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Enticing teenagers into the library

Clare Snowball (Faculty of Media, Society and Culture, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia)

Library Review

ISSN: 0024-2535

Article publication date: 8 February 2008

4474

Abstract

Purpose

Children and teenagers are the future adult users of libraries, and how they are treated in our libraries, particularly school and public libraries, can cement lifelong memories and habits in these young people. This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The following paper is a review of the literature on young people's, particularly teenagers’ use (or lack thereof) of libraries, the importance of library use and methods to encourage library use in young people.

Findings

Despite the findings from some of the literature that teenagers are less likely to visit libraries, there were many services and programmes in libraries that aim to reverse this trend.

Research limitations/implications

Some of the literature is peer‐reviewed, but selected pieces were written by librarians in the field about their interactions with young people in their libraries. Although the latter cannot be generalised to all young people, they are important in providing examples of what occurs in some cases and what might be replicated in other settings.

Originality/value

Encouraging young people to visit and enjoy libraries can be a rewarding experience and is important in creating the next generation of library users.

Keywords

Citation

Snowball, C. (2008), "Enticing teenagers into the library", Library Review, Vol. 57 No. 1, pp. 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530810845035

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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