Easy passive programming for teens

I've not forgotten about this blog! I'm making it a goal to try to blog a couple times a month here with either programming ideas or something related to librarianship as a career. What better way to stick to that one that offer up one of my coworker's brilliantly simple and well-received passive programs!

With the election going on this month, we wanted to let the teens have a chance to practice democracy in the library. We talked about options for what the teens could vote on, and since we still have a wildly popular anime and manga collection, why not let the teens vote on what new series to add to the collection? 

The program involved creating a ballot of potential anime and manga titles (with a blank spot for a write-in candidate) and the teens filled it out, then stuffed it in the box. It ran for one week -- election week -- and the response was pretty darn good. Of course, the winners for both would be what's added to the collection.

So what was on the ballot? For the anime side, there was Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Durarara!!, Natsume's Book of Friends, and Shakugan No Shana and for the manga side, there was A Devil and Her Love Song, Durarara!!, Earl and the Fairy, and GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class.

We're lucky to have a really nice display cube right at the entrance of the teen area, so it's easy to catch attention there. 

Aside from this being a very easy to develop teen program and one that runs itself, this kind of voting program really lets teens have a voice in their library. How empowering is it for them to know they got to help choose what materials are in their own collection? Plus, it helps you as a librarian figure out what is and is not popular (which is particularly helpful when neither you nor your coworker find manga/anime your strongest area).