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Question 2- Do you ever go to the public library? How often, why and with who?
Teen 1: (12-year-old female) yes i go to the public lybrary to do resurch and get books to read with my parents or my friends i think that the staff is always grumpy and scary Teen 2: (15-year-old male) no Teen 3: (14-year-old female)I ha
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vent been in a long time unfortunately but when i do go they r always smiling and willing to help me out(: Teen 4: (14-year-old female) no. they never have the books i want Teen 5: (14-year-old female) I don't normally go to the public library because there aren't a very good assortment of teen books most of them are old and in bad shape. The staff there seem ok semi helpful and friendly enough. Teen 6:(17-year-old female) I do go to the public library, but only about once every couple months. The staff is very nice and helpful. I usually leave with a pile of books, so they have a good stock of books. Teen 7:(17-year-old female) I used to when I was younger, like 8th grade. I haven’t been in a long time I guess because I’ve never really been that interested in going. I would go with friends to work on projects or ive gone with my mom. I thought the staff was very nice! I know a couple of them from elementary school and such so it’s nice to see them again. I only went in the young adults section of the library when I went and I thought that the books in there were very interesting. Teen 8:(17-year-old female) I don't go to the public library because the town in which i live is very small and doesn't have a great deal of resources. So instead I use the School's library. I don't go as often as I should, usually when I need a book for a class. I like the librarians, one is gay and one dresses like a tramp, but they are both really friendly. Teen 9:(18-year-old female) Yes i go to the public library, the one here in town where i live is open only on mondays and wednesdays. i go with my sister or with my whole family. the books there are the same everytime, but the librarians are really nice. Teen 10:(15-year-old female) I haven't been to my public library in awhile. So i would say i don't go to it. I don't go i think because i like to buy my books. I like to have my book right there so i don't have to keep going to check it out. I guess laziness plays a role in why I don't go.
Amber's Analysis: There is a good mixture of teens who go to the library and teens who don't. I think the overall feeling toward the librarians is that they're okay. The average feeling toward the collection seems to be a less enthusiastic 'eh'. The last person mentions that laziness is the reason she doesn't go and that she would rather own the book instead of worrying about it needing to be returned. Perhaps this is the way the others feel but would rather blame the poor selection. I wonder if the few who mention the poor selection continue to go after they've been turned off the first time. If not, this is an important group that libraries have to target when marketing new books and programs. Overall it seems like the determining factor for whether these teens do or do not go to the library has to do with what resources the library offers, and it doesn't necessarily matter how friendly (or not) the librarians are. Ideas for teen resources can easily be formulated using the answers from the first question (use of spare time) of this interview. Libraries have to change their image from a place to just get books to something teens need, like a place to play music, use the internet, and hang out with friends.
Laura's Analysis: Though there seems to be a good mix of teens who do or do not go to the library, there doesn't seem to be any teens who go to the library to hang out with friends, play video games or to attend cool programs or events like movie nights, these types of activities aren't even mentioned. All of the teens who go to their libraries go in search of books, because that's what libraries are for right? This mentality though is what is alienating a huge portion of the teen population who don't consider themselves readers - or not traditional book readers at least. What about the teens who read graphic novels, comic books, manga or just magazines? What about the teens that prefer to do all of their reading online, what is going to draw them into the libraries? Perhaps it would be CD or DVD collections or video game collections. The fifteen year old male I interviewed doesn't ever go to the library because he gets books from his sister and doesn't see any other reason to go. I do however know that the last time I was at his house he spent HOURS playing Wii, so maybe if the library had Wii games to play or check-out he would be more inclined to go. One final thing that will be an important factor in drawing teens in and keeping them there is the disposition of the librarians. Though the teens don't seem to care much right now whether or not the librarians are friendly or helpful, they would if they were trying to hang out there with their friends. No teen is going to want to hang out with a cranky, I hate all teenagers, librarian breathing down their necks.
Question 2- Do you ever go to the public library? How often, why and with who?
Teen 1: (12-year-old female) yes i go to the public lybrary to do resurch and get books to read with my parents or my friends i think that the staff is always grumpy and scary
Teen 2: (15-year-old male) no
Teen 3: (14-year-old female)I ha
Teen 4: (14-year-old female) no. they never have the books i want
Teen 5: (14-year-old female) I don't normally go to the public library because there aren't a very good assortment of teen books most of them are old and in bad shape. The staff there seem ok semi helpful and friendly enough.
Teen 6: (17-year-old female) I do go to the public library, but only about once every couple months. The staff is very nice and helpful. I usually leave with a pile of books, so they have a good stock of books.
Teen 7: (17-year-old female) I used to when I was younger, like 8th grade. I haven’t been in a long time I guess because I’ve never really been that interested in going. I would go with friends to work on projects or ive gone with my mom. I thought the staff was very nice! I know a couple of them from elementary school and such so it’s nice to see them again. I only went in the young adults section of the library when I went and I thought that the books in there were very interesting.
Teen 8: (17-year-old female) I don't go to the public library because the town in which i live is very small and doesn't have a great deal of resources. So instead I use the School's library. I don't go as often as I should, usually when I need a book for a class. I like the librarians, one is gay and one dresses like a tramp, but they are both really friendly.
Teen 9: (18-year-old female) Yes i go to the public library, the one here in town where i live is open only on mondays and wednesdays. i go with my sister or with my whole family. the books there are the same everytime, but the librarians are really nice.
Teen 10: (15-year-old female) I haven't been to my public library in awhile. So i would say i don't go to it. I don't go i think because i like to buy my books. I like to have my book right there so i don't have to keep going to check it out. I guess laziness plays a role in why I don't go.
Amber's Analysis: There is a good mixture of teens who go to the library and teens who don't. I think the overall feeling toward the librarians is that they're okay. The average feeling toward the collection seems to be a less enthusiastic 'eh'. The last person mentions that laziness is the reason she doesn't go and that she would rather own the book instead of worrying about it needing to be returned. Perhaps this is the way the others feel but would rather blame the poor selection. I wonder if the few who mention the poor selection continue to go after they've been turned off the first time. If not, this is an important group that libraries have to target when marketing new books and programs. Overall it seems like the determining factor for whether these teens do or do not go to the library has to do with what resources the library offers, and it doesn't necessarily matter how friendly (or not) the librarians are. Ideas for teen resources can easily be formulated using the answers from the first question (use of spare time) of this interview. Libraries have to change their image from a place to just get books to something teens need, like a place to play music, use the internet, and hang out with friends.
Laura's Analysis: Though there seems to be a good mix of teens who do or do not go to the library, there doesn't seem to be any teens who go to the library to hang out with friends, play video games or to attend cool programs or events like movie nights, these types of activities aren't even mentioned. All of the teens who go to their libraries go in search of books, because that's what libraries are for right? This mentality though is what is alienating a huge portion of the teen population who don't consider themselves readers - or not traditional book readers at least. What about the teens who read graphic novels, comic books, manga or just magazines? What about the teens that prefer to do all of their reading online, what is going to draw them into the libraries? Perhaps it would be CD or DVD collections or video game collections. The fifteen year old male I interviewed doesn't ever go to the library because he gets books from his sister and doesn't see any other reason to go. I do however know that the last time I was at his house he spent HOURS playing Wii, so maybe if the library had Wii games to play or check-out he would be more inclined to go. One final thing that will be an important factor in drawing teens in and keeping them there is the disposition of the librarians. Though the teens don't seem to care much right now whether or not the librarians are friendly or helpful, they would if they were trying to hang out there with their friends. No teen is going to want to hang out with a cranky, I hate all teenagers, librarian breathing down their necks.