Hotness

Wanna create exciting teen public library spaces that attract customers like bees to honey? You can generate buzz if you mix popular young adult reading and entertainment trends with inspired visual displays!

What's that you say - you are not creative and you don't know where to start? Wellllll, not so fast. First of all, if you work in a teen library, chances are you are already an expert. Also, as library people, otherwise known as "Information Specialists", you sure know how to find quality information online or in-person. Instead of opting-out, what you may need is a few more resources in your toolbox to help you spot trends and figure out how to work it to draw in the young folk.

While we are at it - you say you are not creative? We hear that a lot too and that's okay. It's definitely not everyone's forte. So, here's an idea...Do you have volunteers but not enough for them to do? Teens make great designers/decorators. You just have to provide the basic ideas, materials, and direction. Doesn't sound like you? Check around and see if anyone on staff has a fever-for-the-flavor to either make it happen themselves or work with your volunteers. There's usually already someone around who is more than happy to make some pretty.

Top 3 Reasons to Trendwatch
1) Attract Teens
2) Stay Relevant
3) It's Fun!

One more thing, embracing trends is not a simply a shallow undertaking. Depending on how you look at it, most public libraries house popular collections, and popularity is not paper thin. If you grasp the teen essence, you will see that trends capture signposts of personal development which can include rite of passage themes through adventure, experimentation, rebellion, romance and so much more. So, in my opinion, when you tap into a trend, you are tapping into much more than what meets the eye. Just think about it.

Exercise Away

Ready, set, go...

What follows are exercises that you can do anytime to work a little trendwatching and making magic. (You never know, these exercises may even become a habit?!) Along those lines, my favorite time to dig for and simmer fresh ideas is towards the end of the work week when I am winding down but still in absorption mode.

THINK: Bookmarks, Displays, and Programs

Exercise #1) Grab some professional lit and browse through the articles. (My favorites are listed in another post.) Spend a little time skimming the ones that catch your fancy. Pick one and brainstorm a few ways you could apply the trend to your environment. Btw, the good ones usually include all kinds of tips and how-to advice.

Exercise #2) Scan popular culture for the latest movie and entertainment rage. Identify a common title or subject. Now, peruse your visual "inspiration" resources for mediums and modes that you could use to communicate the trend you have identified.

Example: "Best of" Book Award Display and Bookmarks
Source: ALA's YALSA Booklists and Book Awards - http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm
Look: Vintage Award Medal Display (Giant sized)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumia7/4999815946 (Finished Product)
Also, you can download free bookmarks - http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/marketing/2010/2010awards.pdf

BONUS INSPIRATION: Hot, Hot, Hot New New York Public Library "Exquisite Book" Release Program - http://www.nypl.org/node/90259
See Also: http://www.crafternoon.com/

Hot, Medium, or Cold

Trend Watching Tips - http://trendwatching.com/tips/
"...So trend watching should ultimately lead to profitable innovation. "

Hot:
Titles/Culture -
Vampires
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Zines
Collaborative Arts Projects
Story
Cause
Movements
Competitive Performance (Singing, Dancing)

Look -
Style: Eco, 80's, Urban, DIY, Craft (Indie/Neo), Smart (Nerd Cool), Poetic, Carnival
Representation: Homemade, Handmade, Handwritten, Illustration, Papercut
Materials: Textile, Fiber, Paper (Old & New), Notebook/Sketchbook,Cardboard, Found Objects - Repurposed/Recycled, Chalkboard
Techniques: Construction, Letterpress, Printmaking
Display: Paper Chains, Flag Garland, Mini Flag Signs, Prize Medal, Graffiti, Teepees, Carnival


Medium: (a.k.a. "Fading" or on the downside of the peak AND "Classic")
Titles/Culture -
Twilight?
Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke
Bluford High series by various authors

Looks -
Style: Goth, Emo, Vintage, Kitsch (classic in my book), "Express Yourself", Neo-Psychedelic/ High Impact, Roy Lichtensteinesque Pop Art, Gyspy, Cowgirl
Representation: Silhouettes, Cloud & Rain, Red Arrow Signs, Cupcakes, Forest Animals, Woodland Creatures, Birds, Patterns, Word Bubbles , Book Arts, GLITTER, Damask, Gilded Picture Frames,{Brackets}, Mustaches (went out too fast because very over-played), Moby Dick-esque Whales and Maritime Themes (same thing as mustaches)


Cold:
Dated series like Buffy and the Vampire Slayer
Some would argue this is "Medium")

10 Tips

10 Tips for Tracking Trends: Libraries can stay relevant to their users by strategically riding the waves of societal trends by Elisabeth Doucett
Source: American Libraries, June/July 2010 Issue

Step 1: Identify potential sources of information for societal and library trend tracking.
Step 2: Develop a method for regularly reviewing those resources.
Step 3: Search social networking sites.
Step 4: Review each idea that you pulled out of your research, considering potential implications for your library.
Step 5: Leave your idea list in a file until you start the same process the next week.
Step 6: When you identify the ideas that you want to pursue for your library, get together with some of your fellow librarians to help you review the ideas and find the good and bad about them.
Step 7: Put the ideas back in the file and let them sit for another week.
Step 8: Once a month, pull out one idea that has gone through steps 1–7.
Step 9: Approval.
Step 10: Turned down.

Resources & Tricks

You can spot trends by regularly sweeping professional and entertainment resources. A few is all you need to get the creative juices flowing. My favorites are listed below along with some handy design and personal resources as well. Also, be sure to check out what other happenin' libraries are doing and attend professional conferences too when and where you can. I was fortunate to make it to PLA in Portland, Oregon this past March 2010 and to several FLA's. (Haven't made it to an ALA yet but looking forward to it someday.)

Popular Culture Muses:
Movies/Film - (This is HUGE!)
Music
Entertainment
Retail - (Think Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Target etc.)
Commercials

Professional Lit:
VOYA
Young Adult Library Services
School Library Journal (Not so much)
American Libraries

Professional Websites:
YALSA - http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/yalsa.cfm

Happenin' Libraries:
New York Public Library - http://www.nypl.org/
Hennipin - http://www.hclib.org/
Orange County Public Library (Florida) - http://www.ocls.info/

FREE Font Site: http://www.dafont.com/

Fav Design Blogs:
poppytalk - http://www.voya.com/
design*sponge - http://www.designspongeonline.com/
decor8 - http://decor8blog.com/

Personal Resources:
My Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumia7/
My LibraryThing - http://www.librarything.com/catalog/libraryladylove
My delicious - http://delicious.com/arthousejax

TRICKS:
~ Source it! - Jump start your ideas by using Google Image search! (It will rarely fail you.)
~ Trace it! - Can't draw? Neither can I. The next best this is to make a transparency of an image you like, project it (with a projector) to the size you want, trace it and voila!
~ Snag it! - Keep your eyes peeled for free decorating/design loot for later use.

Example: In honor of Banned Books week/month, I recently turned this http://www.laraquette.se/theblog/theprsnt/uploaded_images/Bad-710192.jpg into this http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumia7/5059995576 .

Note: Nothing has to be perfect. The name of the game is to source and create quickly so that you can be efficient while building skills

So what's the big deal?

So what's the big deal and why the interest in trendwatching? I mean, after all isn't that just fluffy kid stuff? Well, my response is: not really. In fact, if you share the view that in order to survive (and thrive), i.e. attract and maintain a loyal customer base, public library's must hold an appeal that is in step with retail vendors. I mean, to add to an even heavier-handed outlook, it's no secret that libraries are fighting harder than ever to preserve the institution and keep it afloat for the long run. Each year, budgets are put on the chopping block, jobs are cut - you know the rest of the story. It can be darn scary and tiring at times to work in this field. Along those lines, in order to be relevant in this market, you've got to "keep it fresh" and target audiences with popular appeal. One great way to do that is to promote materials and services through valid trends. At the same time, hopefully by now most of our teen customers have figured out that libraries are not just places to quietly read books. There's oh so much more and exciting spaces helps to bring that vision to life! Also, it goes without saying that trends matter because they represent what's hot and heat keeps things hopping because people like to go where the latest action is! At the same time, in my opinion, the most effective teen library spaces are not stale and tried storage houses but attractive and vibrant SHOWROOMs!

The good news is that it's not as hard to achieve this as you may think. Mass communication is more prominent than ever making it more immediate and accessible than ever. This cuts the amount of time and energy it takes to spot trends and produce library-related programs, dispay, and promo/marketing ideas. In order to do this, the best way to start is by sourcing instant-access industry tools like periodicals, related resources such as blogs, and staff & customer input. (Though there are a number or good book sources, they will not be mentioned here.) Following that, the magic happens when you get in the habit of creating FRESH grooviness by pulling from inspirations, influences, and resources available to you. Plus, (and perhaps most importantly), all this can be done on low or next-to-no budget. All you really need to pull it off is a keen eye and a good effort;)

The next posting will list my favorite industry and related resources...

Hi. Hello. How are you?

Well, it's about time - or so I think...This blog has been in the works for a while I suppose. Along those lines, I'm making it a real-deal now so that there is space & place where I can put groovy "trendwatching" inspiration points for me, you, and yours to enjoy forever more (or something close to it).

A little bit about me: I'm a creative-type making a living as a teen librarian for the Jacksonville Public Library system. When I first entered the library field almost 7 years ago, teen departments didn't exist for the most part. While in library school, I knew that I wanted to work somewhere between Fine Arts and Children's. Then, out of nowhere I fell into and kinda in love with the newly forming teen sector. Add, I also enjoy working for the public library domain because the primary mission/vision here is to support the love of reading no matter what the subject is. We also have the ability (at least in theory) to offer more uncensored materials for inquiring minds and souls.

In hindsight, I now know that I dig all-things-teen because of the spirit which to me feels like the crossroads where the heart of a child is summoned by the journey into adulthood. Working with teens is also a lot of fun when it comes to watching and building upon the rise and fall of trend waves from the mainstream and on the fringe. Add, the heavy influences to be sure come from music, art, and entertainment culture. Also, as a maker-type, I LOVE LOVE LOVE working on all kinds of projects whether it's a book or visual display, program, bookmark, web content, committee work, and so much more. An aside, who would have ever of thought that a gig at a public library could be so creative and fun!

So, this site is dedicated to all of those who are like-minded or just plain interested. My intention is post trends, resources, ideas and ways to apply them to the field in the service of our youth and the greater good. One final note for now, as the teens would say "Rock On" and be sure to contribute when and where you want to too.

Peace Out;)
Library Lady Love