Looks Like Teen Spirit

Imagine if teens suddenly found the library warm and inviting—a place that encouraged independence, learning, socialization, and creativity. Wishful thinking? At one time, yes. But during the last 10 years, many libraries have transformed their young adult areas into more efficient, innovative, and inspirational spaces. In fact, we’re now in the midst of a teen revolution—design-wise, that is.

As more people learn about the positive impact of dynamic teen spaces, librarians want to know how they can make that happen in their own workplaces. Start developing your own ideas by taking a critical look at your existing space. Ask yourself, “What works, what doesn’t, what do I need, and what do I want?” Once you begin to answer these questions, you’ll be better prepared to share your ideas with others. Before you start, follow these simple guidelines to ensure your new teen space is a hit:

• Always encourage teen input and invite participation.
• Create a long- and short-term plan for offering library services.
• Get support for your plan from those who will be using the space, including teens, staff, administrators, and your community.
• Create a space that’s truly teen-friendly by thinking about what young people need, not about what adults want.
• Whether selecting furniture, carpeting, lighting, or paint, make decisions that will encourage teens to use the library independently.

Julia Jorgensen, a librarian at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau, MO, says “It’s not about us, it’s about them.” Jorgensen and her administration are so emphatic about library services being about the kids that Principal Mike Cowan hosts alumni tours of their campus in which people are just floored by the teen-friendly environment the administration and students have created.

It’s crucial to make room for youngsters’ ideas in everything from creating an advisory board to planning a design team. Be sure to include kids of various ages and ethnic backgrounds. Be organized, set guidelines, and do your homework beforehand. Ask teens their likes and dislikes about the existing space, and what they’d like in the new space. Equally important, make sure your goals are open-ended, so you can seriously accommodate teen advice. Listening and acting on their suggestions will gain credibility for the library, as well as help garner future support. Keep in mind that this is also a marketing and educational opportunity. Young adults often have stereotypically negative views of libraries, so unless you open their eyes to the library’s possibilities, they can’t fully contribute. Lastly, keep discussions with kids informal and limit them to less than an hour.

Broaden your input

Taking field trips to other libraries, museums, community centers, and youth-orientated spaces, such as bookstores and malls, will help you gather information from those who’ve already gone through the process. If you’re a media specialist, don’t limit yourself to schools. Ditto for public librarians. During these outings, pay careful attention to decorative as well as functional design, signs, the overall look and feel, the collection and its presentation, and service areas. If you see a space you really like, find out what designers and vendors were used. And take some students along to gain their insight.

Once your plan is in motion, get buy-in from stakeholders. Although teens are ultimately your biggest champions, the inclusion of teaching colleagues, administrators, parents, boards of trustees, school boards, and the community are equally vital. Don’t even ignore those who are “anti-teen.” Get everyone’s input, either through presentations, focus groups, or your Web site. If handled correctly, your biggest naysayers can turn into your most avid supporters.

Frustrated by the lack of administrative support? Remember, it’s about “selling” your idea. Keep decision makers informed and involved by finding out what’s important to them. Once you understand their goals, you can align them with yours. Don’t forget to talk to others who’ve had success to find out what techniques worked best for them.

Layout 101

Start executing your plan by dividing your teen space into multifunctional, well-defined areas, making sure that study and quiet areas are separated from lounging and social areas. Think about creating areas for individual and group use. Are sight lines good for observation and when asking for assistance? Are collections and technology convenient and easily accessible?

The bottom line is to listen to your constituents. Students at the Canandaigua Middle School in New York complained that they lacked privacy while working on computers at the front of the library. There also weren’t enough computers for students if a class was in the library. Issues like these can be easily resolved by rethinking layout. Often a simple rearrangement of furniture and fixtures can make all the difference.

Finding that ambiguous teen style

So, what exactly constitutes teen style? There’s no real answer, which is why young peoples’ input is essential. A thriving teen space doesn’t have to be messy, ostentatious, or impractical. In fact, when asked, teens are quite thoughtful and even downright practical when it comes to contributing ideas for their ideal library space. Sure, there will be an occasional vote for an indoor skateboard ramp, but an unrealistic comment can turn into a worthwhile discussion if guided by a librarian with a clear vision.

Very often, furniture, flooring, colors, accent lighting, and graphics are suggested—if not actually chosen—by teens who take part in focus groups, says John Toppe, a St. Petersburg, FL, architect who specializes in designing libraries. When given a choice, teens prefer colorful sofas, booths for group projects, and computers with clusters of chairs. In Florida and other states with a high growth rate but a limited tax base, school districts often need to build more with less money, Toppe adds. The result? “The typical public school media center is often a beige rectangle with standard school carpet, acoustical ceilings, fluorescent lighting, and sturdy, uncomfortable furniture.” But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a modest additional budget, enhancements such as customized graphics and neon lighting can be incorporated into a teen area.

Furniture: beyond study hall

When it comes to furniture, a bit of padding and attention to ergonomic design can go a long way. Truth is, you won’t encourage library use and foster learning if the furniture is hard, uncomfortable, and unappealing. When choosing study tables, for example, consider visual appeal as well as functionality. Can the tables accommodate small and large groups? Coffee tables and end tables also work well because many teens like to sit on the floor when reading, writing, and studying. Since teens use the floor as additional seating, strive for comfort and visual appeal. Stay away from standard institutional carpeting, and purchase a few funky area rugs to help define specific areas and add a splash of color to the room.

“Paying attention to details is important and it pays off,” says Jorgensen. Items ranging from framed posters and artwork to three-dimensional objects and knickknacks provide an easy and affordable way to keep spaces teen-friendly and up-to-date. Other popular accessories include bulletin boards, clocks, pillows, decorative tabletop items, games, plants, and magnetic poetry. Some of Cape Central High School’s most popular items include a marble chess set, a popcorn machine, and cappuccino maker.

Mix books and audiovisual items with 3-D objects to create funky displays. End panels and tops of shelves are great places for face-out displays and accessories. Jorgensen creates “surprise” displays for her students to draw them in, like an antique telephone resting adjacent to a section of books on communication.

Creating a great space doesn’t mean buying everything new. Designing teen areas is most fun when it involves reorganizing and reusing furnishings in a new and interesting way. It’s a wonderful opportunity for small and large budgets alike to freshen up a space.

More than the four walls

Who says shelving can’t be functional and exciting? Get creative by staining or painting old shelves or rearranging them for a different look. Portable shelves and display units are perfect for small spaces and can add visual interest to larger areas.

Replace fluorescent lighting with soft or full-spectrum lighting. It’ll actually make teens more productive. Don’t overlook window treatments or soundproofing—they can make a huge impact. And don’t forget the importance of signs. Teens regularly complain in focus groups about the difficulty of navigating library materials. They like browsing by subject in nonfiction and by genre in fiction and want signs that help them do that without adult assistance. Select signs that are attractive, easy to follow, and proportionate. One consistent message from teens? Stop the library jargon. Steer clear of the acronym YA and other library lingo.

Keep Up with the Times

Forward thinking librarians keep their libraries current. That means knowing what’s hot and what’s not, whether it’s pop culture or the classroom curriculum. That also means being flexible about library policies on food and drink, talking, collection development, and technology. All of these things play a critical role in getting kids excited and keeping them interested.

Remember, things wear out and have short shelf lives, so plan on replacing or reupholstering lounge-style furnishings every five years. Items such as tables, chairs, and countertops usually last longer, but you’ll need to refinish or touch up wood and other surface materials. Factor in the cost for new or replacement shelves and fixtures as collections and technologies grow and change. Fresh paint and new area rugs are needed at least every three or four years.

Simply Irresistible

Libraries aren’t what they used to be, and it’s up to public and school libraries to help teens recognize that change. Making libraries irresistible and integral to kids isn’t impossible. It just takes some work. The first step is looking at library services in a new light and realizing how design and décor, as well as policies and practices, can make a world of a difference. Start with an outline of your goals, then gradually build a plan by doing your homework, seeking teen input, and getting buy-in from your administrators. Don’t settle for what you have now. Dare to have a dream and make it happen.