We are very excited to announce that our Teen Collection will soon be getting a new look! We will be renaming it Middle Grade.
The Teen collection has always been meant for the upper end of the age range that we serve here in the Children’s Room, however the name ‘Teen’ can be misleading. The books, audiobooks, and graphic novels in our Teen collection have always been intended for kids ages 9-12. Renaming the collection to Middle Grade helps clarify the intended audience for these materials.
Let us answer some questions you might have about the renaming!
Is Teen collection changing?
Nope! This change just means that all the Teen books, audiobooks, Playaways, and graphic novels will now have Middle Grade spine labels and call numbers in the catalog. Our signs in the Children’s Room will be updated to help you find these materials.
When will the change be happening?
We will be starting to relabel books within the next couple of weeks! Once we start, we expect that we can get a new Middle Grade label on all our items in about a month. Keep an eye on our social media for project updates!
Are you relabeling all the books?
Yes! All the books, audiobooks, Playaways, and graphic novels that currently have a Teen label on them will be getting a shiny new Middle Grade label! During the process we will have some items with a Teen label and some items with a Middle Grade label in the same sections. Remember, the intended audience for all of these items is the same (generally 9-12 years olds), and we are always happy to help you find what you need if you have a question.
Are you moving things around in the Children’s Room?
Only a little! We’ve taken the opportunity to move our Middle Grade audiobook and Playaway collection out of a corner and put it across from our DVD collection. This has shifted our Middle Grade collection a little bit. We’re happy to help you find your favorite Middle Grade series again since they’ve likely moved just a couple of shelves over.
Wait, I’m a teen…where should I look for books?
Teens ages 13 and up are best served by our Young Adult collection on the upper level of the library. However, you are always welcome to come downstairs and choose books from the Middle Grade collection (we know that sometimes you just need to reread Percy Jackson again for the 3rd time, and we don’t mind).
What if I’m still not sure where to find my books?
No problem, just ask a librarian! We’re always happy to answer your questions and help put books in your hands that you’ll love.
Are you excited about this change?
Yes!! We are always looking for ways to make our collection more accessible. Our goal is always to make it easy to find your favorite books. We think this change will help kids and caregivers discover great new reads!
Are there questions you have that didn’t get answered? Please feel free to email Miss Emily at esennott@bedfordnh.org for more information.