Preparing MLIS Students to Center Youth Voice in the Library

Children and Youth Literature (CYL) courses in LIS programs have been trying to incorporate more “whole-picture” views of youth reading habits and practices (Barriage, 2022). One avenue that has been less explored is incorporating children and youth voices as experts of their own reading preferences and library experiences. Employing childhood studies and participatory design-based frameworks that decentralize adult reading perspectives and re-center experiences of youth can assist in shifting to a framework that focuses on the opinions, perspectives, and rights of youth readers (Barriage, 2022). Based on the teaching experience of the presenters, we will propose potential methods for incorporating youth voices in CYL courses that include evidence-based research, but also ensure that our students hear from youth via research articles, podcasts, social media platforms, and review sources. Incorporating youth voices into CYL courses ultimately impacts collection development, readers’ advisory, spatial equity, and programming decisions that students will make in their practice.