One thing I've noticed in London is that teenagers are not held in high esteem. One form of teen rebellion seems to be teenagers grouping together in loud, somewhat intimidating bands on the buses and on the street. In the UK, talking and being loud on public transport is against social norms, and this teen behavior draws surprising bitter comments from adults. Even the most liberal adults I've spoken to state flat out that London teens lack respect for other sections of society and that teen misbehavior is one of the most serious problems in the city.
How can public libraries help? Can they offer teen space, teen performance programs, or perhaps adult re-education? An adult reading program based on teen books might awaken those buried memories of life at 15, or bring adults to some understanding of what modern life is like for a teen in the city. So far I haven't seen evidence of teen programs in London public libraries, although teen collections are quite usual, but I'll start looking a little harder.
No comments:
Post a Comment