I Want My MP3

An earful on how to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not

By J. Marin Younker -- School Library Journal, 8/1/2006

Recently, I overheard two teens debating whether to enter a bookstore. They ultimately decided against it because they thought the staff was too old. That exchange got me thinking—do teens make the same judgment about libraries and their staff?

I’m only 34, but I worry about turning into one of those librarians who seldom gets out of her chair, hoping that a patron will just go away if I ignore him long enough. Is it inevitable that I’ll turn into a grumpy old lady who shushes kids who get a little too noisy? Will I roll my eyes when a teen comes in with a homework assignment a day before it’s due?

As YA librarians, we need to be aware of the image we project and the environment we create because they may determine whether teens continue to use libraries—and use them as adults. I’m not suggesting that we should act and dress like teens in order to connect with kids, but we do need to know what interests them. Fortunately, no matter what age you are, it’s not hard to find out what fascinates teens. Here are some obvious ways to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not.

Ask teens what they did over the weekend or their plans for the summer. During those casual conversations, they’ll reveal what’s important to them. Trust me, you’ll end up being enlightened.

Keep up with sports. Since many teens are involved in sports, it’s an instant icebreaker. Read the school newspaper and follow your local media. Web sites such as ESPN and Yahoo! Sports will provide you with the latest news on basketball, football, and baseball, as well as who just landed a multimillion- dollar contract.

Get up to speed with video games. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo are here to stay. Whether it’s Runescape or Guitar Hero, teens use our library’s computers to play games, attend gaming programs, and search for cheat codes. Discover what’s popular by thumbing through gaming magazines, such as Electronic Gaming Monthly or GamePro. And check out GameSpot or Game Rankings for the latest gaming news.

Read Rolling Stone, Spin, Vibe, Black Beat, and other music magazines. Whether teens own an iPod or not, they’re obsessed with music. Tune into MTV2 or visit Y! Music to catch the latest videos.

Know what movies and TV shows teens like. It’ll help you decide what series tie-ins to purchase and keep you updated on the latest anime craze. If you don’t watch American Idol, at least spend some time reading the site www.televisionwithoutpity.com for a recap. And you can always turn to Entertainment Weekly for the scoop on the latest movies and TV series.

Start thinking like a correspondent for Entertainment Weekly. Celebrity gossip is a staple with teens, so flip through J-14 and Word Up, which have lots of glossy photos. Teen People also serves up lots of juicy gossip, and the explosion of blogs such as Pink Is the New Blog and PerezHilton can open up a whole new world of delicious trashiness. Of course, there’s also E! Online for basic, meat-and-potatoes celebrity coverage.

Stay on top of the latest trends. Ypulse is a valuable resource for keeping up with some of the breaking developments in teen marketing and determining what’s in and what’s out.