Introduction

This is a collection for class INFO 265, Young Adult Literature. The mini collection was compiled with the community I work in, in mind. That is the Northeast Los Angeles area and the Los Angeles Public Library System is the library system I am connected to.  The Northeast LA community consists of the following neighborhoods: Atwater Village, Cypress Park, Eagle Rock, El Sereno, Garvanza, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Hermon, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, and Mount Washington, and others. According to the American Community Survey and the City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, this community holds about 243,925 residents. The racial and ethnic breakdown is Latino, 64%, White, 16.7%, Asian, 16.5%; Black, 1.8%, Native American 0.5%, Pacific Islander 0.4%, and Other, 0.8%. The median household income is $54,000. This community is very diverse some neighborhoods mostly middle class while others mostly working class. The teenage population is at around 21,000 and mostly attend the Los Angeles Unified School District (Edweek, 2019). 

There are studies that urban teens are not visiting the libraries as much and to quote work from Agosto, when interviewing young urban teens, many felt libraries were outdated institutions (Agosto et al, 2016).  As I worked on my mini blog collection, I thought also of my teen daughter (who happens to be an urban teen herself) and how the work of the librarian is to meet the teens and young adults where they are at.  To innovate  our institutions, to engage them, inviting school systems and teachers, and most especially the young adults in this endeavor, while also learning what is the work of being a trauma informed librarian. To quote Nisha Mody, meeting students where they are at and how trauma can  deeply affects everyone, which is informed by systemic and personal trauma.  (Infobase, 2021) Figuring out ways to connect more especially in these times of COVID and things changing rapidly how else we must innovate to pivot and re-engage populations that may need more support. A question also asked by Coach Nisha (who is a librarian herself), what opportunities are we giving student (young adults) to provide feedback and voice concerns? How is our library a place of social connection? How is our library a not so quiet, space?  The population I am serving is diverse therefore offering titles from different backgrounds in order for them to see themselves on the page and learn from other cultures as well is my mission, while asking myself what else must we do to re-engage in these times and with a trauma informed lens. 

Agosto et al (2016) Teens, Technology and Libraries: An Uncertain Relationship. 86(3), 248-269. https://doi.org/10/1086/686673

Demographic Profile (2017) City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Northeast Los Angeles Change  Retrived from  Demographic Profile 

Riser-Kositsky, M. (2019)Education Statistics: Facts About American Schools. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/education-statistics-facts-about-american-schools/2019/01

Infobase (2021) Trauma Informed Librarianship: Interview with Healing Coach Nisha Mody, Retrieved from  https://www.infobase.com/blog/featured/trauma-informed-librarianship-interview-with-healing-coach-nisha-mody/