RA for Teens
Lauren Regenhardt, MLIS
Teen Services Manager
Yuma County Library District
A flowchart to get you
started…
 http://teach.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/07/SummerReading-Flowchart-Young-Adults.gif
Take a look at your community
What
are they reading?
Based on what they are
reading, what can you order
that would appeal to them?
Cater to their interests
In Yuma County…
YA Stats - October 2014
Dateland Foothills
Heritage Main
Roll
San Luis
Somerton Wellton
Total
BIOGRAPHY
0
1
3
5
0
2
2
0
13
NONFICTION
0
23
26
115
0
37
21
0
222
YA-FICTION
14
125
49
466
10
154
46
26
890
YA-GRA-FIC
7
184
40
844
0
415
132
0
1622
YA-MYSTERY
0
13
1
11
3
4
6
0
16
36
18
82
1
49
19
7
YA-SC-FI
228
What I do in
Yuma…
My teens…
 Play



video games
Insignia by S.J. Kincaid
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
 LOVE
(like, really) love superheroes and
comics



Pulse by Patrick Carman
Super Human by Michael Carroll
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
My teens…
 Watch



Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs
Asylum by Madeleine Roux
 Watch



Supernatural
Marvel/DC movies and shows
The Green Arrow comics
Batman comics
The Flash comics
Average teen reference
interview…
 “Can
you help me find a book?”
 “Absolutely! What kind of book?”
 Potential responses:



“Something with vampires.”
“Something like The Fault In Our Stars (or
insert book here)”
*Blank stare, a little drool*
Questions we can ask them
 “What
was the last thing you read and
enjoyed?”
 “What kind of books have you liked in the
past?”
 “What shows do you watch/games do
you play?”
 “What books do you hate?”
Ten Rules of Basic RA Service
by RA For all


1. Betty Rosenberg: “Never apologize for your reading
tastes.”
2. Suggest don’t Recommend.
3. Everyone reads a different version of the same book.
4. Write down adjectives about what you read; plot you can
find.
5. Read widely (at least speed read widely).
6. Read about books (RSS feeds).
7. Share what you read- with staff and patrons.
8. Never let a patron leave unsatisfied.
9. Get out from behind the desk.
10. Bridge the physical-virtual divide.
http://raforall.blogspot.com/p/beckys-ten-rules-of-basic-raservice.html
Resources to help bridge that
physical-virtual divide

Pinterest (For you)




Snapchat (for them)


Snap a pic of new books and anyone who is
‘friends’ with you will see
Twitter (also for them)



“20 books if you liked “The Fault In Our Stars”
Flow charts
Library Pinterest pages
The “New Facebook”
Tweet a 140-character book talk/snippet
Goodreads
Know your audience! (Again)




Teens are always changing! They change
interests and styles and fads. Stay ahead of
the game!
Don’t underestimate them. They’ll question
you and fight just because they can. Be
patient with them!
Know your collection. If you have to search
for ten minutes to locate something, you’ll
lose them.
DISPLAYS!!
Think about your Space
 If
you have a teen room, that’s
automatically reader’s advisory. Have
the books shelved there so while they’re
playing games, watching movies, etc.,
they see the books.
 If you don’t, make a space! Even a corner
with a display or bulletin board. Draw their
attention and keep it!
Questions?
 [email protected]