2018 School Spending Survey Report
What Librarians Say About Street Lit
It would be easy to assume that the 7.5 percent who shunned street lit were from small rural libraries with no interest in the genre. But that’s not what we found. In fact, more than 11 percent of the no-street-lit group worked in urban libraries. The number-one reason for not providing street lit? Fifty percent of our respondents said “no patron interest,” trailed by “too controversial” and “negative stereotypes,” both at a little over 11 percent. But as one librarian from an urban Ohio library wrote of street lit, “Our library director does not allow us to buy it because he feels it is inappropriate for our town…. I am going to try to sneak some in.” Street lit is so popular that it’s often stolen, and the high theft rate makes it even more difficult for librarians to justify purchasing the controversial genre. Not surprisingly, many respondents are concerned about the money “wasted” on books that sometimes disappear before they’re even checked out. Some library users are too embarrassed to request or check out street lit titles—so they steal them. But by making street lit easy to find, and being open and helpful when teens and adults request the genre, librarians can help patrons feel more comfortable asking for street lit. One thing that we noticed was that many of the librarians surveyed stated that their street lit books are interfiled within their adult collections. More than 68 percent say their street lit is housed in both the young adult and adult sections, while close to 87 percent say their street lit is interfiled. Most agreed with having it interfiled, yet were frustrated that their patrons and colleagues still had trouble locating the titles. A librarian in a suburban Washington library stated that she wished the street lit titles had “a sticker or some other identifying mark on the spine to help us find titles when browsing.” Yet a staff member of a rural Georgia library that interfiles said that by separating the books you are really “segregating the books primarily read by African-Americans.” Interestingly, many respondents who have separate sections decided to keep them within or close to the young adult collections, regardless of their classification (adult or YA). A librarian from an urban Connecticut library stated that “it makes sense to keep them near the young adult collections because that’s what teens are looking for!” One thing we hoped our survey would show is that street lit is bringing nonreading teens into the public library—and that appears to true. Indeed, librarians are actively using street lit as a jumping-off point to create relationships with teens. As a librarian in an urban California library wrote, “Talking about urban fiction with teens is a great way to get to know them… Having read some of the titles and/or at least being familiar with them helps to start the relationship.” Love it or hate it, our survey shows that street lit is a major force in young adult collections across the United States. It’s exciting and encouraging for us to see that street lit works in all kinds of libraries, and in all types of states, cities, and towns. Nina Emlen and Karen Grenke are librarian trainees and Kristy Raffensberger is a children’s librarian at the New York Public Library. Christopher Lassen is a children’s librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library. If you like the “Bluford High”series, click here for a recent column from SLJ’s Extra Helping newsletter. Street Lit Canon
Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree (S&S, 1993, ISBN: 978-0-684-83566-2) Tracy Ellison is a young hard working NYC girl who will do anything and anyone to get what she wants, a better life for herself. True to the Game by Teri Woods (Grand Central, 1994, ISBN: 978-0-9672249-0-9) Gena Showalter is a tough Philly project chick who wants the good life. By hooking up with Quadir, the most successful drug dealer in NYC, she accomplishes that. Getting that life was easy. Getting out of that life is the hard part. The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah (Atria, 2004, ISBN: 978-0-7434-9938-5) Winter is the youngest daughter of the most successful drug dealing family in Brooklyn. She knows the streets and how to work them. Yet, Winter can't handle everything. She's gonna have to put those street skills to the test to survive the storm that is coming. The Sex Chronicles by Zane (Pocket Books, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-7434-6270-9) Zane knows how those who live by the rules of the street play. Gritty, raw and extremely graphic, Zane pulls no punches in telling how those who are affected by street life play in the bedroom. Let That Be The Reason by Vickie Stringer (Upstream, 2001, ISBN: 978-1-886433-85-4) An autobiographical tale of a young woman serving a five year prison term for drug dealing. Vicki Stringer has lived street life and holds back nothing in describing what those on the street will do to get that cash. Gangsta by K'wan (Triple Crown, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-9702472-1-6) How do you go about leaving the streets? Do the streets ever leave you? Lou-Loc and Gutter have very different views on whether they can safely leave street life behind and the consequences are life and death. A Hustler's Wife by Nikki Turner (Triple Crown, 2003, ISBN: 978-0-9702472-5-4) What happens when Yarni, the daughter of a well-to-do family falls for Des, Richmond's most notorious drug kingpin? What does Yarni do when Des is sentenced to life in prison? Yarni finds out when she realizes that in order to stay in the game, you got to play the game: the street game.
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