Audiovisual, Print, and Web-based Materials for Youth, Parents, and Youth-Serving Professionals

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Introduction

Young people today have many questions about sex and sexual health. Many of these questions are the same as the ones their parents and grandparents had at their age: Am I “normal?” Is my body developing at the right pace? How do I know if I’m in love? Parents too have questions: What do I say when my toddler asks where babies come from? When do I tell my teen about birth control? How do I help my pre-teen understand puberty?

Librarians can help young people and their parents to answer these questions and the thousands more they have by offering a safe and welcoming environment in which they can research and obtain accurate, age appropriate, sexual health materials.

Think back to when you were a teenager. What questions did you have? Where did you get your information? Schools today provide varying levels of sex education. Some schools provide comprehensive sex education in kindergarten through 12th grade. Others provide information only about HIV prevention. Many schools today provide abstinence-only education—education that censors information about the health benefits of condoms and contraception for sexually active youth.

Regardless of the type of education young people receive in school, many continue to have unanswered questions. In a study of students who received sexuality education in school, participants indicated that they needed more information about: rape and sexual assault (55 percent); coping with the emotional consequences of being sexually active (46 percent); talking with a partner about birth control and sexually transmitted diseases (46 percent); and where to obtain contraception (40 percent).[1]

In another study, teens reported the need for information regarding: the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STDs (56 percent); available methods of birth control (57 percent); how to talk to a doctor about sexual health issues (43 percent); and how to deal with pressure to have sex (35 percent). [2]

Parents also need more information. No one teaches us to be good parents. Many parents say that teaching children about sex and sexuality is one of the most difficult and uncomfortable tasks they face. They want to provide their children with correct information, but often they feel ill-equipped. Many don’t know at what age they should approach various topics with their children; others feel unsure about the message that they want to provide.

Others in the community also need librarians’ help. Educators and other youth-serving professionals often have the responsibility of providing young people with sex education in the classroom and/or after-school programs. Many are in need of updated materials and age appropriate resources. Others are unsure exactly how much information they should provide, or if they should provide any information at all.

Research clearly indicates that information about sex and sexuality does not increase sexual activity or reduce the age of sexual initiation among young people. [3,4,5,6] In fact, young people who receive age appropriate, medically accurate sexual health information—be it from their parents, teachers or other caring adults—regarding abstinence, contraception, sexual development, communication, etc. are more likely than those that learn only about abstinence to delay sexual initiation and to use contraception when they do have sex. [3,4,5,6,7,8]

As a librarian, you have a unique opportunity to help parents, educators and ultimately young people obtain the age-appropriate, medically accurate and culturally relevant information they need to be informed about sexual health. The environment you create in your library can help young people and their parents feel comfortable asking questions and finding resources. The library’s collection can also assist educators and other youth-serving professionals in their efforts to provide young people with the information they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health.

Many librarians already provide their patrons with sexual health information. Others want to include this information, but are unsure how to start. Below are tips to help you create a supportive environment, offer a wide range of the best sexual health resources, raise community awareness, and provide programming related to sexuality issues. For some of the patrons you serve, your library may be their only source of information. Assisting young people, their parents and their educators to get the information they need can greatly affect the lives of these young people and reduce their risk of teenage pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

References:

1. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Sex Education in America: A View from Inside the Nation’s Classroom, Chart Pack. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2000.
2. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. National Survey of Adolescents and Young Adults: Sexual Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Experiences. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2003.
3. Baldo M et al. Does Sex Education Lead to Earlier or Increased Sexual Activity in Youth? Presented at the Ninth International Conference on AIDS, Berlin, 6-10 June, 1993. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1993.
4. United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS. Impact of HIV and Sexual Health Education on the Sexual Behavior of Young People. [UNAIDS Best Practice Collection] Geneva: UNAIDS, 1997
5. Institute of Medicine, Committee on HIV Prevention Strategies in the United States. No Time to Lose: Getting More from HIV Prevention. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
6. Kirby D. Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy. Washington. DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2001.
7. Miller KS et al. Patterns of condom use among adolescents: the impact of mother-adolescent communication. American Journal of Public Health 1998: 1542-44.
8. Shoop DM, Davidson PM. AIDS and adolescents: the relation of parent and partner communication to adolescent condom use. Journal of Adolescence 1994; 17: 137-148.