According to a recent survey of 11 to 20 year olds reported in Media Guardian (17.5.07), more than 90% of UK teenagers have used a social networking website and a third have at least four profiles on social networking websites. One-fifth claimed they ‘couldn’t live without’ social networking. It is essential that libraries which aim to engage a teenage audience acknowledge this trend and find new ways to provide services which are accessible to teenage users in the online environments where they feel most comfortable.

This special themed issue of Library Review (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/info/journals/lr/lr.jsp) will explore the current use of Web 2.0 technologies in libraries which serve teenagers, and consider how services might be developed future to better meet the needs of a teenage audience.

The issue will cover initiatives in all types of libraries serving teenagers: school, public, college, university and other information services. Contributions are welcome from researchers, library/information practitioners and other interested parties. Suggested topics include (but are not limited to):

• Involving teenagers in the design of web 2.0 services
• MySpace, Facebook and other social networking sites
• The use of blogs
• Security and safety issues
• Getting staff – and managers - onboard
• Gaming - does it have a place in libraries?
• Online reading groups
• Podcasting - library tours and other uses
• Web 2.0 approaches to information skills
• Wikis and online communities.