Understanding the Dynamic Information Needs and Behaviors of Young Adults
Literature Review Paper

PLO 5: Identify needs and connect individuals and communities with information that engages and empowers them.

YALSA's Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff: Teen Growth and Development; Learning Environments; Equity of Access; Continuous Learning

Course: LIS 60030 People In the Information Ecology

This literature review was researched and written for LIS 60030 People in the Information Ecology. Teens have vastly different information needs and behaviors and librarians need to understand how to connect with teens to build relationships with them in the library that allow for recognizing how to best serve their needs. Effective database search practices and the ability to use Boolean search methods and controlled vocabularies in searching for relevant papers and reviewing results of research studies are things librarians are expected to be highly skilled at doing. My goal for this paper was to review and select recent literature from peer-reviewed journals investigating teen information needs and behaviors as well as their views and opinions of the library in order to understand how to mitigate negative feelings or past experiences, design spaces that are flexible, welcoming, and technologically dynamic, and provide materials, resources, and digital media that is engaging, educational, and empowering.