Young Adult Collection Development

Lucinda Hollingshead
Spring 2000
SLIS 5320.001

According to the National Center for Education Statistics' report, Services and Resources for Children's and Young Adults in Public Libraries, Young Adults constitute about 25 percent of public library patrons (Jones 1998).  There is a general consensus that a Young Adult is between 12 and 18 years of age.  In order to meet the needs of this group of patrons, the public library needs to offer services aimed specifically toward Young Adults.  This includes offering a collection of materials that Young Adults will want to read and use.  Choosing materials that Young Adults will find interesting is the difficult part.  Many find themselves too old for children's materials and not interested in adult materials.  Although Young Adults may use adult materials, they want and need materials "that are attuned to their unique life situations and concerns" (Ritchie 1998, 45).  In developing a good Young Adult collection, many issues arise that need consideration.  These include whether to buy series fiction, genre fiction or classics, quality versus popularity and paperback versus hardback in regards to fiction, different types of non-fiction, periodicals and non-print materials, and intellectual freedom today.  Library professionals consider these issues as a matter of practice when developing a Young Adult collection that teens will use and enjoy.

Fiction

One of the most popular sections and the center of a YA collection is the fiction collection.  Most public libraries include in their mission statement to meet the recreational needs of their users.  Providing a diverse fiction collection meets the leisure reading needs of YAs.  In fact, by providing this service, "you may well inspire a love of reading that will easily segue into lifelong reading as your patrons become adults" (Ritchie 1998, 48).  In building a fiction collection, there are several factors to consider.  These include series fiction, genre fiction, the classics, quality versus popularity, and paperback versus hardback.

Series fiction is popular among YAs.  There are generally three types of series: girls' romance, boys' series, and thrillers (Jones 1998).  Girls' romance includes Sweet Valley High, Cheerleaders, and Sweet Dreams.  The one boys' series that has withstood the test of time is the Hardy Boys.  Examples of thrillers include Fear Street by R.L. Stine and The Last Vampire by Christopher Pike.  Because most review journals do not publish data on a series, librarians will need to view monthly jobber catalogs such as Bookmen's Monthly Paperback News to keep up to date.  Series paperbacks also have a shorter shelf life than other books because of the poor quality of the binding.  Therefore, librarians will need to reorder items of a popular series as they are discarded.  Just because the author is up to number 25 in the series does not mean that there is not a patron just starting the series (Jones 1998).  "While these titles may lack traditional literary qualities such as well-developed characters, true-to-life settings and situations, and engrossing plots, their enormous popularity with teenage readers cannot be disputed" (Ritchie 1998, 49).

Genre fiction is also quite popular with Young Adults, although "it can suffer from a negative popular stereotype among nonreaders of that genre" (Arnold 1998, 11).  There are generally about ten different genres in YA fiction.  There are horror, realistic fiction or the problem novel, mystery, suspense and thrillers, romance, historical fiction, humor, science fiction and fantasy, sports and tie-ins (Jones 1998).  Horror books aim to scare the reader.  "Elements of darkness represent evil or menace.  The evil can be of human origin but beyond our comprehension or control or supernatural" (Arnold 1998, 16).  Examples of horror authors include L.J. Smith and Stephen King.  R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike write books that belong more in the thriller genre (Jones 1998).  Realistic fiction usually follows a model in which "a teenage character has a problem or comes to realize there is a problem complicating his or her life and seeks to solve said problem" (Arnold 1998, 19).  Topics covered in realistic fiction include sex, substance abuse, the physically challenged, violence, social issues, parent-teen relationships and body image (Jones 1998).  Mystery, suspense and thrillers contain "quick-moving, plot driven detection stories, that follow one inviolable rule--no unrevealed clues or hidden culprits" (Arnold 1998, 17).  Some examples of authors of this genre are Richie Cusick, Diane Hoh and Sinclair Smith.  Romance usually revolves around a relationship with the gender of the author usually being the gender of the lead character (Jones 1998).  Katherine Applegate, Cherie Bennett and Annette Curtis Klause are examples of authors in the romance genre.  Historical fiction, which has a limited audience, recreates a specific time and place (Arnold 1998).  Authors of this genre include Eve Bunting, Ann Rinaldi, and Karen Cushman.  Humor books "can be less intimidating reading experience for many reluctant readers, demanding less emotional commitment, allowing distance from character and situation" (Arnold 1998, 18).  Examples include comic books and authors such as Ellen Conford and Richard Peck.  Science fiction and fantasy books "deal with alternatives, a variety of possibilities for looking at reality" (Arnold 1998, 14).  Very little material in this genre is written especially for YA's because they read adult authors such as Terry Brooks (Jones 1998).  Sport books "focus on athletic action, highlighting the game and rules, but in most of the successful sports genre stories, the emphasis on sport as a framework for character" (Arnold 1998, 19).  Matt Christopher and Chris Crutcher are authors who write in this genre.  Lastly, Tie-ins are connected with a movie or TV shows.  YAs want to relive the experience or experience it for the first time since they could not see the movie because it was rated R (Jones 1998).  The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dawson's Creek are examples of this genre.

According to Reading Interest of Middle Schoolers in Medina County, Ohio (1993) by Sandra K. Fronius, the most popular genres for both males and females are realistic fiction and mystery fiction.  Horror also scored high for both sexes, and romance was popular with females (Jones 1998).  To help promote genre fiction and improve service to YAs, some libraries shelve by genre, place stickers on the spine identifying the genre the book belongs to or by providing booklists or reader's advisory (Jones 1998).  However each library promotes its genre fiction collection, the important factor is to continue to develop this popular collection in order to meet the needs of YA users.

Another type of book that needs to be included in any YA collection is the classic.  Patrick Jones, a well known Young Adult librarian, defines classics as "books primarily written before any YA's grandparents were born, taught in school, and often read by YAs out of necessity rather than choice" (Jones 1998, 128).  Some examples are Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Good Earth by Pearl Buck, and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.  It is recommended to keep multiple copies available.  They may not circulate at all times of the year, but when these classics are being taught in school there will be a great demand.  Jones also recommends buying Permabound editions so that they will last longer and negate the necessity of constantly replacing worn out or damaged copies (Jones 1998).  Many YAs will only read these items because they are assigned in school, but there are YAs out there who are interested in these classics and will read them voluntarily.  "We owe it to those discerning young minds to feed the fires of their curiosity and to help them sort out the tangled web of our modern world with some of the wisdom and lyricism of the past" (Fleming 1985, 118).

One of the oldest debates in libraries concerns quality versus popularity in the selection of materials.  Do librarians "address the express needs of the population they serve or do they emphasize the merit of the materials, even though they will never make the best-seller list or even achieve a high circulation figure" (Sparanese 1998, 62).  The situation is particularly an issue in YA collections because of the following: tight budgets due to the fact that many feel YA needs are met with children's or adult collections, curriculum support being a top priority, YAs not wanting to read what adults consider "good," teens' emphasis on what is cool or hot at the moment, and quality literature being less popular in favor of more portable materials such as music, magazines and paperbacks (Sparanese 1998).  Young Adult literature is the quality side of the issue.  According to Patrick Jones, "YA literature is studied in library school and put on the Best Books for Young Adults list, but it is not primarily what YAs read" (Jones 1998, 99).  They read the mass-market paperbacks that are the popular side of the issue.

The difficult part of this issue is striking a balance, having a timeless collection while also having a collection that is constantly changing due to what is popular at the moment.  That means selecting the quality hardback book that is reviewed in journals, but also including the series and genre paperbacks that YAs like to read.  In the book, Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don't, Mary Leonhardt stresses "that if we as adults (parents or librarians) want to help young people find a lifelong joy in reading, then kids have to be able to read what they enjoy--whatever they enjoy" (Sparanese 1998, 65).  If librarians only include materials based on what appeals to them (quality material), then they are missing "the boat entirely and leave kids thinking that reading is boring and joyless" (Sparanese 1998, 65).

Another issue to consider is hardback versus paperback books.  Most teens prefer paperbacks, but some libraries still buy hardbacks.  Patrick Jones identifies reasons to buy both hardbacks and paperbacks.  Hardbacks should be purchased if it is written by a top author such as Caroline Cooney, it is controversial or is getting mixed reviews, it is on a list such as YALSA, has a built-in audience, has a great cover, or is simply too good such as The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause (Jones 1998).  Paperbacks also have numerous advantages.  They are the preferred format for teens because of the portability factor.  They allow librarians to purchase multiple copies.  The lower cost of paperbacks compared to hardbacks makes it possible to buy more copies of a particular title.  Paperbacks allow librarians to meet fluctuating demand.  Something that is popular currently may not be in a year's time, but because the librarian purchased the item in paperback, he/she can discard the item without guilt when it is no longer popular.  More paperbacks fit on a shelf than hardbacks, which allows for more books in a confined space.  Paperbacks also have attractive and eye-catching covers along with blurbs that are more like ad copy to entice readers (Jones 1998).

Many Young Adult librarians now buy a majority of paperback books, but they are frustrated that some titles are first published only in hardback.  One librarian orders items nine times a year spending $400 per order.  If he orders a hardback book, which costs $12.95 to $18.95, then that consumes 5% of the total amount to be spent on an order.  As a result, this librarian passes on buying most hardback books.  Instead he waits to purchase the item until it is published in paperback sometime later (Sullivan 1997).  A recent development has occurred to help this situation.  "Some publishers, in a recognition of the role of the paperback in the teenage reader's life, have published simultaneously in hardcover and paperback" (Sparanese 1998, 71).

Nonfiction

Another important aspect to Young Adult collection development is nonfiction material.  There are essentially four types of nonfiction: recreational, informational, educational, and reference.  YAs read recreational nonfiction for fun.  They have a particular topic or question they are interested in and read a nonfiction book to satisfy their curiosity (Jones 1998).  Informational nonfiction is read by YAs to answer questions about their changing bodies and changing lives.  Educational nonfiction is used to complete homework assignments or support school curriculum (Jones 1998).  Reference nonfiction also is used to support school curriculum, but is kept in-house and is not available for checkout.  Each type of nonfiction is an important part of the YA collection, but educational nonfiction constitutes the largest percentage of the collection.

When developing the educational section of the nonfiction collection, there are several factors to consider.  The first thing is to investigate the area schools curriculum and libraries.  Find out what they have and what the library needs to supplement them (Jones 1998).  This means leaving the library and visiting schools and teachers.  Another factor is to consider series nonfiction.  “Series nonfiction presents librarians with brand names they can trust to provide good information in easy-to-use formats” (Jones 1998, 135).  These series gather information from a variety of sources, organize it and present it in easy-to-read text that it accompanied by graphics.  When evaluating nonfiction series, librarians need to look at the readability, the author’s presentation of fact and opinion, the organization of the information, the format, the presence of photographs, documentation, currency, length under 200 pages, does the book appeal to reluctant readers, and does the book have up-to-date bibliographies (Jones 1998).  One of the most popular nonfiction series is Opposing Viewpoints.  “Finding a balance here is a key job for the YA librarian, because, unlike school libraries, our role is to serve the whole teenager, not just the student” (Sparanese 1998, 73). 

Some issues to look at when choosing all types of nonfiction include currency, organization, and format.  Nonfiction should be as current as possible.  No one wants to do research on the solar system with books that were written before Voyager.  In order to achieve this, the nonfiction collection needs to be weeded as information become outdated (Jones 1998).  The organization of information should be easy-to-use.  Charts, lists, graphs and photographs are advantages as well (Jones 1998).  Lastly, the format is important.  Is there a good mix of text and photographs?  Does it look like a children’s book?  If it does, YAs may pass on the book thinking it is too easy or beneath them (Jones 1998).  Nonfiction books are an important part of the YA collection not just for information but for recreation as well.  “Nonfiction, the once-serious genre of fact, has expanded to include humorous treatments that are no less informational” (Kerper 1998, 80). 

Periodicals

Although periodicals or magazines can be informational, the main reason YAs read them is recreational.  Periodicals are the most popular format for teens (Jones 1998).  Teens read magazines for a number of reasons.  They are very visual, have short articles, are less intimidating for reluctant readers, and they cater to special interests (Jones 1998).  Perhaps the most important aspect of magazines to teens is the cover.  They like the visually interesting pictures that are featured on the cover and throughout the magazine (Fine 1996). 

Libraries should include magazines in any YA collection for a number of reasons.  First, magazines reach nonbook readers (Jones 1998).  Libraries have always had a difficult time meeting the needs of reluctant readers, but magazines do because they are easier to read and visually stimulating.  Secondly, if you allow magazines to be checked out, they will greatly increase your circulation figures.  In fact, some magazine titles will circulate more times than a similarly priced hardback fiction book (Jones 1998).  Lastly, magazines are very visual.  Because of the attractive covers, they draw teens into the Young Adult of the library (Jones 1998). 

Although, magazines are very popular and should be included in the YA collection, there are disadvantages.  First, ordering and processing magazines can be very time consuming.  Second, magazines frequently are stolen (Jones 1998).  If they are not stolen, then they wear out very quickly.  As a result, librarians should consider them “disposable materials designed to meet an immediate interest and not part of the permanent collection” (Jones 1998, 141).  Lastly, the subject matter and ads that are found in some magazines might be objectionable to some.  The library will have to examine their policies on intellectual freedom when this issue comes up (Jones 1998). 

A variety of titles are available that cater to YAs.  According to a School Library Journal survey, the most popular magazines for 13-18 year olds are Seventeen, YM, Sports Illustrated, Teen, People, and Mad (Fine 1996).  Some of the least popular are Sixteen, Reader’s Digest, Better Homes and Garden, and Good Housekeeping (Fine 1996).  Some additional titles that are recommended for a YA magazine collection are Bop, Entertainment Weekly, Nintendo Power, Rolling Stone, and Starlog (Jones 1998).  Finding reviews to help in the selection of titles may be difficult because “the library review media is not that strong with magazines and almost nonexistent for YA titles” (Jones 1998, 142).  The best place to research is at the newsstand, the bookstore or drugstore.  Observe which magazines YAs browse through or buy.  Another area that may be gaining in popularity is webzines.  They “target small niche markets that mainstream, print-based media tend to neglect” (Fine 1996, 37).  Magazines are a positive addition to any YA collection; they increase traffic and circulation in the YA area, create good public relations, and attract both users and nonusers.

 Non-Print Materials

One of the newest additions to a good YA collection is non-print materials.  This includes videos, DVDs, compact discs, computer software, and books on cassette.  Videos and computer software can entertain or educate users.  Music is the number one nonschool activity that teens engage in (Cook 1998).  Including books on cassette in the collection serves multiple purposes.  They can help teens learn foreign languages, serve as a alternate format to fulfill class assignments with regards to classics, and meet the needs of reluctant readers.  Non-print materials increase circulation statistics, but they are also high theft items (Jones 1998).  By including these formats in the library’s YA collection, one is attempting to connect with YAs. 

When selecting music such as compact discs, a good place to start is the charts.  Because many of today’s librarians do not have the same music tastes of YAs, the charts provide a way for librarians to see what teens are listening to and buying.  The Billboard charts and top selling lists on web sites such as Amazon and CD Now are good choices.  Visiting music stores to see what is being promoted and asking teens are also avenues to explore (Jones 1998).  According to a survey by the National Association of Secondary Principles, the most popular type of music for YAs is alternative rock, but also scoring high are rock, rap, pop, oldies, country and western, and classic rock (Cook 1996).  When selecting music for YAs, it is important to remember that “music taste among young adults is not monolithic but rather spans the spectrum” (Cook 1996, 92).  Also, “musical taste is fluid, changing from generation to generation of young adults” (Cook 1996, 92).  That means the collection will continuously have to be updated because tastes change frequently. 

With each of these non-print formats, the same issues emerge.  The first is demand versus quality (Jones 1998).  Does the library buy what is popular such as gangsta rap, which contains offensive lyrics that degrade women and glorify violence, or what they consider quality such as the Beatles.  Another choice that has to be made concerns recreational versus educational versus informational (Jones 1998).  Librarians only have a limited amount of money to spend on non-print materials.  Do they buy a wrestling video or an SAT review video?  Do they buy a computer software game or one that teaches typing?  Finally intellectual freedom issues are also prominent in non-print materials.  Some compact discs have parental advisory stickers on them.  In fact, “record labels are free to determine which albums will be labeled and what their criteria will be” (Cook 1998, 95-96).  A CD may have a sticker but contain no foul language.  Problems with videos may come up as well.  R rated movies can not be seen by anyone under seventeen without a parent at movie theaters, but teens can check them out at the library.  Some examples of videos that have been challenged are Boyz n’ the Hood, Heathers, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Fahrenheit 451 (Beck 1995).  These are the types of issues that librarians will have to consider when selecting materials for the non-print collection.

Intellectual Freedom

Intellectual freedom is always a concern is public libraries, but YA material is especially “susceptible to being challenged” (Kravitz 1998, 227).  This is because a concerned person who is usually a parent believes that the YA material “contains profanity, pornography and sex in an explicit or realistic manner” (Kravitz 1998, 230-231).  According to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, “a person’s rights to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views” (ALA 2000).  That means a library that has adopted the Library Bill of Rights, as part of its collection development policy can not deny access to materials that others may find objectionable to YAs. 

Realistic fiction is a target for censors because “it depicts life as it is” (Kravitz 1998).  Books that contain homosexuality are also a target.  One example is Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden.  It “is a love story between two young women who discover their homosexuality and the joys and problems it incurs” (Kravitz 1998, 231).  Even classics such as Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger are challenged because of language, profanity and obscenity.  In fact, Of Mice and Men is the second most challenged book of the 1990’s (Kravitz 1998).  One of the hottest issues concerning censorship today concerns access to R rated videos to minors (Kravitz 1998).  Several communities across the country have tried to legally restrict access to these videos to minors.  “In New York and Tennessee, state laws would penalize libraries for circulating R-or NC-17-rated videos to minors” (Kravitz 1998).  Because the MPAA rating system has no legal basis and is very vague, a public library that enforces such a system may be a violation of the First Amendment (Kravitz 1998). Because of the topics Young Adult materials cover and the themes they present, they are prone to challenges from parents.

“The best way to cope with intellectual freedom challenges is to be familiar enough with both ALA’s and your library’s policies regarding the role of the public library in society and youth access to information to explain them to your adult and young adult patrons” (Chelton and Rosinia 1993, 41).  The censor believe that exposure to what they consider bad ideas to automatically cause bad behavior and that removal of such material will eliminate this bad behavior.  It is very important to remain courteous and polite during exchanges with anyone who complains about any YA materials.  Under no circumstances should the librarian express his or her personal opinions or views.  Librarians should explain that “the library is a public forum that provides many different viewpoints on human activity.  We recognize that not everyone will agree with everything that is here, but our role is to assure that a broad variety of materials is available from which you can choose” (Chelton and Rosinia 1993, 43).

Conclusion

Young Adults are an important user group of the public library.  Services aimed especially to meet their needs should be pursued.  Development of a collection of materials is an integral part of YA service.  Inclusion of series fiction, genre fiction, paperback fiction, popular fiction, series nonfiction, eye-catching magazines, and non-print materials is essential to building a good Young Adult collection.  Adhering to the Library Bill of Rights and not denying access to any materials based on age is another important factor in servicing and meeting the needs of teens.  By providing popular materials along with quality materials, libraries are encouraging young adults to come to the library and read.  These actions may encourage a lifelong love of reading and libraries.  Thus ensuring the library’s future for many years to come. 

References

American Library Association, 28 April 2000; available from http://ala.org; Internet. 

Arnold, Mary. 1998. “I Want Another Book Like…”: Young Adult and Genre Literature. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 11-22. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 

Beck, Kathleen. 1995. Censorship and Celluloid. VOYA (June) : 73-76. 

Chelton, Mary K. and James M. Rosinia. 1993. Bare Bones: Young Adult Services for Public Library Generalists. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. 

Cook, James. 1998. Pump Up the Volume: Selecting and Developing Recording Collections for Young Adults. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 90-97. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 

Fine, Jana R. 1996. Teen ‘Zines: Magazines & Webzines for the Way Cool Set. School Library Journal (November) : 34-37. 

Fleming, William A. 1985. A Plea for the “Classics”. In Meeting the Challenge: Library Service to Young Adults, ed. Andre Gagnon and Ann Gagnon, 115-121. Ottawa, Ontario Canada: Canadian Library Association. 

Jones, Patrick. 1998. Connecting Young Adults and Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual, 2^nd ed. How-To-Do-It Manuals For Librarians, no. 59. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. 

Kerper, Rick. 1998. Young Adult Non-fiction: Not Just for Homework Anymore. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 78-89. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 

Kravitz, Nancy. 1998. Young Adults and Intellectual Freedom: Choices and Challenges. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 227-238. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 

Ritchie, Catherine. 1998. Where Do I Begin? Developing a Core Collection for Young Adults. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 45-51. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. 

Sullivan, Edward T. 1997. To Buy or Not to Buy: The Cases For and Against Hard Cover Young Adult Fiction. VOYA (February) : 321-322. 

Sparanese, Ann. 1998. R.L. Stine Meets Horatio Alger: Quality versus Popularity in the Young Adult Collection. In Young Adults and Public Libraries: A Handbook of Materials and Services, Greenwood Library Management Collection, ed. Mary Anne Nichols and C. Allen Nichols, 62-77. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.