The south London library and heritage service noticed that users stopped coming in to the library after the age of 10, so it joined Merton Council Youth Service to set up a magazine, youth forum and radio station.
It has employed a youth library development officer to set up the joint projects for young people. Projects in the pipeline include a youth radio station aimed at 11- to 24-year-olds. A youth discussion forum and an online forum are also planned.
Anthony Hopkins, site manager for the outreach and development section at Mitcham Library, Merton, said: "This is a whole new approach for the library service. The youth service gave us a grant of 3,000 to produce and distribute 1,000 free copies of a new quarterly magazine, Merton Sense, at our library. It is being produced by and for young people."
Connexions Merton has contributed funds to provide prizes for the magazine competition. The second edition of Merton Sense is due out in September.
