Abstract

This study analyzed public librarians’ perceptions and attitudes toward youth-only spaces by conducting a survey of 142 librarians working at 25 public libraries in the Busan area that provide services for youth, and conducting in-depth interviews with 3 librarians who have experience in youth services. The research findings showed that public librarians in Busan highly recognize the necessity of teen users and teen services, and also demonstrated positive attitudes toward the need for youth-only spaces. In particular, the most important factor in operating youth-only spaces was found to be respecting youth opinions and promoting their participation. To realize this, a shift in awareness among library stakeholders must be prioritized, and it was confirmed that librarians should recognize that youth are the true owners of library spaces and support them in proactively creating these spaces. Additionally, it was emphasized that youth opinions should be actively reflected in various service areas including collection development, program planning, and operations.