Adolescence, the transitional time between childhood and adulthood, can be a tricky time in a person's life. The young adult strives for autonomy, but has not yet fully developed the cognitive abilities or emotional maturity of an adult. No longer does the teen feel comfortable in the children's section of the library, nor are his information needs well suited for the adult sections of the library. Within our library, young adult users will have a space carved out for them. According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2010 there will be more teenagers in the United States than ever before. Given that children and young adults are the primary users of a public library, it is imperative to have a strong young adult collection so that we create life-long users of the library.

The special nonfiction collection of our library has been created for the young adult population and serves as a "life skills" resource. The teen years are typically a time of questioning and figuring out where one fits in. Yet, teens often want to find the answers on their own without the help of an adult be it a parent or a librarian. This collection is aimed at providing young adults with easy access to materials that are of primary importance to them. For example, young adults can use the collection to find answers to their health concerns, to understand changes in their body, and to find ways to handle peer pressure. As Patrick Jones suggests, public libraries need to develop services that "...will make an affirmative impact leading to positive outcomes for teens" (New Directions).

We hope that by providing a solid non-fiction section, we will also increase the library's appeal among the young adults in our community. Typically, young adult collections are laden with fiction titles. Non-fiction is often under valued in both the classroom and library. However, nonfiction can have a broader appeal for both the male and female reader. Young adults enjoy magazines and are interested in facts. Our nonfiction collection will support literacy among young adult patrons whether it be an avid reader or one who is reluctant.

To promote this collection, we will team with the local middle and high school to do some nonfiction book talks. We will also distribute flyers to the schools so that young adults are aware of this new collection. It is our hope that as young adults realize that the library is an accessible avenue to answering their questions, we will see increase usage of our nonfiction collection.

Chelton, Mary K. "Perspectives on Practice: Young Adult Collections Are More Than Just Young Adult Literature." Young Adult Library Services 4.2 (Winter 2006): 10-11.

—. "Perspectives on YA Practice." Young Adult Library Services 3.4 (Summer 2005): 4-11.

Jones, Patrick. "New Directions for Serving Young Adults Means Building More than our Collections." Journal of Youth Services in Libraries 15.3 (Spring 2002): 21-23.

—. "Up for Discussion-Nonfiction: the Real Stuff - a YA Librarian Makes the Case for Noncurriculum-Related Nonfiction." School Library Journal. 1 Apr. 2001. Reed Business Information. 15 Nov. 2007 <http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA69453.html?q=young+adult+nonfiction>

Smith, Karen M. "The Power of Information: Creating a YA Nonfiction Collection." Young Adult Library Services 5.1 (Fall 2006): 28-30.