Librarians all over the country lament the problem of getting teens, especially teen guys, into the library.  This particular group of library users (or non-users, more often than not) is labeled as the “hard to reach” group.  However, as the Teen Specialist Librarian for the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, I can vouch that teen guys are the norm—not the exception—at this library!

     On most any Saturday or weekday afternoon, EVPL’s Central Library comes to life when numerous teens take over the Teen Zone.  They are here because they want to be here.  They are here because the library is giving them a reason to want to be here. Specifically, the library offers programs that appeal to the teens’ needs—intellectually, socially, and sometimes even emotionally.  

     Central Library started offering back-to-back programs on Saturday afternoons to its teen users last spring.  The first program in the Saturday lineup, Otaku Anonymous, is a student-led club for fans of anime, manga, or most anything Japanese.  Although otaku is Japanese for the equivalent of nerd or geek, the teens in Otaku Anonymous are anything but nerds.

      Started approximately a year ago by five teens calling themselves “The Council,” the group now averages forty-five members at each meeting.  The students on the council plan events, prepare presentations, and lead the meetings.  They have presented programs on the history of electronic games, steps to doing cosplay (dressing as one’s favorite anime/manga character), creating voice-over “flash” video, and most recently they have hosted manga author, Josh Elder, as a guest speaker.  Although many of the Otaku teens are older high school students, there are plenty of middle school students who participate in the activities and look up to the older ones as mentors.  It is the goal of many middle school students to someday become part of The Council.

     Following each Otaku meeting, there is a two-hour, open-play, electronic gaming event known as Gaming Power Hour (x2).  If you’re wondering how  gaming can be considered a viable library program, all you have to do is  read some of the literature by Jenny Levine, Eli Neiburger, Beth Halloway, or Steven Johnson. The truth—as I’ve seen it on those Saturdays of programming—is that gaming attracts the teens, especially the guys. 

     Hosting gaming events clearly demonstrates to the teens that the library embraces their values.  The gaming events give teens a chance to meet and socialize in a neutral commons area (a.k.a. the library).  Teens  eagerly  help with set-up and tear-down at these events, and they monitor each other to ensure that everyone plays fairly and shares the library’s gaming equipment.  Benefits of these gaming events include the opportunity for teens to claim ownership of the program and to develop a sense of ownership in the library.  Additionally, they create spin-off programs, such as the Gaming Unplugged event (a non-electronic gaming program) and Guitar Hero Tournament. Both ideas  were successfully developed and led by teens. Young people who otherwise might never set foot in a library are now regularly seen here, and not just on the weekends—checking out books, serving as volunteers, and attending other library programs.   

     Having teen-friendly events at the library not only attracts teens, but it also ensures that they will continue coming to the library when they are adults.