What Librarians Say About Street Lit
Nina Emlen, Karen Grenke, Christopher Lassen, Kristy Raffensberger -- School Library Journal,02/04/2009
What Librarians Say about Street Lit
As librarians who work in big cities with teens, we know that kids are crazy about street lit. But as we were researching the genre for our collection-development class at Pratt Institute, in New York, we wondered how other librarians felt about street lit. Is it offered in most libraries across the country? Do teens in rural communities also crave street lit? Do most librarians tend to shelve these titles in the teen section or in the adult section?
To discover the answers to these questions, we created a short informal survey, which we posted on the YALSA listserv. We also shared our 10-question survey with collection-development online discussion groups and sent it to individual librarians. Within a month, we had received 241 responses from public librarians in 35 states. Overall, 49 percent of the respondents worked in urban libraries, 43 percent were in suburban, and eight percent worked in rural areas. A whooping 92.5 percent of respondents offered street lit in their collections.
It would be easy to assume that the 7.5 percent who shunned street lit were from small rural libraries with no interest in the genre. But that’s not what we found. In fact, more than 11 percent of the no-street-lit group worked in urban libraries. The number-one reason for not providing street lit? Fifty percent of our respondents said “no patron interest,” trailed by “too controversial” and “negative stereotypes,” both at a little over 11 percent. But as one librarian from an urban Ohio library wrote of street lit, “Our library director does not allow us to buy it because he feels it is inappropriate for our town…. I am going to try to sneak some in.”
Street lit is so popular that it’s often stolen, and the high theft rate makes it even more difficult for librarians to justify purchasing the controversial genre. Not surprisingly, many respondents are concerned about the money “wasted” on books that sometimes disappear before they’re even checked out. Some library users are too embarrassed to request or check out street lit titles—so they steal them. But by making street lit easy to find, and being open and helpful when teens and adults request the genre, librarians can help patrons feel more comfortable asking for street lit.
One thing that we noticed was that many of the librarians surveyed stated that their street lit books are interfiled within their adult collections. More than 68 percent say their street lit is housed in both the young adult and adult sections, while close to 87 percent say their street lit is interfiled. Most agreed with having it interfiled, yet were frustrated that their patrons and colleagues still had trouble locating the titles. A librarian in a suburban Washington library stated that she wished the street lit titles had “a sticker or some other identifying mark on the spine to help us find titles when browsing.”
Yet a staff member of a rural Georgia library that interfiles said that by separating the books you are really “segregating the books primarily read by African-Americans.” Interestingly, many respondents who have separate sections decided to keep them within or close to the young adult collections, regardless of their classification (adult or YA). A librarian from an urban Connecticut library stated that “it makes sense to keep them near the young adult collections because that’s what teens are looking for!”
One thing we hoped our survey would show is that street lit is bringing nonreading teens into the public library—and that appears to true. Indeed, librarians are actively using street lit as a jumping-off point to create relationships with teens. As a librarian in an urban California library wrote, “Talking about urban fiction with teens is a great way to get to know them… Having read some of the titles and/or at least being familiar with them helps to start the relationship.”
Love it or hate it, our survey shows that street lit is a major force in young adult collections across the United States. It’s exciting and encouraging for us to see that street lit works in all kinds of libraries, and in all types of states, cities, and towns.
Nina Emlen and Karen Grenke are librarian trainees and Kristy Raffensberger is a children’s librarian at the New York Public Library. Christopher Lassen is a children’s librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library.
If you like the “Bluford High”series, click here for a recent column from SLJ’s Extra Helping newsletter.Street Lit Canon
Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree (S&S, 1993, ISBN: 978-0-684-83566-2) Tracy Ellison is a young hard working NYC girl who will do anything and anyone to get what she wants, a better life for herself.
True to the Game by Teri Woods (Grand Central, 1994, ISBN: 978-0-9672249-0-9) Gena Showalter is a tough Philly project chick who wants the good life. By hooking up with Quadir, the most successful drug dealer in NYC, she accomplishes that. Getting that life was easy. Getting out of that life is the hard part.
The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah (Atria, 2004, ISBN: 978-0-7434-9938-5) Winter is the youngest daughter of the most successful drug dealing family in Brooklyn. She knows the streets and how to work them. Yet, Winter can't handle everything. She's gonna have to put those street skills to the test to survive the storm that is coming.
The Sex Chronicles by Zane (Pocket Books, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-7434-6270-9) Zane knows how those who live by the rules of the street play. Gritty, raw and extremely graphic, Zane pulls no punches in telling how those who are affected by street life play in the bedroom.
Let That Be The Reason by Vickie Stringer (Upstream, 2001, ISBN: 978-1-886433-85-4) An autobiographical tale of a young woman serving a five year prison term for drug dealing. Vicki Stringer has lived street life and holds back nothing in describing what those on the street will do to get that cash.
Gangsta by K'wan (Triple Crown, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-9702472-1-6) How do you go about leaving the streets? Do the streets ever leave you? Lou-Loc and Gutter have very different views on whether they can safely leave street life behind and the consequences are life and death.
A Hustler's Wife by Nikki Turner (Triple Crown, 2003, ISBN: 978-0-9702472-5-4) What happens when Yarni, the daughter of a well-to-do family falls for Des, Richmond's most notorious drug kingpin? What does Yarni do when Des is sentenced to life in prison? Yarni finds out when she realizes that in order to stay in the game, you got to play the game: the street game.
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| Submitted by: | Vanessa Irvin Morris (vanessa.morris@ischool.drexel.edu) 2/13/2009 8:23:17 PM PT |
| Location: | Philadelphia, PA |
Definition of Street Lit
Street Fiction a.k.a. Urban Fiction is a sub-genre of African American literature that conveys cautionary tales about intensely dramatic daily occurrences in the lives of young adult inner-city dwellers. Primarily set in inner-city settings of major metropolitan areas in the U.S., protagonists are typically young adults who are living harsh, dangerous lifestyles affiliated with the illegal drug or s* trade. Thusly, plots typically depict the s**ual and/or drug-laced activities of a male or female protagonist who is seeking to successfully survive daily living in the inner-city. The dramatic turn of events that usually occur in such quests oftentimes results in some kind of moralistic coming-of-age.
| Submitted by: | Cheryl Hawkins (cash12345@hotmail.com) 2/7/2009 10:08:23 AM PT |
| Location: | NYC |
| Occupation: | Librarian |
Are African Americans the only ones reading street lit.? Young whites have certainly embraced rap music are they doing the same with street lit?
| Submitted by: | Cheryl Shackelton Hawkins (cash12345@hotmail.com) 2/7/2009 10:04:14 AM PT |
| Location: | New York City |
| Occupation: | Librarian |
I work at a big city public library. Our street lit which we call Urban Fiction was first bought for adults and perhaps a year later the YA department began offering the titles. Teens would come to the adult department seeking urban fiction which we shelve in the black fiction section. Adults I think read urban fiction even more than teens. I buy 6 -20 copies of these titles and they mostly are not returned. If they are returned they are tattered. The ones that don't come back I hope and believe that they are being passed around from person to person. Given the current economic picture I'm not sure if the library can continue to buy replacements for these titles or buy them in multiples. The black fiction section at my library is separted into two sections classic black fiction (Morrison, Baldwin)and contemporary black fiction (Tyree, E Lynn Harris)the second section is urban fiction. I don't consider Zane urban fiction she writes pure erotica.
| Submitted by: | Anonymous (anonymousinnyc@care2.com) 2/6/2009 10:41:23 AM PT |
| Location: | Inner City |
| Occupation: | Librarian |
Firstly, while I appreciate the effort of these students, I find the tone patronizing. The library world has been discussing street lit for a few years now, with at least 20 professional articles since 2006, and it was a featured topic at a Day of Dialog panel at Book Expo America a few years ago. Secondly, I agree with the other posters that there needed to be a better definition of street lit. I do not consider Sista Souljah's Coldest Winter Ever nor Zane’s books to be street lit. Thirdly, I think the way the survey was distributed is suspect and points to a possibility of superficial results. And lastly, the suggestion that street lit may be the cure all in getting young reluctant readers engaged in reading is reductionist if not somewhat racist. Reluctant readers have a variety of interests, and often their lack of interest in reading is not always about subject matter. It is a combination of economics, environment (have you ever tried to read a book while living in a large apartment building on a noisy street in an inner city. It is hard to concentrate to say the least.), and literacy issues. While some in the inner city or poor rural areas may seek a realism that shares their life story, others, like readers all over the globe, seek escapism. Unfortunately, their literacy skills are not matched to the books they want to read. I have had teens who wanted to read science fiction, but found the titles that appealed to them difficult. Now this is a topic I would like to read about--Teen reluctant readers and the real issues behind their reluctance.
| Submitted by: | Daniel Marcou (ddmarcou@hotmail.com) 2/6/2009 12:03:55 AM PT |
| Location: | Minnesota |
| Occupation: | Corrections librarian |
"Some library users are too embarrassed to request or check out street lit titles—so they steal them. But by making street lit easy to find, and being open and helpful when teens and adults request the genre, librarians can help patrons feel more comfortable asking for street lit."
EXACTLY, only I would add that librarians, in addition to making street fiction easy to find and offering helpful service, that they also actually READ some of the titles.
In my own work, as a librarian, my RA cred goes much further when I can suggest a street fiction title that I have read and share why I liked it and then offer comparisons to other urban authors.
I knew that this genre would be a popular with my library users, so in order to immerse myself deeply into it, I created:
www.streetfiction.org
This blog focuses primarily on adult street fiction, but I would also welcome title suggestions and reviews for teen street fiction from you and your library users there as well.
One last comment on the merit of street fiction, which sadly too often is judged harshly by people who probably never even read it, is how it can hone the reluctant reader into a critical reader. Through the act of reading, especially the voracious reading so common to readers of street fiction, the reader defines what a good book is to them and then begin to search to find more like it!
A few authors to add to your "Street Lit Canon":
Old School Classics
Chester Himes
Claude Brown
Clarence Cooper
Robert Dean Pharr
Iceberg Slim
Donald Goines
Contemporary Classics
K''wan
Kenji Jasper - an incredible author!!
Kevin Weeks
Jihad
Shannon Holmes
Y. Blak Moore
| Submitted by: | Delores Tate 2/5/2009 6:46:39 AM PT |
| Location: | Oakland |
| Occupation: | Student |
Also worth noting, is A.J.Harpers Night Biters a Tale
of Urban Horror
| Submitted by: | Dodie Ownes 2/4/2009 4:32:32 PM PT |
| Location: | Golden CO |
| Occupation: | Editor, SLJTeen |
Just added - a short list of titles that are must-haves
for a street lit collection.
| Submitted by: | Kristy Raffensberger (kristy_raffensberger@nypl.org) 2/4/2009 2:13:06 PM PT |
| Location: | New York Public Library |
| Occupation: | Children's Librarian |
We knew from the start that "street lit" was a slippery term. We actually used "urban fiction" while promoting our survey and found that was even more confusing! That can be interpreted to be any book in an urban setting, which is certainly NOT all street lit. Many street lit books did originate from being self published and sold on the street—-such as titles from Teri Woods and Vicki Stringer. But for the purposes of our survey, we encouraged librarians to include "street lit lite" books as well, such as the Bluford series (and ones in the link at the end of the article). We do have a list of recommended books but it does not seem to be posting, so for a faster answer, search the SLJ website for street lit. There have been many fantastic articles written recently!
| Submitted by: | Miranda Doyle 2/4/2009 1:23:17 PM PT |
| Location: | San Francisco |
| Occupation: | Teacher Librarian |
Do a search for "Library Success Wiki Street Lit" -- there are resources posted there that should clarify questions about the genre.
Street lit usually refers to gritty urban adult books ("True to the Game", etc.). The Bluford books appeal to some teens who like the adult books, but others want "the real thing". They are definitely controversial but they do get teens reading.
| Submitted by: | Gwendolyn Wyne (gwyne@library.lacounty.gov) 2/4/2009 12:37:30 PM PT |
| Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
| Occupation: | Teen Services Librarian |
Agreed, this article definitely needs to define "street lit" and give examples if it's going to be of any use!
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