Youth Participation

This segment of the study includes ways in which the design of each teen center was influenced by the inclusion of young people themselves into the process. Out of the 39 libraries, 10 did not utilize young people in the design phase of the teen center, and only 2 public libraries used both an advisory group and focus groups in their projects.

Findings

Youth-Produced Art

Percent of Libraries With Teen-Produced Art: 46%

When spaces featured local and teen-produced art as part of the design, they were less likely to include a study room or television. Local art did not affect visitors or circulation.

Teens in Full Participation at Palos Verdes, CA

Teens Involved in Design

Percent of Libraries With Advisory Group Input: 38%
Percent of Libraries With Focus Group Input: 41%

When teens were involved in the design process, the teen center was much more likely to have a television or study room, and generally had more computers as well as better visual merchandising. There was no strong correlation, however, between teen involvement and circulation, visitors, or other indicators of continued teen presence.

Library Name *	Local/Teen Produced Art	TAG Group Help in Design	Focus Group or Other YA Input in Design
00 Boulder	YES	YES	YES
05 Leominster	YES	YES	YES
01 Edmonds	YES	NO	YES
03 Georgetown	YES	NO	YES
04 Wayzata	YES	NO	YES
04 Hays	YES	NO	YES
07 Scottsdale	YES	NO	YES
02 Schaumberg	YES	YES	NO
04 Mesa	YES	YES	NO
04 Newport Beach	YES	YES	NO
05 Wadsworth	YES	YES	NO
06 Hammond	YES	YES	NO
07 Delray Beach	YES	YES	NO
00 Fort Wayne	YES	NO	NO
01 North Long Beach	YES	NO	NO
03 Cuyahoga	YES	NO	NO
04 Avon Lake	YES	NO	NO
01 Cuyahoga	NOT YET	NO	NO
07 Palos Verdes	NO	YES	YES
01 Swampscott	NO	NO	YES
02 Littleton	NO	NO	YES
03 Glendale	NO	NO	YES
05 Southfield	NO	NO	YES
05 Natrona	NO	NO	YES
05 Seattle	NO	NO	YES
06 Pittsburgh	NO	NO	YES
02 Pinellas	NO	YES	NO
01 Shirley	NO	YES	NO
02 Orrville	NO	YES	NO
03 Frederick	NO	YES	NO
04 Cass City	NO	YES	NO
06 Waupaca	NO	YES	NO
00 Shaker Heights	NO	NO	NO
03 Eau Claire	NO	NO	NO
05 Middleton	NO	NO	NO
06 Columbus	NO	NO	NO
07 Norwich	NO	NO	NO
03 Phoenix			YES
00 Los Angeles

Library Name *

Local/Teen Produced Art

TAG Group Help in Design

Focus Group or Other YA Input in Design

00 Boulder

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

01 North Long Beach

YES

YES

YES

NOT YET

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

Key
	Data Not Available
	School Library
*	Numbers correspond to the year the library was featured in VOYA
**	These numbers based on gate counts and/or visual observation
***	Determination based on photos and descriptions of displays
****	Yes means at least 3 different seating options

Introduction	Fundamentals	Use Attractions	Visual Attractions	Youth Participation	Circulation
Youth Presence	New Bay Area Teen Spaces		Discussion	Sources	All Data (75 kb download)

Introduction	Fundamentals	Use Attractions	Visual Attractions	Youth Participation	Circulation
Youth Presence	New Bay Area Teen Spaces		Discussion	Sources	All Data (75 kb download)