As someone who has been a PA librarian for 9 years now (HA! I did it, I told you my state) I have watched the world of YA grow in PA Library Land. I started my interest in YA from my own interest in the literature as a teen. In my undergrad, I was able to run a Teen Summer Reading program which helped me become a Teen Program Person. I've also watched the state of things deteriorate rapidly. So, I feel I can say a few things about what I see going on.
From The Story Siren, I've just learned about this initiative called "PAYA: Bringing (More) YA to PA." On one hand, I'm sorry to say I'm insulted. The libraries in the county I work in (and I might be able to comment on the county I live in), have YA books all ready in the library. This space may be a shelf or two, or a whole room, but there are attempts at YA spaces in PA libraries, no matter how small.
What we really need help in is staff. I was told once that grants for personnel are difficult to find, and even then, the position only lasts a certain time before the library has to decide if it is something to keep or not, and in this time, if the library can't find the money, BYE BYE (sadly). A colleague of mine who works in Youth Services had to give up YA due to staff leaving and vacancies not being filled. My hours were cut back (no lost pay). Other libraries have had to decrease or completely eliminate teen programs because of that word: Funding.
As you may or may not know, PA just had a 40% cut or so from the state budget last year. This year we're facing 10% again, and again the gambling money is being used to try and save parts of the budget. We haven't seen these funding numbers for year. Gov. Ridge finally brought us up into respectable funding levels. Now we're back to disgraceful. The state was technically never supposed to cover public library services (completely). It was supposed to be municipalities and counties who picked up the tab. Some municipalities refuse to pick up the tab. Others contribute what they can, but it is not enough. Everyone is facing cuts right now, not just the state, but counties, municipalities, etc. All departments are facing budget woes including fire departments and police. All of these institutions that help us are facing budget woes and some of the funding is inappropriate. (Gambling money to fund education?).
All in all, Young Adult services are "a luxury." Most programs, if a library has it are run by Youth Services librarians who prefer children's story times, or assistant directors who have other duties and can only contribute a few hours, or directors who are the one wo/man show. Those who want to do the job are either over qualified, can't work part time for certain reasons, or are Youth Services librarians who have to choose one or the other because the library is a busy place and the parents are easier to reach than the teens.
Instead of bringing More YA to PA, why not advocate as to WHY we need more YA in PA? The librarians are with you (you just need to contact us instead of the other book blogs!). It is the public the school admins, the county big-wigs who needs to see this. We need to change the terminology from YA to teen. We need to show that early literacy and teen literacy are equally important. The teens who drop off at this point may never return and this is WHY we need teen services, library professionals who recognize teen reading habits, who recognize that teens are going through crazy times, who recognize that in this crazy world, the library can be that "third place," that safe haven that teens need and one that parents recognize.
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