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Expectations of YA about dedicated services

5.2 Analysis

5.2.2 Expectations of YA about dedicated services

Library services dedicated or conceived primarily for young adults are not widespread in Italy. The two librarians interviewed belonged to the standard and affirmed that, although young adults visit their libraries, they offer poor dedicated services and none of them tried to reach young adults in some special way in order to get them know the library better.49 Anyway, one of them professed she would, but the difficulty is in reaching this target group.50

5.2.2.1. Most appreciated / Least appreciated materials and services by YA

From observations, librarians stated that, in his opinion, the most appreciated thing by young adults in the library is the possibility to surf the Internet,51 along with the freedom to browse through the shelves and around the library without constraints.52 Furthermore, it has been highlighted that magazines and newspapers are not of great interest for young adults, thus implicitly reflecting that the choice to make available this typology of materials for them could be not essential.53 Nonetheless, it could be argued that only a reorganisation in the arrangement of magazines in the library would prove this version, against which there is some example even in the county.54

Turning to users’ perceptions, in the opinion of all members of the adults’ focus group, service quality and the attention to the users’ needs are vital features.55 More explicitly, the atmosphere perceived by the user while entering the library can be a key factor in fostering and maintaining the relationship between user and librarian.56 Another important factor is the ability of the librarian to offer specific advice and a professional quality of services.57 Besides, the parent interviewed underlined the centrality of the loan services. Nobody, in fact, would ever be able to afford the purchase of so many books a library can offer.58

For YA in particular, services like music and the Internet, although someone observes that an Internet connection is slowly entering more and more households,59 are

5.2.2.2. The image of the public library: Between the cold, traditional institution and the emotional nest of freedom and transgression

As far as the importance of the library for young adults is concerned, it was in some way surprising to ascertain that the least enthusiastic notes were collected among one of the librarians, who should promote actively this place also among this age group.

In fact, it has been observed that the public library doesn’t really seem a primarily concern for young adults in particular: “I don’t think they look at it as an important place. It doesn’t seem to be essential, they look for places where they can stay together without strict rules. The library is not such a place and, moreover, it is used for activities related with the school.”61

According to this view, he suggested that the library – if promoting dedicated services to this group – should change name, accepting for the specific section a definition such as “YA Info Point” or “YA Centre”, as to completely avoid the concept of “books”

related with this place.62

Furthermore, in his opinion, the public library suffers from a vision too deeply connected with school activities, so young adults cannot see its potential and utility to their life. The library could only gain importance for them if “its image would be detached from the stereotypes [mentioned above] and be associated to a more informal, open space and non-structured activities. Furniture such as tables and seats – too much similar to school rooms – shall be substituted with comfortable armchairs and sofas,”63 a vision, in fact, already emerged from some questionnaire answers.64

A more pragmatic and general view was defended by the other librarian interviewed, who observed that the public library is useful for research activities, for reading and as a safe room for everyone. This colleague65 was more confident in being able to exercise a positive influence in habits, so she also suggested that to improve a positive approach with the library among young adults, the technique of the “concealed advertisement”

should be considered.66 Anyway, she had no doubt in stating that the public library is important for the young adults group first of all as a place for meeting friends, and only thereafter as a place where to read.67

The opinions of adults’ and young adults’ on this matter revealed agreement on this point, although slowly, thought after thought, a dual concept of library emerges.

On the one side, the concept of a traditional - and serious – library institution, where to study and do research. On the other, the affirmation of a new library, where to meet ideas and people.

For both age groups, the library has, undisputedly, a very important social role.

Adults asked what they would do if it there was a decrease or a loss of its financial resources, have envisaged the possibility of reacting with a collective action – be it a self-administration by a group of parents, an association or a committee named for the occasion.68 In the extreme case of a closure, “the reaction would be an action, a sit-in, a permanent presence of readers in front of the library. Surely some kind of very noticeable action, as strong as the loss of a library would mean.”69

No doubt then: the library is very important for the young as well as for the adults.

“I think it is a powerful aggregation centre that fosters curiosity and reading habits. It has a positive impact and above all it is a safe and very stimulating place.”70

According to this vision, the interviewed parent defined it as a place with a high density of people and things, where it is possible to get in touch with something new every time. “It is a place where they [the children] can do homework with their friends, be quiet or chat with friends,”71 and a meeting point for people of different ages. One of the most important things is that children of the elementary school can meet older ones, learn how to behave with them and how to interact with grown ups.72

From the young adults’ side, there was even a more complex and stimulating answer. In growing up, they experience separation from one another because their personal interests and views are creeping out, so they reflect also on the choices of the others.73 As a consequence, their answers reflected firstly their own position about the theme, all agreeing on the importance of the library,74 but secondly arguing on attitudes noticed in peers. One of them, in fact, disputed that “the library means knowledge, opportunities – for students – but it is sacrificed, overshadowed, and overthrown by the television and especially by the so-called trash TV programmes.”75

Another one reminds that the attitude of the group leader dominates the participation in

as “a place where everyone can follow one’s own path, outside of the consumers’

paradigm.”77 From this observation, a deeper thought emerges: “Culture is transgression, not institution,”78 meaning that the library has to be seen as an opportunity for information and knowledge in itself, not solely confined to some specific use.

In the end, the major task devised is finding a strategy to promote a new image of the library among peers. As they suggested, this could be achieved through a big promotional action that can convey the idea of the library as a cultural place breaking with institutional rules, because everyone can freely choose between materials, formats and supports.79