdings of titles in accessible formats. Moreover, titles from a recommended list made up less than half of LGBTQ* teen fiction holdings in all but one of the participating services. No relationship was found between annual book budget and number of LGBTQ* teen fiction titles held, although there was an apparent correlation between book budget and number of copies held. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Found poems" are a type of poetry "created by taking words, phrases, and sometimes whole passages from other sources and reframing them as poetry by making changes in spacing and lines, or by adding or deleting text, thus imparting new meaning" (Wikipedia). Almost anything can be used to create a found poem, and found poetry can be used in a variety of ways to enhance learning. By using primary sources or textbooks, students can use found poetry as a way to summarize, to analyze, to present facts, to organize information, to create new ideas, and to enhance classroom learning. Examples of ways to use this type of poetry in the classroom and library are provided. Use of found poetry will be linked to cognitive development and educational theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous national and international studies have shown the importance of school libraries and librarians in students' educations, including literacy skill development and academic achievement. However, published research investigating school library accessibility and services from the perspectives of students who are differently-able are extremely limited, as are studies of inclusive library programming, or programming serving both typically-able and differently-able students. This case study examines inclusive library programming with adolescents in a middle school library. Findings indicate that the impact of inclusive school library programming was meaningful and often extended beyond the library's walls. Inclusive library programming resulted in skill development among the students who are differently-able and an appreciation for books and reading for all of the students. Lessons that began in the library, including those of acceptance and the realization that abilities are born through differences, helped define the school culture. The findings from this study are useful for guiding inclusive programming for other school library grade levels, as well as in public library settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning Labs and Makerspaces provide informal learning spaces in which teens can create, invent, socialize, and work with mentors and peers. These innovative learning spaces facilitate teens' authentic and social learning experiences, promoting their twenty-first-century skills and multiple literacies. Little research has focused on the challenges, achievements, or goals of professionals in these spaces. This study addresses this gap by studying the experiences and perceptions of learning space professionals. The research question is: What are the challenges, achievements, and goals perceived by professionals of learning spaces in libraries and museums? We discovered the following challenges: having enough personnel, obtaining necessary funding, changing the perceptions of library and teen learning, being able to develop a vision, and providing consistent access to the space. Achievements included: increased teen engagement, staff developing necessary skills, and changing the perception of what a learning space can provide. Goals emphasized the desire to sustain and expand learning space programming, as well as other professional goals. Evaluation approaches included mainly outcome measures, though some output measures continue to be used. Lastly, implications for practice and LIS education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]