Hip-Hop lit. Ghetto lit. Gangsta lit. No matter what they're calling it - your patrons are asking for it. Urban Literature has become immensely popular among patrons of all ages since rapper and political activist Sister Souljah wrote The Coldest Winter Ever a decade ago. And while some may question its literary merit, the genre deserves recognition for bringing a new generation of reluctant readers into the library. Readers are drawn to the realistic characters in urban settings and the slang-infused dialogue that depict situations similar to what they, or their friends, are experiencing.
Many librarians have yet to include this genre in their Readers' Advisory repertoire, maybe because they don't know enough about it, or simply don't get its appeal. That's why Adult Services Librarian Jessica Zellers has written "Getting Up to Speed in... Urban Lit" to help you understand the who, the what, and the why of Urban Literature. This in-depth genre outline describes the three main sub-genres -- Street Lit, Urban Drama, and Urban Erotica -- and offers background information on some of the most popular authors and titles. For a more general overview, check out "Hot Topics: Street Fiction" by librarian David Wright, in which he discusses the genre and provides annotations for Urban must-reads.
On the other hand, you might shun Urban lit because you are familiar with the genre and are uncomfortable with the explicit descriptions of sex, violence and drug use. While the majority of Street Lit does deal with street life and use urban talk, not all titles are shockingly graphic. Urban Dramas, for example, tend to be less scandalous, focusing on the emotional interactions among characters. Even the bawdiest authors don't glorify street life, but are careful to depict the grim reality of it.
However, the underlying message may not be strong enough to justify handing some titles - especially Urban Erotica - to young patrons. There are authors who write cleaner, less violent titles appropriate for the age group. NoveList contributor Autumn Winters has compiled a list of series and titles to consider in "Serving Teen Urban Fiction Readers in Your Library." Here, she suggests possible titles for libraries, and illustrates how Urban Literature can be used to reach out to teen readers.
You can find all three feature articles mentioned in this newsletter by entering the title in the Find box on the NoveList home page, selecting the Title radio button, and clicking Search. So the next time a young patron asks about rapper 50 Cent, you'll know that they're looking for his Urban Lit books and a not his new CD.
