The post Social Justice Symposium for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

As someone who used to work at YOUmedia at the flagship CPL location,Harold Washington, I saw first-hand what a positive impact this space has for teens. Not only does it provide a safe space for teens to hang out, mess around, and geek out, it also provides a productive environment that can help develop personal interests into lifelong careers. Just ask Chance the Rapper, who regularly talks about the impact YOUmedia had for him; it provided him the ability to hone his craft (with music) in the recording studio and the open mics dedicated solely to the teens that use the space. That’s part of what makes this program so special, and why so many other libraries and institutions have followed suit.

Not only does it include the public library itself, but it’s a platform that is perfect to network and connect with other institutions in the community, all for the benefit of the teens that use the space. The mentors at YOUmedia come from places like Hive Chicago and the Digital Media and Learning Hub. It makes for a much richer experience for everyone involved. There are other YOUmedia spaces all over the country now, and other public libraries are modelling their own spaces off the ideas that have come to fruition at YOUmedia. Places like the Evanston Public Library, for example. The Loft at Evanston Public Library is also a dedicated teen space that uses the Connected Learning model. It has partnered with local institutions like Youth and Opportunity United, Northwestern University, and a slew of others. At this point, it’s not a question of whether or not a dedicated teen space should be created in a public library, it’s a necessity. There does seem to be some resistance to this idea because libraries never had spaces like this before, but given the popularity and growth at YOUmedia, it is obvious that there is a need for it now. We want to help these almost grownups; we want them to develop a love of lifelong learning, and we can provide them with those means.

 References

Link to source article: (1)

http://www.infodocket.com/2017/04/08/chicago-public-librarys-youmedia-program-receives-more-than-1-million-in-new-public-and-private-investments-more-labs-planned/

Additional Sources used: (2) http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/future/trends/connectedlearning

https://hivechicago.org/about/

http://youthopportunity.org/index.php/about-us.html

https://www.epl.org/venue/the-loft/

https://www.chipublib.org/programs-and-partnerships/youmedia/

https://dmlcentral.net/

The post Chicago Public Library’s YOUmedia Program Expanding first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Photo Courtesy of Jenny Adams Perinovic.

Jenny Adams Perinovic is taking public library outreach services to another level at the Free Library of Philadelphia. As the outreach coordinator for The Field Family Teen Author Series[1], she has the enviable job of working closely with trending authors and students of Pennsylvania’s school system. The program works by bringing authors into a school for a face-to-face discussion with students. Participants are given free copies of the author’s book, and get to ask the author questions. After attending a Teen Author Series session, many students discover a love for reading. The inspiring Teen Author Series is a rarity in the public library world. Outreach programs are fossilizing and bookmobiles are rusting. Perinovic’s work helps to reach kids who may have never had the opportunity to visit a library, let alone a chance to speak with an author about his or her book.

Perinovic is a recent graduate of Drexel University’s Master of Library & Information Science degree program. In addition to her role as an outreach coordinator since September 2015, she is an accomplished YA author. She published her debut novel A Magic Dark and Bright in 2015. Recently, it was an Amazon #1 bestseller for Teen Sci-Fi & Fantasy/Horror. Below is an interview Andrew Hart did for Public Libraries Online via email with Perinovic on April 8^th, 2017.

PL: What is The Field Family Teen Author Series, and how long has it been in operation?

JP: The Field Family Teen Author Series is an invite-only program at the Free Library of Philadelphia intended to connect 7^th-12^th grade students in Philadelphia public, magnet, private, and charter schools with authors of books for young adults. We’ve existed system-wide since 2002, and we’ve been funded by Joseph and Marie Field the entire time. In addition to having the opportunity to meet an author, every single student who attends one of our programs receives a copy of the author’s book, which is theirs to keep. Our events are generally an hour and a half long (including an author talk, a Q&A, and a book signing!), and take place during the school day. There is no cost to participating classes besides their transportation to and from the library.

This is my second year as outreach coordinator, and in that time, we’ve hosted over 4,000 students and an amazing and diverse array of authors, including Becky Albertalli, Angie Thomas, John Lewis, Ta’Nehisi Coats, Matthew Quick, Colum McCann, Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Daniel Jose Older.

PL: What are the goals of the program?

JP: Our goal is to promote a lifelong love of reading by enabling a connection between students and authors. We also want the students who participate to become familiar with the Free Library of Philadelphia as a system, and we try to spread our events out across our 53 neighborhood libraries.

Another unique aspect of the Teen Author Series is our school outreach. A few weeks before every event, I visit each of our participating classrooms. During my visit, I introduce the book with a short booktalk, start a discussion about the book’s topic, and answer any preliminary questions they might have about the author or the event. These visits are probably my favorite part of my job – I get to know the students and build a relationship with them.

PL: What sorts of challenges do you face as the program’s coordinator, and how do you overcome them?

JP: In the beginning, the biggest challenge was trying to figure out how to schedule all of my events, classroom visits, and deliveries without driving myself crazy. Our events generally include between 100-400 students, which can be anywhere from three to twenty classes. I visit every single one of them, and depending on the discussion we have, they can take anywhere from twenty minutes to the entire class period!

The other challenging aspect is also related to my classroom visits. We don’t shy away from tough subjects in the Teen Author Series—one of my goals, as coordinator, is to provide our teens access to books that both accurately reflect the world we live in and make them think. This means that sometimes, during my classroom visits, we have to talk about these difficult subjects, and it’s my job to provide these students with an open, safe, and non-judgmental space to have these conversations. In the 2016-17 school year alone, I’ve held classroom discussions on topics including human trafficking and teenage prostitution (for E.R. Frank’s DIME), gentrification (Renee Watson’s THIS SIDE OF HOME), sexual assault (E.K. Johnston’s EXIT PURSUED BY A BEAR), anxiety and depression (Claire Legrand’s SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS), gender identity (Alex Gino’s GEORGE), and racism (Angie Thomas’ THE HATE U GIVE and John Lewis’ MARCH).

As uncomfortable as it can be for me to stand in front of a room of 15-year-olds and rattle off statistics about human trafficking, I’ve witnessed some incredible and thought-provoking conversations.

PL: How are authors chosen to participate in the Teen Author Series?

JP: Our team—which includes myself, two amazing teen librarians from the Youth Services and Programs department, our teen materials selector, and our Author Events staff—have two meetings a year where we sit down and talk about books we’ve loved that we think will resonate with our students. We then compile list of authors we’d love to host, and see who says yes to us!

PL: Are authors familiar with the program when they are contacted? (if that is how the process works). If not, what is their reaction when they discover the program’s mission? Is finding willing authors difficult?

JP: Our Author Events office handles booking our authors and arranging their travel. I’m not sure how it was in the beginning, but we haven’t had trouble finding willing authors since I’ve been here. The authors we’ve hosted over the last 15 years are incredible: John Lewis (twice!), Laurie Halse Anderson, Jerry Spinelli, Lois Lowry, Matthew Quick, Sharon Flake, Linda Sue Park, Kwame Alexander, the late Walter Dean Meyers, and many, many others.

PL: Are all schools in Philadelphia eligible to participate? How are schools chosen?

JP: Teachers and administrators who work with 7^th-12^th graders in public, private, charter, diocesan, and magnet schools located within the city limits of Philadelphia can join our mailing list by emailing me at teenauthors@freelibrary.org. Once they’re on my mailing list, they’re automatically invited to our upcoming season. We generally send out two registration emails per year – once in the fall, and once in the spring, as soon as our lineups are finalized. Registration is first-come, first-serve, and our events fill up quickly. Our event with Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, for their book Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, filled up within 18 hours!

PL: What kind of responses do you get from students and teachers?

JP: It’s been overwhelmingly positive. Of course, I think it’s best to hear from the students and teachers themselves. Here are some responses collected from our surveys:

• Teacher, on the event with Angie Thomas for The Hate U Give – “It brought to light aspects of our society that are hushed and finally gave my students a character they can relate to. Angie was REAL. She spoke to my students as humans and was personable. I would love to be friends with her! I thought it was great all around. I hope to teach this book!”
• “I now know that it is okay to stand up for what is right-peacefully. And I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.” -12th grade student, after meeting John Lewis at the event for March, Book 1
• “This book portrayed the saying ‘there’s beauty in the struggle’ very well.”  -10th grade student, on Dimeby E.R. Frank.
• “Thank you for having us. I love to go get books signed and talk to the author, and I hope we come here again for another event.” -10th grade student, after the event for Becky Albertalli’s Simon Vs. The Homo Sapien’s Agenda
• “It was amazing to hear about the book and meet an author who is a grown-up LGBT person. I’m in seventh grade and LGBT, too.” – 7^th grade student, on meeting Alex Gino at the event for George

PL: What do you consider the most beneficial product of the Teen Author Series?

JP: Oh, I have a few. It’s so hard to pick just one thing!

First and foremost, I think the kids really benefit from the books themselves. There’s a lot of economic inequality in Philadelphia, and so many kids don’t come from homes that can afford things like books. So it’s really special to be able to give every single participant a book, regardless of what neighborhood they live in or what school they go to or what they can afford.

It’s really incredible to be able to enable this connection between author and reader. Hopefully, this will inspire some of our students to go on a write themselves—a lot of them already do, and I think it’s important for them to meet someone who can provide an example of how to build a creative life.

It’s also special to be able to geek out with the kids over the books, and build a relationship with some of them. It’s gotten to the point where I’ll walk into a school and I’ll hear, “Hey, do we get new books today?” or I can’t leave the classroom without being asked about other books they might like. But I think the best moment so far happened a few months ago: After a visit, a senior boy was helping me find my way back to the office. He said, “I’m going to be real with you miss, I don’t really like to read, but that book sounds pretty good.” He promised to give it a chance, and when I saw him at the actual event (for Randy Ribay’s An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes), he came up to me and said, “Miss, you were right. That book was dope.” We high-fived and I gave him a list of a few more books he might like. And when I saw him the time after that, he’d read them all and asked for more suggestions, and just like that, he was a reader.

PL: What advice would you give to libraries interested in implementing a similar program?

JP: I realize that our endowment makes us a pretty unique program, and we’re so fortunate to have the support from the Field Family that enables us to host this incredible program and provide every one of our students with free books. But I think the heart of the Teen Author Series comes from the connections it enables—both the connection between students and authors and the connection between the public library and local schools.

Start small. Talk to the teens, teachers, and booksellers in your community and see what they’re reading and who they’d like to meet. Sometimes schools host authors on their own – see if there’s an opportunity for your library to get involved.  Approach a local bookstore that hosts authors and see if there’s a way to collaborate. Reach out to local authors, or see if you can host a virtual visit via Skype, and see if your school contacts would be interested bringing a classroom of students to participate.

Jenny can be reached at jennyperinovic@gmail.com.

Reference

[1] https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/teen-author/

The post Promoting a Lifelong Love of Reading: PL Talks With Jenny Adams Perinovic first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

LIT has supported the school libraries at Belmont Academy, Passages Academy, and the school library collections at New York City’s juvenile justice centers and works with the Office of Children and Family Services at Brookwood residential facility in upstate New York. More recently, LIT helped fund magazine subscriptions for the School Program for Incarcerated Youth at the Nassau County Correctional Center on Long Island.

LIT gives these teens what they need and want—real and relevant programs and resources. What might have been boring becomes interesting and the teens become engaged in both learning and self-improvement.

LIT has funded two youth programs at Rikers Island—Drama Club and writing workshops facilitated by author, Robert Galinsky. In addition, recognizing the shift in alternatives to incarceration, LIT most recently supported Prison Writes, a writing program which supports literacy efforts working in the Closer to Home programs in New York City.

Many young adult authors have visited LIT sponsored programs over the years: Walter Dean Meyers, Tonya Bolden, Coe Booth, Matt De La Peña, Greg Neri, Lauren Oliver, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Torrey Maldonado. There is no substitute for meeting an author in person! So it was no surprise when the Empire Book Center and New York State Library Association presented the Empire State Book Award to LIT at its New York State Writers Hall of Fame Gala on June 7, 2016, in New York City.^[2] At the Award presentation, LIT was praised in its efforts “to improve the ability and desire of incarcerated youth to read, to offer encouragement, and motivation to seek a better future.”

Literacy for Incarcerated Teens continues to expand its efforts in providing much needed supplementary services and resources in the face of shrinking budgets and resources. LIT board members, former teachers, librarians, authors, social workers, and juvenile justice advocates all agree that literacy can lift incarcerated teens from their present lives to changed lives, and LIT wants to support that transformation. LIT knows change is possible and literacy can make it happen.

For more information, contact LIT4teens@gmail.com

References

[1] Neelum Arya, “State Trends: Legislative Victories from 2005 to 2010 Removing Youth from the Adult Criminal Justice System” (report, Washington, DC: Campaign for Youth Justice, 2011), 7.

[2] “Literacy for Incarcerated Teens to be Recognized,” Empire State Center for the Book, News, 2016.

The post Literacy For Incarcerated Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Career Conversations is a monthly program hosted during the school year, with each session focusing on a different field. Some of the job types that were covered during the 2015–16 school year included medicine, STEM, trades/skilled labor, law, business, military and public service, and creative arts. Each session features a panel of field professionals available to answer questions. Some of these questions were given to the speakers before and asked by staff; others were taken from the audience.

Amberlyn Russell, teen services specialist, took the program over from a former colleague. To acquire speakers, she emails coworkers asking for contacts who might be willing to speak with a group on each particular field. Using these connections, the organizers are able to find a wide variety of speakers from all these different careers.

When she was querying the panelists, Russell found one of the questions particularly interesting: “What is the most useful secret skill you need for your job?” No matter what the field, the most common response was communication and people skills. Russell said it was also fascinating to see the huge variety of careers within the different fields. For instance, the legal and criminal justice panel had a district attorney for El Paso County, an investigator for the Colorado Springs Public Defender’s Office, a lieutenant with the Colorado Springs Police Department Violent Crimes Section, a self-represented litigant coordinator, and a member of Pikes Peak Library District security.^[1]

When asked what she attributed to the success of the program, Russell said the advertising that was sent out to the schools and across the library district helped to get the word out, and library staff constantly talked up the program to teens. She also cited the great volunteer panelists who came in, willing to share information with attendees and keep them engaged and curious.^[2]

If you’re interested in offering this kind of program at your library, Russell has a few words of advice. First, partner with the local schools so the program can be advertised more widely. To find panelists, reach out to the community to find as diverse a panel of members as possible. Finally, fashion questions that highlight the different careers.^[3]

Eager for more job training opportunities to provide teens in your community? Check out some of our other career-oriented blog posts below!

Resources

­­­­­­­College Shopping at the Library

Career Resources: Not Just For Adults

Reference

[1] Amberlyn Russell, teen services specialist, in an interview by author, June 15, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

The post Career Conversations: Job Information for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

“The gate count is over 1,000!”

On August 8, 2015 we were two hours into our library’s first ComiCon and attendance was surpassing anything we had imagined. By the end of our four-hour event, over 1,700 had come to share their love–correction, passion–for everything that the heroes and villains of Sci-Fi, fantasy, comics, games, graphic novels, and gaming meant to them. Community “geeks,” obsessed with their hobby, had discovered our library!

How did four young library staff members, who share their love of geek culture and the literature that inspires this fandom, manage to stage such a fantastically successful event? Never have I met committee members on any project who spoke in such concert, who agreed on their goals from the start, and who never faltered in what they hoped to achieve. What follows is their collective voice relating how they brought the first Electric City ComiCon to our library. Perhaps the specific details and the actual process they went through will inspire you to host a Comic Con at your library.

OUR MISSION
We are fascinated with the geek culture, especially when fans bring their favorite characters to life from literature. We all promote literacy and already had formed a bond through social media. When we found out two years ago that the 2015 theme for Summer Reading would be “Heroes,” it hit us that a comic convention or Con would be the ideal way to culminate the program. Some of us had been to Cons and were already familiar with how they worked, but they were more adult-oriented. We wanted to offer a safe place to our library patrons in real space for their passion and interests, and what place better represents a safe haven to our community than our library! And, more importantly, we wanted to focus on our younger patrons, our Tweens and Teens. We wanted parents to come with their kids to find out what we have to offer, and we insisted that our Con be “family friendly.”

PERMISSION AND PLANNING
We pitched the idea, first, to the Head of our Children’s department. She gave us overwhelming support, became part of the initial planning stage, and was integral throughout the process. Next, we had to convince our library director, Faith Line. She was reluctant to let us hold such a venue without a lot more research on our part. Did we really know what we were getting into? As we worked on gathering more information, she took a leap of faith and gave us the go-ahead. She was a very exacting mentor, and we learned to think more from her position as director and to consider all the issues involved: Library Board approval, security, staffing, and a hundred logistical matters. Well in advance of our Con we had to write our photography policy and post it publically. We wanted to have those who attended in costume have the opportunity to be photographed digitally against the green screen with the background of their choice. Those photographed were advised that their digital photo might be posted on any of our social media sites.

Our learning curve was huge and the planning took us over a year to complete. We deeply appreciate the guidance Faith gave us and the hard work she put in with us, right up through the day of our event.

FINDING FUNDING, PARTNERS & SPONSORS
Faith sent some of us to Spartanburg, SC, to attend their SpartanCon. Their organizers graciously shared all their planning notes with us, but it was obvious from their event that they had a substantial budget while we had zilch to spend. We concentrated on where to find funding. Friends of the Library gave us money and we wrote an LSTA grant tied into the Summer Reading program to help pay for publicity. The Children’s department purchased a green screen for us to use for the photography part of the venue.

This was a brand-new library event and we had no track record to convince potential partners or sponsors. We developed a sponsorship packet, which didn’t turn out as effective as we wanted because we started too late in the year to approach big corporate sponsors. We had no way to judge how popular our ComiCon would be, so we couldn’t make solid projections or promises of return for their participation or advertising. We did a lot of pleading to our sponsors,and they too, had to take a leap of faith.

Books-A-Million and Planet Comics agreed to be our major partners. Smaller local businesses donated gifts for the panelists or food for our Green Room. The Independent-Mail, the local newspaper, provided free ad space. An up-scale downtown inn, The Bleckley, provided lodging for one of our guest panelists. People’s Bank, BlueRidge Security, Forx Farm, (ever taste goat’s milk fudge? Wonderful!), and the SC  State Library sponsored us in significant ways. We were fortunate that, as we evaluated the costs, we only had to use library funds for prizes for the FanArt and Cosplay contest.

PLANNING PROGRAMS
As lead-ups to our ComiCon, we engaged regional artist Enoch Vaughn to hold three Super Hero Creation workshops aimed at teens to adults. We also decided to sponsor a FanArt Contest, which we initiated two months ahead of the Con. FanArt is a huge part of the geek culture, as you can see when you go to Instagram and Tumblr and search the hashtag #fanart. Artists are constantly reimagining characters or placing characters in weird worlds and having character cross-overs. Although FanArt contests are not typically held at ComiCons, we used the contest as an inexpensive way to advertise our Con and to get our community engaged in the world of heroes. We were hoping it would appeal to our teen demographics; however, our contest was open to all ages. Entries would be judged on the day of the ComiCon. Two weeks before the Con, we only had a dozen entrants and we were worried that it wasn’t being well-received. In that last week the entries flooded in and we were blown away by their quality, in all age divisions.

We weren’t sure if the patrons understood what “cosplay” was—that it’s a combination word: costume + role play, not intended for a stage production. Our director bought a dozen or so books on cosplay topics and we set up a display. Those books were checked out immediately! To heighten interest we contacted Sybil Todd of White Knight Cosplay—who knew we had such an expert in our own backyard?–and she presented two “Getting Into Costuming and Cosplay” workshops for teens in early July.

GETTING PANEL PARTICIPANTS
Since our ComiCon was the culminating event of the Summer Reading program, we planned two sessions for our local young heroes in the Children’s Department on “How To Be a Hero.” These were presented by Heroes in Force, a regional group specializing in motivational activities for kids. Thanks to them, Batman made an appearance at our Con and wowed the kids. We scheduled their programs so that panel sessions would not be competing with them.

We sought experts for the authors, cosplay, and artists panels who understood heroic characters for young adults, and we wanted local or regional authors and artists. We also wanted artists of comics and graphic novels who could speak to young people about combining art with words.

We contacted local cosplayers to talk about cosplay etiquette, how to approach weapons and mask making, what steampunk costuming is, and what cosplay design involves. We already had been going where authors, artists, and cosplayers were appearing—the DragonCon and AnachroCon in Atlanta, SC Comicon, and other regional Cons—in order to make personal contact with them. We attended book signings. We sent them brief inquiries via email and told them what we were planning. We also sent out letters and made myriad phone calls inquiring whether stated fees could be waived. We worked on the philosophy of “why not ask?” and took a chance. Our mantra became, “They can’t come if you don’t invite them.” The trick was to get them all to come for free!

One of the most pleasant surprises was to find out how willing authors, artists, and cosplayers were to work with us once we told them our objectives. Those who responded “yes!” are great advocates of libraries and literacy and we were thrilled to have them as our panelists. We owe special thanks to David Weber, Megan Shepherd, Delilah S. Dawson, Robert Venditti, Tara Lynne, George Farmer, Allen Swords, Marla Roberson, Gypsey Teague, and Amanda Finley for their support of our event. On the day of our Con, we were very disappointed when Robert Venditti cancelled due to illness. Enoch Vaughn agreed to substitute and the panel went on as planned. ComiCon people do form a very cooperative community.

STAFFING AND DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
We shared the responsibilities and all of our decisions were made by consensus, although we each had specific tasks we worked on. We didn’t move forward until we all agreed that what we were going to do met our basic goals. And we also knew that there was no way our library could hold this event without the help of staff.

The Summer Reading/Electric City ComiCon staff T-shirts were designed by Sara Leady. With special ALA approval, she modified the official library logo by dressing the Big L in a green superhero cape with mask. Each staff member who worked our Con wore a special T-shirt, with the same logo on the front as the Summer Reading T-shirt, but with the logos of all our sponsors on the back, a salute of thanks to them for their support.

VENDORS
You can’t have a ComiCon without vendors, but we had to get Library Board approval to waive the rule of no commercial activities in our library. We started looking for potential vendors almost two years ago. We visited vendor booths at all the major Cons, craft fairs, and through location-based searching on the internet. We narrowed our list of over one hundred down to thirteen—the number determined by our space limitations. One advantage for the vendors was that we did not charge a booth fee. The authors had booths and their books were available for purchase and autographing. Some of the cosplay panelists had booths dedicated to costume accessories. Our IT department installed an additional access point to our Wi-Fi so that vendors had internet access from their locations.

MAPPING THE FLOW
We mapped what we thought would be effective crowd flow. We had no idea how many people to expect and how much open floor space in our two-level library we would need for crowds. We wanted everything located in logical, accessible places, with freely-flowing traffic between events, without blocking the day-to-day routines—we performed normal library operations during our Con! For weeks prior, we posted signs throughout the building warning our patrons to expect a lot of noise on Con day.

We debated how we would set up the vendors and eventually agreed to assign them all to one space to allow equal access to the attendees. We had to deal with the main stairway and elevator ingress/egress to the upper level when locating the FanArt display, the panel tables, and audience seating. We were concerned that the activities in the Children’s area on the main level would be overlooked by those immediately going upstairs to the panel presentations and the gaming stations in the Teen Center. Our fears were unfounded. The huge attendance meant that all areas were visited by large numbers of people.

SECURITY
One major concern, of course, was security. Since our building is County-owned, our director arranged for two additional county deputies (three in all) to be on duty throughout the event. One deputy manned the main entrance as a weapons inspector. In cosplay many participants come with prop weapons as part of their costume, and we did see several really convincing Uzi’s in the hands of storm troopers! The deputy inspected and tagged each one to reassure us that they were not real.

The other two deputies circulated through each level during the event. They commented how well-behaved the crowd was. We understood why. For the most part, those who attend Cons come seeking others to bond with, to meet up with others who they may have already communicated with via various social media avenues. We saw several teens from several different schools laughing and talking with each other about their costumes. After all, a Con is a community of fellow-fans geeking together. We also planned a combination vendor supply room and public first aid/lost and found station adjacent to the vendor area and near the main entrance.

FOOD & REFRESHMENTS
We discussed having a public food concessions but our director nixed the idea for valid reasons. We had already bitten off a big hunk of this Con to manage, and having to deal with food, inside or out, would add another responsibility or headache, not to mention burden the clean-up crew. We decided that a Green Room for panelists and vendors would be sufficient for this year.

POST EVENT ANALYSIS
For us, the Electric City ComicCon was a mind-blowing success! We already have our second Con calendared for August 6, 2016, from 10-5. We learned a lot about how to improve our event:

HOURS AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING

• Add three more hours to avoid overlaps in the schedule and provide more time between panels.
• Relocate the panel stage to avoid crowd noise and traffic.
• Add a steampunk panel.
• Have an Artists Alley with prints and posters for sale.
• Host more lead-up events for Tweens and Teens.
• Provide more cosplay workshops.
• Have more comic books for sale.
• Readdress the location of photo station and traffic flow by it. It was such a popular activity that traffic got jammed up and blocked access to other areas for children.

STAFFING

• Involve more geek volunteers. (We had one enthusiastic volunteer this year.)
• Involve more staff in the preplanning.

PROMOTIONS

• Create a brand for our Con that is used on all our advertising and everything we print, display, or digitally broadcast.
• Consider selling Con T-shirts. Many, many attendees wanted to buy our staff T-shirts.

FUNDING

• Start early to solicit corporate partners and sponsors for next year. Funding will always be the big issue, but fortunately we’ll have this year’s impressive gate count to entice more sponsors for 2016!

OTHER ISSUES

• Consider shuttle buses to and from city parking lots to address limited parking issue.
• Investigate providing ATM access.
• Print more programs. We only printed 500 and had to run off copies on-the-fly.
• Encourage survey returns. We had a survey on our website and included a printed survey in the tri-fold program. Although the survey results were overwhelmingly positive–Bigger! Longer!–we didn’t get back a significant percentage of them.

We overheard one of our attendees say enthusiastically, “The library is interested in what I’m interested in!” That’s why we held our own ComiCon, not only to have people come through our doors, but to shift the attitude held by so many of what they think a library is into what we know it can be for them…to see the possibilities of libraries…the possibility of their library. For more information, contact us at: electriccitycomicon@andersonlibrary.org

Resources:

Banaszak, Mark. “Library Articles. Convention Development: Creating A Mini-Con At The Library.” Diamond Bookshelf. January 20, ? http://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/181?articleID=130000 (accessed August 28, 2015).

Cruz, Rebecca. “Comics, Super Heroes, Pop Culture, and Libraries.” Public Libraries Online. August 17, 2015. https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2015/08/comics-super-heroes-pop-culture-and-libraries (accessed August 28, 2015).

Hamdan, Kate Denwiddie and Kareemah. “We Put On a Comic-Con (And So Can You!).” Virginia Libraries. July-September 2013. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib/v59_n3/pdf/denwiddie.pdf (accessed August 28, 2015).

Lynne, Tara. “Introducing Electric City Comic Con!” The Geekiary. June 3, 2015. http://thegeekiary.com/introducing-electric-city-comic-con/25050 (accessed August 31, 2015).

MacDonald, Heidi. “How to Throw a Comic Con at Your Library.” Publishers Weekly. April 18, 2014. http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/61940-how-to-throw-a-comic-con-at-your-library.html (accessed August 31, 2015).

Anderson County, SC website: http://www.andersonlibrary.org/

Electric City ComiCon Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/electriccitycomicon

Spartanburg, SC Spartancon website: http://www.infodepot.org/zReaders/Spartancon.asp

David Weber’s website: http://www.davidweber.net/

Megan Shepherd’s website: http://meganshepherd.com/

Delilah S. Dawson’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DelilahSDawson

Robert Venditti’s webpage: http://www.dccomics.com/talent/robert-venditti

White Knight Cosplay: https://www.facebook.com/whiteknightcosplay

Heroes in Force website: http://www.heroesinforce.com/

Enoch Vaughn: https://www.facebook.com/enoch.vaughn

George Farmer’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ArtofGeorgeFarmer

Gypsey Teague’s website: http://www.gypseyteague.com/

Amanda Findley’s Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/AmandaFinleyCrafts

AnachroCon, Atlanta, GA: http://www.anachrocon.com/

DragonCon, Atlanta, GA: http://www.dragoncon.org/

The post Geeking @ the Library: Con is Community! first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Uniondale Library is a safe, well-utilized institution in the community and Kendrick-Samuel knew that music would bring teen patrons in the doors. Through funding from the Best Buy Community Foundation, Margaret E. Edwards Trust, and a Uniondale School District 21^st Century Learning grant. Kendrick-Samuel made “young adult services” music to the Uniondale Library’s teens’ ears.

The program initially was offered as a two-part workshop led by vocalist and music teacher, Michelle Taylor Bryant. Bryant drew on her first hand experiences at Carnegie Hall and the Long Island Conservatory of Music. She offered students vocal coaching and most of all, lots of encouragement and positive praise. Bryant put together a curriculum that included getting the kids up and singing as a group plus offering tools and techniques to improve individual and group singing. She also developed students’  music appreciation—increasing their sensitivity to the power of a song, its impact on a listener, and how a song’s message can be communicated by a singer’s individual rendition. All of this culminated in a small group of the Dewey Decibels performing as an all-female group, “The Jolies,” in the library’s annual talent show. It was a hit.

When it looked like Bryant’s broken ankle would shut the show down the following year, Uniondale native Twyla Sommersell, an academic designer/editor at McGraw-Hill School Education specializing in music, stepped in. Sommersell added a few more workshops and partnered students as performers and directors, creating an interesting dimension. Students performed and the audience provided carefully guided constructive criticism. The library had assembled its own rendition of “The Voice”—and soon there was huge interest (that is, a large number of boys joined the group).

Sommersell’s goal was for “students… to perform in some way or another, promoting confidence.” Kendrick-Samuel’s goal: to get students into the library and off the streets. Both women realized their dream—when the group stood and performed its rendition of Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” at the annual talent show. Students were empowered through music and through the library.

The Dewey Decibels are now a permanent part of the Uniondale Library Young Adult Services programming, one that everyone can’t wait to hear. Syntychia Kendrick-Samuel said, “Sure, it was great to see kids get up on stage…or see painfully shy kids perform for the first time, but the best thing about it was seeing how the library could make a difference. That’s why I became a librarian. This is the kind of thing that makes it all worth it.”

The post Dewey Decibels: Teens Creating Music at Their Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Teamwork
This author event was achieved with the help of a large number of people. Ally Condie’s visit was the first author event that I have planned. As the Teen Services Coordinator, I was in charge of the event, but I didn’t do it alone. Thirty-two staff members from the Teen Services Team, Community Engagement and Outreach Office (public relations), Facilities, and Security made this day go smoothly. We also had 20 teen volunteers.

Funding
The Kirkpatrick Family Fund sponsored Condie’s fee for the day with a very generous grant, which we applied for with the help of the PPLD Foundation. Once we received the grant we had one year to find an author and plan the event. Additional funding was donated by the PPLD Foundation to, in part, pay for buses so students from area schools could join us. One teacher commented in a survey, “Thanks so much for providing the transportation. Without that, my students could not have attended.”

Schedule and Statistics:
9 am student presentation: 281 students and adults

11 am student presentation: 311 students and adults

6 pm reception: 24 winners and guests

7 pm public presentation: 417 patrons

8 pm book signing only (just waited in line; didn’t see the presentation): 75 (many more people had their books signed!  Condie signed books for 2.5 hours!)

We had 1,108 people attend the five programs associated with the event!

Promotion:
School visits for booktalks and resource classes provided us with a captive audience to promote the author event.

Partnership with Barnes & Noble: They sold books at the event, so they were willing to put bookmarks and posters up. Independent book stores also helped us promote by putting up posters, but selling books at the event wasn’t something they could do.

One of the local newspapers (The Colorado Springs Independent) had an article about the event.

PPLD’s one book, one community program is called All Pikes Peak Reads. Matched was the teen selection. This synchronicity provided another way for the event to be promoted.

Word of mouth was very important. Staff members were excited, so it was easy for everyone to talk about it. We also used social media to get the word out on Facebook and twitter.

Feedback
I put together a survey for the teachers. The comments were wonderful! Here are a few:

“Great presentation, and very motivational and engaging.”

“The day went exceedingly well. Our students enjoyed the presentation very much. Condie was well prepared for all of the questions and gave many helpful tips to aspiring writers.”

“My students liked the personal nature of her remarks. Several of them talked about wanting to write books. I think hearing her, they realized that they could write too.”

When I started planning this author visit, I was quite intimidated. To prevent myself from having a nervous breakdown, I took a lot of deep breaths, created checklists for every aspect of the day, and got help from a lot of people. Amazing things are possible and, as Condie’s characters frequently remind each other in Matched, “Do not go gentle”[1].

The line at the Ally Condie book signing (Click to expand):

Photo by Tori Sparrow

Works Cited

[1] Thomas, Dylan, “Do not go gentle into that good night,” Poets.org, Nov. 29, 2014, http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night.

Cover Photo Credit: Jeffrey Beall CC BY 3.0

The post Ally Condie Visits Pikes Peak Library District first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

1. Current trends in early literacy practices and education. My school district recently began to follow the Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading. When children and their families come in looking for a “level M” book, it’s a huge cause of frustration for my circulation staff. A trained children’s librarian should be aware of developments such as this and be able to offer recommendations. Similarly, a familiarity with the Common Core can aid not just in customer service, but also in collection development.
2. The importance of the reference interview. Reference interviews aren’t just for reference anymore! They can also be helpful in performing reader’s advisory. A librarian who is able to assess exactly what a patron is looking for is a huge asset to his or her department.
3. Understanding the needs of all levels of readers. Some children read far above their grade level and are not ready for the mature content that can come with higher-level books. Others struggle, and in the words of Marie Joyce, Children’s Librarian at the Free Public Library of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, “it’s important to get them books they can read but that are not ‘babyish.’” A successful children’s librarian should be able to help find resources for all reading levels.
4. An awareness of pop culture. Just as it’s important to be cognizant of current educational trends, it can greatly help a children’s librarian to be aware of what’s going on in popular culture. Some of the highest-circing items in my library’s juvenile collection are LEGO books and Star Wars tie-ins. Similarly, we recently held an American Girl tea party that was an overwhelming success. Staying up to date on these things can help a professional relate better to young patrons, not to mention make the library a “cooler” place to hang out.
5. Management and networking skills. “Children librarians seem to be doing more and more on less available time. We are not an island…we need staff help, whether it is preparing crafts and props to marketing programs to patrons. Good management skills help rally the internal staff and outsiders who support the library with time and money,” points out Robin Rockman, Youth Services Librarian at Oradell (NJ) Free Public Library. Furthermore, many children’s librarians are also tasked with making sure their department runs smoothly. Having a good professional rapport with support staff makes this duty far easier.
6. How to talk to children. It seems obvious, but providing good service to children is far different than working with adults, or even teens. Establishing a non-intimidating but still authoritative stance with young patrons is key in a public library.
7. Technological know-how. That’s not to say every children’s librarian should be fluent in three different programming languages, but being able to leverage different resources can be a huge aid in both program development and customer service. It is also important to understand how screen time can affect our youngest patrons. It’s no longer out of place to have a parent or caregiver come into the library looking for app suggestions for their preschooler.
8. How to be a creative problem-solver. Children are unpredictable! You never know when a scheduled performer might not show up, or a kid has an accident during story time. Flexibility and being able to think quickly on his or her feet will pay off greatly during those moments of uncertainty.
9. Time management. Many children’s librarians are responsible for scheduling programming. Yet providing enough events for the public without burning themselves or their staff out can be a tricky act of balance. Similarly, most people in this position wear many different hats, from programming to collection development to community outreach and more. Being able to manage anything without being overwhelmed is vital.
10. How to promote library services. I come from a digital marketing background, and what I learned while working in that industry has helped me almost every day in my library career. Now more than ever, it’s necessary to stay relevant in the eyes of the public and elected officials. We can’t do that if no one knows about what we offer. From social media marketing to creating catchy in-house displays and merchandising, a keen sense for promoting library awareness will ensure the longevity of our field.

What other topics do you think a children’s librarian needs to know about? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Ten Things a Children’s Librarian Needs to Know first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Westport Library in Westport, Connecticut, has contributed a great deal of resources towards several expensive high tech purchases. One such acquisition is the SolidWorks computer-aided design software.[1] This was used to reach out to a niche community—primarily postgraduates trying to hone their skills—a purchase that benefits a fairly small audience.  Funding such projects could be controversial in some communities since it is funneling general funds towards a service that requires a fair amount of expertise to use and hence is fairly limited in reach.  The other way to view this is that the library is providing value to a group that might not otherwise look to the library for services.  It can also be a way to create advocates in the community from different sectors, particularly in this instance where it was in response to a suggestion from a local biomedical engineer.[2]

Generally, these decisions might be difficult to gain support for, but outside funding sources can greatly impact how an idea is sold to the Board of Trustees and the broader community.  The funding for a pair of programmable NAO Evolution robots was provided by a family foundation.[3]   While the funding for the robots was provided, it still required time and effort to promote these purchases, create programming around them, see that they are used in a manner that keeps them in good repair, and avoid any usages that might cause harm to patrons or the device.  This is not for every library, but it seems to have been well utilized by Westport.  The library received a great deal of media attention from news services throughout the country and from Russia, Spain, and Vietnam.[4]  This publicity can greatly enhance the library’s visibility and can inspire community members to look to the library for non-traditional services.

Yet investing in makerspaces is not only about creating media coverage. The high tech resources allow the library to create and share knowledge in new and unconventional ways.  Maxine Bleiweis, executive director for Westport Library, has noted how these additions are in line with the latest information on learning theories and how creating new content shows a high level of understanding of a given concept. She also correlated these costs to subscription costs for databases.[5]

Libraries should consider whether they can and should contribute part of their collection development budget towards new learning technologies. A key question that every library needs to consider when making a large investment of time and resources is how it relates back to the institutions mission.  The mission of the Westport Library “to empower individuals and strengthen the community, providing a welcoming destination that stimulates curiosity, encourages lifelong learning and promotes the open and lively exchange of information and ideas.”[6]  The high tech additions of the makerspace seem to effectively fit into this mission, and they have the resources to support this new technology.

A recurring question in library circles is what the library of the future will look like.  A key aspect of this is the extent to which makerspaces and particularly high tech makerspaces are a part of this future.  While it is unlikely that every library will have highly technical, expensive equipment, it should not be inconceivable that a library can provide this type of support if there is the community desire and the available resources.

Works Cited

[1]    Enis, Matt.  “Westport Maker Space Expands with Robots, SolidWorks Courses and Volunteer Training.”  Library Journal.  Accessed November 22, 2014.  http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2014/10/hardware-2/westport-maker-space-expands-robots-solidworks-courses-volunteer-training/

[2]    ibid

[3]    ibid

[4]    ibid

[5]    ibid

[6]    “About WPL.”  Westport Library.  Accessed November 22, 2014. http://westportlibrary.org/about

Cover Photo Credit: CSM Library CC BY 2.0

The post High Tech Makerspaces first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

With so many possibilities for 3D printing, the excitement is quickly building. New businesses are opening and creating innovative new products that are changing lives in ways that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago. Just as libraries have always been about providing access to new information and resources, they continue this mission by providing this new technology. The variety of filaments that can be used in these machines is growing, but currently the most commonly used are plastic, usually PLA (poly lactic acid) or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). However, some printers have been created that can print with food or cellular material.[i]

One of the larger considerations for 3D printing involves intellectual property. This concept is nothing new for libraries, and copyright is something we have had to think about for years, posting signs by our copiers and music collections. However, with creation of content and objects, we must begin to think beyond copyright, and move into the world of patents and trade secrets.[ii]

Further legal considerations involve liability. The tip sheet mentions liability that stems from the actual products that are created using the 3D printer.[iii] Beyond that, libraries will also want to mull over any liability issues from having the machines themselves and the possible dangers that can arise simply from machines whose parts can heat to over 200 degrees.

Then you have intellectual freedom. Libraries are champions of providing information and access to everyone. However, when possible public safety issues, like with 3D printed weaponry, where do our responsibilities lie? The ALA tip sheet also discusses the use of this technology as a way to create pharmaceuticals, and how that same use could spread to illegal drug production.[iv]

These legal matters can be intimidating. The great part is that many libraries have begun this journey and have started thinking about these issues. Warning notices regarding copyright have been created, such as the one at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (available via the link). User agreements and liability waivers have been written with the assistance of legal counsel, like the one from the  Fayetteville Free Library.

Overall, can 3D printing present some daunting issues? Yes. However, the wonderful implications of this technology far outweigh the effort of overcoming the obstacles. 3D printers aren’t the first new product libraries have offered, nor will they be the last. Here’s to being brave new librarians!

Works Cited

[i] United For Libraries, Public Library Association, and ALA’s Office of Info Tech Policy. “American Library Association.” Progress in the Making: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Public Policy. September 2014. (accessed October 13, 2014).

[ii]Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

Cover Image Credit: Chris McKenna

The post 3D Printing: New Horizons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

What is fan fiction? Originally a niche hobby shared through zines and in-person conventions, it is the act of creating a story based on already-established characters and worlds portrayed in literature and film. Some “fan fics” even focus on fictionalized narratives about real-life celebrities. Now, there are seemingly endless resources online where writers can share their work. These range from communities on more general blogging sites like LiveJournal and Tumblr to dedicated sites about specific fandoms such as Fiction Alley (Harry Potter). Some authors are even profiting off their work through Amazon’s new Kindle Worlds service, dedicated exclusively to the self-publishing of fan fiction.

According to a recent School Library Journal article, many teens use fan fiction as a creative outlet to improve their writing skills, make friends, and explore new emotions and experiences. One of the advantages to new sharing platforms such as Figment and Wattpad is that they integrate a social experience of providing feedback for others’ work, similar to traditional social networks like Facebook. Creating new stories about characters they already love can give teens an added incentive to keep writing and honing their crafts, in addition to providing what can sometimes be a much-needed escape from real life. Developing this skill and finding acceptance in the online world can boost a teen’s self-esteem as well. The hobby is not without controversy, though.

Some experts, including famous authors like George R.R. Martin, have voiced concerns that young writers should be using their creativity to concoct stories from scratch, as opposed to letting others create their worlds for them. There is also the issue of copyright and just how much of these already-published characters and plot lines can be manipulated under fair use. Finally, despite the fact that most fan fiction sites allow users as young as thirteen to post their work, not all fan fiction is appropriate for teens thanks to explicit sexual content, language, and even violence.

Many public librarians feel the pros of fan fiction outweigh the cons and have capitalized on this trend by creating fan fiction programs or clubs in their libraries. Still, others are wary. Should fan fiction be welcome in general writers’ groups? Should it be promoted through specific events that specially cater to that type of writing? The questions are endless.

Have you done anything to address this growing phenomenon in your library?

The post Fan Fiction: No Longer Underground first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

At the outset, I would like to point out that there is value in working with different age groups.  A teen may actually benefit more (both educationally and with regards to self-efficacy) by tutoring a tween in a particular subject than by being taught the information by an adult.  In creating activities, however, a librarian needs to consider if opening an event up to a wider public will alienate some of the potential participants.  An example might be creating a coding class that is open to everyone ages 10-18.  If there are teens ages 15 to 18 with some coding experience and then younger attendees with no coding experience, the instructor is going to have a difficult time keeping everyone engaged.  In this instance, there might be greater value in creating both a beginner and an intermediate class.  Will teens engage differently in a book group that is more selective or more inclusive?

To some extent this is about knowing the community you serve.  Some communities find it impossible to reach those between the ages of 15 and 18. If that age group comes into the library at all, it is only to checkout a book and be on their way.  In these communities it makes sense that a teen event might be catered to those between the ages of 10 and 14, because that’s the population who attends.  It can, however, be difficult to determine whether these older teens are not attending because they feel the library does not cater to their needs, or because they simply do not wish to be involved with the library.  For this reason, it is incredibly important for teen librarians to reach out to local high schools and other places where teens are and ask how they can best support what teens want.  Increasingly the library is becoming a place where teens can learn about vocations, college, and other educational opportunities, but that does not mean that they will naturally be drawn to the library.  “Teen” events that do not speak to their interests will reinforce this devaluation of the library.

I am not advocating for every program to have a very specific community in mind, with a different book group for those aged 10-12, 13-15, 16-17, and 18-25 (the growth of “new adult” programming is another topic that was brought up and whether or not this group should be under the direction of young adult or adult librarians).  Firstly, there are very few libraries that would have the space, personnel, or budget to make this a viable option. Secondly, not all programs would benefit from this exclusivity.  Yet, seventeen and eighteen year-olds may face very different issues from younger teens as they get ready for college, leave home, and/or start a vocation.  Focused outreach to this group might not only be of benefit to them, but could also create events that are well attended and future supporters for the library.  Similarly, a program bringing together incoming freshman with those entering their sophomore year could help first year high school students make a smoother transition.

Perhaps my greatest takeaway from this session was that none of these changes happen overnight, but if we can achieve even moderate success, some of these changes can last generations.  Teens have friends and siblings, and if a librarian can convince a few teens that the library can be an ally to them, this can have a rippling effect.  Perhaps, the libraries that have teens attending their events are the ones who listened to the needs of their teen community five or ten years ago and have been flexible enough to meet their changing needs in the ensuing years.  Successful programming is not about what we create, but how we respond. Particularly with teens, we only get a response if we can grab their attention.

Cover image credit: SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget

The post Teen Programming – Who Comes and Why first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Libraries that offer gaming programs or circulate games should consider attending Gen Con to better serve their patrons.  Gen Con is a great place for librarians to learn about and playtest games to add to their collections.  I was at the convention for 3 days, and I still wasn’t able to experience everything.  While there I learned about many games I’d never even heard of. Moreover, I was able to playtest games that are currently out, as well as upcoming releases.  Reading reviews of board games, and even seeing them played on YouTube, are nothing in comparison to getting my hands on the actual games themselves, and playing through with a group of people.

The convention is broken up into an exhibit hall, a large play hall in the back, and multiple rooms with different events happening throughout the convention center.  Purchasing a badge allows you into the gaming area and the exhibit hall, but many of the events cost extra.  Many of these events require tickets, which often sell out very early. Next year I plan on deciding what events to participate in ahead of time and purchasing those tickets as early as possible.

Librarians are able to get a special pass and attend on Trade Day (Wednesday), which I think could be particularly helpful.  I was overwhelmed by all of the information and gaming that was offered throughout the website and at the convention, and I was lucky to attend with friends.  I would suggest that any librarian who is attending Gen Con for the first time should partner up with someone who has been there before.  Another suggestion would be to look through the programming book, available in PDF form on the Gen Con Indy website.  The program book is currently for this year’s convention (which just wrapped up), but should be updated soon.  Even if the program book is slightly out of date, it gives an idea of what is available at the convention.

Gen Con was an amazing experience.  I left the convention with multiple new games, and an even longer list of games that I want to purchase soon.  As a librarian, I am excited to get some more table-top games to add to our ever growing selection.  I can’t wait to attend the convention again next year.

Cover Image Credit: SuSchu

The post Games, Games, and More Games – Experiencing Gen Con as a Librarian first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Many public libraries have begun to recognize this dilemma, with one of the most notable initiatives coming out of the University Heights branch of Cleveland’s Heights Library. Last month, this branch hosted a series of three career workshops for young adults, called Teen Job Prep. ¹ Topics of discussion included resume writing, best practices for completing job applications, and how to make a good first impression at an interview. The series came to a close with a teen-specific job fair where participants could meet real employers who were willing to hire students.

One of the perks of teen-specific career programming is that many high school students have not yet learned the nuances of job searching that so many adults take for granted. For example, Teen Job Prep addressed some dos and don’ts of making a strong first impression on a potential employer, including not chewing gum during an interview and avoiding low-rise or revealing pants. Moreover, if a teen has never had to apply for a job before, he or she may not even know how to find openings or construct a professional resume. Career resources geared primarily towards teens can highlight these finer points, which may seem monotonous to adults.

Teen Job Prep was a novel and highly useful program to residents of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights area, where the poverty level has reached upwards of 18 percent, but a similar program is key in all socioeconomic environments. In its most recent report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts youth unemployment at 16.3 percent nationwide², far higher than the total April 2014 unemployment rate of 6.3 percent³. BLS defines “youth” as 16-24 year-olds, and this figure is driven even higher if cut off at age 19, the maximum age for Teen Job Prep. Youth unemployment is a problem across the country, and few resources are presently available for the affected.

Providing teens with the tools they need to find a job is an investment that will pay off for years. As people retire later in life, the amount of time today’s youth spend in the workforce will increase. Participants can use what they learn as they move up through their careers and apply for work in the future.

Does your library currently offer career resources or training for teens?

RESOURCES

[1] Akins, E. (2014, April 27). Heights Library presents Teen Job Prep Series and Job Fair for local youth. cleveland.com. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.cleveland.com/university-heights/index.ssf/2014/04/heights_libraries_presents_tee.html

[2] Employment and Unemployment Among Youth Summary. (2013, August 20). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.nr0.htm

[3] CPS News Releases. (2014, May 2). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved May 27, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/cps/

The post Career Resources: Not Just For Adults first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

• Despite the fact that computer science leads to some of the most top-paying careers, less than 2.4% of college students graduate with a degree in computer science
• Of the 3.6 million High School A.P. exams, less than 3,000 African Americans and Hispanic students took the A.P. computer science test.
• Of the 57% of bachelor’s degrees that women earn, only 12% of computer science degrees are earned by women.
• 9 out of 10 schools don’t offer computer science courses and 30 out of 50 states don’t consider computer science as a part of a math or science requirement for high school graduation.

Click here to view the entire infographic.

In addition to tutorials, Code.org includes resources for educators to bring coding to their respective schools and libraries. During Computer Science Education Week, which is December 8-14, 2014, educators are encouraged to share the Hour of Code platform with their patrons and students. Choose from the variety of tutorials available on computers, tablets, and smart phones. You can even host Hour of Code unplugged by teaching students how to code with good old-fashioned paper and pencil. Hour of Code includes suggestions for setting up the classroom, partnering students together, and how participants can print out certificates of completion.

Are you one of the 35,375,362 who have tried an Hour of Code? If not, there’s a really easy way that you can try it yourself and bring it to your library. Laura Kline, Marketing and Advocacy Program Manager at Code.org, says that libraries can promote the campaign by marking their calendar with the dates December 8-14 and sharing it in newsletters/blogs/social media accounts. Additionally, librarians can print out Hour of Code posters and flyers and post them throughout the library, reach out to local schools about the Hour of Code campaign with sample letters, and host the Hour of Code at the library.

The post Code at Your Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Hansel Public Library’s Robotics Club won the Loleta D. Fyan grant this year.  The grant (in the amount of $5000) is awarded every year and “supports a project that will develop and/or improve public library services, will effect changes that are innovative and responsive to the future and have potential for broader impact and application beyond a specific local need.”¹  This club will use LEGO Mindstorms technology and is for pre-teen patrons.

Another library based Robotics Club is from New Rochelle High School in New York.  This club is run by the school’s librarian, Ryan Paulsen.  This group participated in a FIRST Robotics Competition and was started with faculty, parent, and other schools’ help along with a grant from NASA.  Paulsen said that he didn’t have a lot of experience with robotics (aside from watching Battle Bots when he was younger), but that his librarian skills helped him research what his team needed to be successful.  The team also used library space to build their robot.  The New Rochelle High School principal said that the robotics team helps make the library a “place of action” rather than a museum.  According to Paulsen, teams who compete in the FIRST competition are teamed up with senior mentors who help throughout the process.  This makes it much easier for teams to form and get involved in the competition.

Librarians who would like to start a robotics program at their library should decide if they are going to compete, and if so, where.  The FIRST Robotics Competition website has a listing of local teams and events.  The team will need funding, a specific age group, and a place to build.  Even if the library can’t sponsor an on-going robotics club, the library could still purchase some robotics sets and have programming based around the robotics concept.

Resources

1. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2014/03/haslet-public-library-robotics-club-wins-2014-loleta-d-fyan-grant

The post Robotics Clubs At the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

If you have a tween or a young teen, you probably know about this game already. Teen librarians recognized that this patron population was enough of a fan of the game that maybe it was time to introduce this pastime into the library. “Minecraft fit into my library because it was a teens and tweens initiated activity,” says John Gillette, Young Adult Librarian of Bettendorf Public Library in Bettendorf, Iowa. Other library systems agree. This age set is more knowledgeable of the game than the adult librarians. Teens often help the adults learn what is needed to start and maintain Minecraft servers, plugins, and rules. As a result, the teens become invested in the library. Tinna D. Mills, teen services librarian of Chippewa River District Library System, had a teen advisory board member host their first Minecraft event. Now that same young patron has helped advise staff in advancing the servers to all of the system’s branches. Another librarian shared that a reluctant reader started using Minecraft at her branch and since then has become enthusiastic about reading Manga; the student’s teacher has complained to his mother that the student reads too much during class now!

Librarians have been thrilled with the teen enthusiasm this game evokes. They have witnessed shy adolescents thrive and learn to socialize more due to leadership and team building skills the game requires. The game also promotes STEM based learning and programming, a major component lately used by librarians across the country. “With Minecraft, we can offer technology and programming classes, free-style play sessions, and tournaments. There is a wide appeal,” says Teen Services Librarian Katie Kalil of Loudoun County (VA) Public Library.

On average, this game has become a popular component of public libraries in just the last couple of years. But in that short amount of time, there have been valuable lessons learned. First, it is wise to start out with a small server and use it to do an initial Minecraft event. Find out if there’s a truly a patron interest before buying many servers or one for each branch in your system. Realize that there is a time investment needed to build the system in the initial stages of the game. Be sure to learn all of the components of the game. One librarian learned quickly that teens had found the backdoor of the server console, causing a bit of havoc along the way. Senior Library Assistant Matt Williams of Roanoke County Public Library finds Bukkit to be helpful.

Luckily, the appeal of the game and evidence of its positive social, academic, and community impact has led to few criticisms by directors or supervisors. “Minecraft helps libraries build connections between individuals within the community and provide positive growth opportunities for young people,” says Mills. It’s real hard to argue with that.

The post The Minecraft Craze at the Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Starting this kind of programming can be daunting, especially if you have little knowledge of how autism spectrum disorder can affect people. Luckily, some experts on the topic have books available through ALA that can help. One option is Programming for Children and Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Barbara Klipper, which provides background information on autism, steps to starting various appropriate programs, as well as other helpful information.¹ Other possibilities are Library Services for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders by Lesley S. J. Farmer or Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians revised by Carrie Scott Banks.

Another way you can work on starting these kinds of programs is by pulling from what colleagues have already done. Libraries around the country offer specialized programs for children with autism. Five locations within the Brooklyn Public Library offer things like sensory gardens, adaptive toys and tools, and multisensory programs.² They also provide a wealth of information for parents, including workshops specifically discussing topics associated with disabilities.³

Douglas County Libraries (Colo.) provide Sensory Enhanced Storytime, “an all-ages storytime geared to serve children on the autism spectrum and/or with sensory integration issues.”⁴ To help make the children and parents feel more comfortable before coming into the library, they also provide a short PowerPoint for parents to discuss with their children. Seattle Public Library provides similar resources for the children and parents in their service area. And, the Tulsa City-County Library created a guide to help implement these programs that discusses how to handle registration, discussions with parents, book selections, and much more.⁵

One of the best things about libraries is their inclusive nature. Programs that facilitate comfort in and with the library for children with autism spectrum disorder are a fabulous way to promote that aspect of library service.

Resources

1. Christopher, Rob. “Programming for Children and Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” ALA.org. January 29, 2014. (accessed February 18, 2014).
2. Brooklyn Public Library. “Universal Design.” Brooklyn Public Library. n.d. (accessed February 20, 2014).
3. Brooklyn Public Library. “The Child’s Place.” Brooklyn Public Library. n.d. (accessed February 20, 2014).
4. Douglas County Libraries. “Sensory Enhanced Storytime.” Douglas County Libraries. n.d. (accessed February 20, 2014).
5. Tulsa City-County Library Sensory Storytime Pilot Committee. “Sensory Storytime How-to Guide.” Okautism.org. October 2012.

(accessed February 20, 2014).

The post Implementing Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The task force defines a digitally literate person as someone who:

• possesses the variety of skills—technical and cognitive—required to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide variety of formats;
• is able to use diverse technologies appropriately and effectively to retrieve information, interpret results, and judge the quality of that information;
• understands the relationship between technology, lifelong learning, personal privacy, and stewardship of information;
• uses these skills and the appropriate technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, colleagues, family, and on occasion, the general public, and
• uses these skills to actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community.²

Reading that definition describes exactly what a librarian working with teens is charged with every day—connecting teens with technology and making sure that teens are able to effectively utilize that technology for themselves and to connect with others.

Teen librarians have taken the idea of digital literacy and introduced it to teen audiences in creative ways through programming. I talked with two teen librarians, Kelly Jensen, associate librarian at Beloit (Wis.) Public Library, and Angie Manfredi, head of youth services, Los Alamos County (N.Mex.) Library System, who have implemented successful programs that have digital literacy as a goal.

Public Libraries: Can you explain the digital literacy program you ran at your library? How did you prepare for it and how was it promoted?

Kelly Jensen: I ran a QR code treasure hunt with Andrea Sowers at her library [Joliet (Ill.) Public Library]. Preparation involved designing a scavenger hunt with books located in the teen area of the library, the creation of videos for prompts (using authors to do so), and purchasing an iPod and putting a QR code on it. We also had to create our own QR codes as well.

Angie Manfredi: This year I decided to combine our most successful teen program, our teen lock-ins, with some digital literacy education tied into YALSA’s Teen Tech Week. Our teens are always interested in attending lock-ins, so this was a great chance for us to get good attendance numbers for a digital literacy program. To prepare for the program, I worked with our electronic services librarian to think of the resources and materials that would be the most appropriate to cover and used ideas from YALSA’s Teen Tech Week website.

PL: How did the program work?

KJ: To begin the QR Code Treasure Hunt, I had to make one large purchase: an iPod Touch. This cost roughly $200. I decided to purchase this because in my area, teens do not have much access to smartphones. It seemed unfair to me to expect anyone to participate in a program without the expensive equipment. Fortunately for me, I received a donation from a local organization, and the money went toward this purchase. Additionally, I decided that teens who completed the treasure hunt would have the opportunity to win big for participating. The iPod would be the prize. So, while this was a pricey start up, it ensured fair access to the equipment and served as a prize/incentive for participation.

When I got the iPod I loaded a free QR app onto it. I taught staff how to use the equipment by encouraging them to run through the hunt so they could answer questions that might arise. In addition, I made all of the books involved in the hunt non-circulating; this was done in the event one of our codes would check out. Fortunately, we’re part of a big enough system that kids interested in checking out these books would be able to get them in a day or two from another library.

There were only a few instructions for my hunt. The teens were given a small handout with problem-solving tips. They were allowed to borrow the iPod for the program with a library card or student ID. The first QR code led them to a video produced by one of Andrea’s teens that explained how the program worked. She also revealed their first clue. On the back of the book was the QR code. After snapping that clue, they were then led to their first author video, featuring young adult author Melissa Walker. Melissa’s clue took them to one of our reference desks. From there, they were led to a few other places around the library.

Our final clue was to the book Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. When kids snapped that code, they were led to a Google form to fill out and be entered for the grand prize.

AM: For our event, I created a bingo card featuring digital literacy activities. Each teen was given a bingo card and challenged to complete as many activities as possible during the lock-in. Several stations, with desktop and laptop computers, were set up around the library with library
staff on hand at each station prepared to help teens through any of the activities. Tasks included editing a Wiki page, looking up a favorite author on Twitter, testing the security of their passwords, using a library database to find out a ridiculous fact, filming a video booktalk, and playing with the code of a website using Hackasaurus.

PL: What were the program’s benefits?

KJ: The QR Code Treasure Hunt let teens learn a new piece of technology. For my rural teens, this was something they don’t get exposed to daily, and the opportunity to do so while having fun (I mean, they got to see videos from real authors!) made the learning part more enjoyable.

AM: This was such a wonderful program! It gave us a chance to really reach out to teens about digital and information literacy in a way that was interesting, relevant, and hands-on. Tying it to a successful program (our lock-ins) also gave the old program a whole new appeal. We not only had the opportunity to teach them new things about digital literacy but it was also a wonderful chance to share some of our library’s resources.  Another unexpected benefit was the chance to connect librarians from outside youth services with teens.

PL: Would you repeat this program?

KJ: I would do this program again in a heartbeat and I recommend something similar to other libraries looking for a way to incorporate technology and reading. As someone who’d never used a QR code, I thought this was such a cool introduction to the power they have, and it really encouraged me to think about how I could incorporate these things into my work.

AM: Absolutely, particularly in connection with [YALSA’s] Teen Tech Week.

PL: Why should teen librarians incorporate a focus on digital literacy in programming?

KJ: It’s important to give teens new experiences in safe environments, especially since not all teens are digitally savvy. I think the assumption is that if they’re young, they know technology. Not true.

AM: Our Teen Tech Week program really showed us the ways teens need digital literacy education—this is an area YA librarians are uniquely qualified to step up and take part in. Seeing our teen patrons “ooh!” and “ahh!” as they were also absorbing digital literacy lessons that will help them in every aspect of their life was a really great experience and it helped broaden what we think of when we think of library services to teens.

Librarians serving teens can help guide teens through the murky waters of technology and help them discover how it can be used in any setting.

REFERENCES

1. Marijke Visser, “Digital Literacy Definition,” ALA Connect, Sept. 14, 2012.
2. Ibid.

The post Teaching Teens About Digital Literacy Through Programming first appeared on Public Libraries Online.