Hey all! So for my virtual symposium, I decided to do an Ignite Session. So 20 slides, 5 minutes, and lots of talking!! I either took the pictures or created most of the images you will see. I had so much fun and can’t wait to share it with you, so without further ado:
As you heard in my talk, I had not originally intended to do this; I was going to rap, or sing, but those both failed spectacularly. I really enjoyed making everything for this and putting it together though. I hope you enjoyed it!!
Thanks again for the awesome semester! Keep in touch 🙂
*Slides 2, 4, 8, 10, and 13 were taken from Google image searches. The rest were created by me; some were made on the computer, I drew some, and the rest are photos I’ve taken.
Last official blog
Lots to think about and share
I will miss you all!
I wrote it while I was waiting for my video to upload 🙂
Here is the link to my elevator speeches. They’re each a little under a minute. They were part of a personal portfolio we were required to make for the class; we were discussing marketing ourselves and the use of electronic portfolios, so mine is on a wordpress blog. Feel free to look around!
Thanks again to all of you. What a phenomenal group of people and fantastic class. Thank you all! And like I said, don’t be strangers!!
This proposal discusses creating an iPad lending program in a public library setting. It explores the many facets of lending out this technology, and aims to uncover the ways this type of program supports the library’s mission. Not only will iPad lending be a great introduction to an emerging technology, but it will also help libraries lessen the digital divide within communities and open the door to new opportunities for digital literacy. It also provides patrons the opportunity to explore, play, and create, which is an essential goal of public libraries everywhere.
Hello everyone! Here’s my next reflection vlog. I talk a lot about the library as a classroom, but I touch briefly on infinite learning, and how I think they’re connected!
Hello everyone! For this reflection post I decided to try my hand at vlogging. It was definitely a new experience for me, but overall I think I was able to touch on a couple of subjects from the Mobile Information Environments module that really intrigued me. I was inspired by Jan Holmquist’s video to try recording on a couple of different devices and in different locations. I apologize for the variation in sound! It was definitely a learning experience!
References:
MuVChat: http://muvchat.com
*Note: In my video I said a phone number is displayed at the beginning of the movie. I was just re-reading their site and didn’t see any reference to that specifically, so I wanted to clarify that it may be done another way.
Snapchat is a social media app available on Android and iOS systems that allows users to send pictures, or “snaps,” to friends for a limited amount of time. Each snap can be viewable for 1-10 seconds, and then it is deleted permanently. Snapchat also has a feature called “Stories” that allows users to tell a story through a series of pictures that stays up for 24 hours. Snapchat also has the ability to send videos that last up to 10 seconds.
Aaron Schmidt discusses the importance of moving beyond relying on print materials and looking to user experience and design thinking to help us remain relevant; in his column Services Before Content, he discusses focusing more on “creating and connecting.” Snapchat offers a wonderful opportunity for us to do just that. Anyone can snap a picture on their phone, and with a few taps on the screen they can use the app to enhance it with doodles or text and send it back to us, forming a connection between us and our users.
Mobile content is becoming increasingly important today. The App store for iOS devices and the Google Play store for Android devices offer users extensive selections of any type of app that you can imagine and more. According to Matt Enis’ article on mobile evolution, “in 2012, the usage of apps surpassed the usage of browsers on smartphones and tablets for the first time… 54.5 percent of mobile subscribers used apps in October 2012 compared to 52.7 percent using browsers—but the shift could mark a significant moment for mobile computing.” This was three years ago. Think about how many more apps have been developed since then. It’s time for us to take a look at using apps to connect with our patrons, and Snapchat offers several features that could be very useful for the library.
Description of Community you wish to engage:
At Timberland Regional Library (TRL), we are always trying to find new ways to reach out to non-users. Two user groups that we have trouble attracting are teens and millennials. Keeping up with them on social media is a challenge: there is a Teens Online committee that runs the social media accounts for teenagers. We started on Facebook but as teens migrated away from that we moved on to Tumblr, and most recently Instagram. I believe the next logical step is to add Snapchat because it has been growing in popularity among the younger generations.
The Pew Research Center’s 2015 study on Teens, Social Media, and Technology found that 41% of teens use Snapchat, and a study done by the marketing company Sumpto estimated that 77% of college students use Snapchat at least once a day. These are both groups that TRL would benefit from targeting; we span 5 counties with 27 branches, and have many schools that fall within our service districts, including a major university. It’s time to start thinking of other ways to reach these parts of our communities and find ways to encourage their participation at the library.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal #1: Engage new user groups, such as teens and millennials
Goal #2: Enhance user experience through non-traditional means
Goal #3: Raise awareness for the library and library services
Objective #1: Offer opportunities for users to connect and create content that the library can share with others.
It is important for users to feel as though they are a part of the library community. We do not want them to just be spectators. Social media is a great in for participatory culture, and this app allows the library the opportunity to get the community involved through silly user-created content that can be sent to us as fun snaps we can then share on our website and our other social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter.
Objective #2: Create monthly campaigns introducing services the library offers or providing a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the library that patrons may not be aware of.
Snapchat stories will allow the library the chance to give out ‘backstage passes’ and offer patrons a look at different aspects of the library they may not be familiar with. This could be accomplished through a tour of one of the databases, a series of book recommendations by staff, or a closer look at a day in the life of a TRL courier. Each month could have a different focus offering glimpses into what really happens at the library. Not only will this allow patrons to enjoy some never-before-seen inner workings of the library, but it will take us toward being a more transparent organization.
Action Brief Statement:
Convince the admin team that by approving a Snapchat account for TRL they will be engaging new user groups, especially teenagers and millennials, which will raise our visibility and convince our patrons we are here to stay because it shows that we are able to adapt to new technologies, provide a new space to create connections, and allow our patrons an inside look at the library while also giving them opportunities to create content to share with us.
Evidence and Resources to support Technology or Service:
General Information and How-To Guides to Snapchat:
23 Mobile Things provides a brief tutorial on how to set up a Snapchat account with links that include articles about Snapchat and libraries as well as more information about similar apps.
Library Enumerations also published a post called Snapchat for Your Library, which has some of the basics along with examples of different types of content you can post. My personal favorite is this gem of a video:
Mission, Guidelines, and Policy related to Technology or Service:
The members of the Snapchat Team should draft the mission, guidelines, and policies for using the app. They would then need to present it to the Admin Team, including the IT Manager, for final approval. They should base the mission off of TRL’s Library Mission and Vision statements:
Library Mission
Timberland Regional Library invites discovery and interaction
with our vibrant collection, services and programs
for learning, enrichment, and enjoyment
for people of all ages in our diverse communities.
Library Vision
For those who seek – a connection
For those who question – a dialog
For those who create – a palette
For those who imagine – a story
For all – a place to belong
The Snapchat Team will also refer to the general TRL Social Media Policy as a starting point, and will further develop any necessary guidelines and policies governing the use of Snapchat. They could also look at or reach out to other libraries using Snapchat for examples of policies. The team may also need to refer to other policies and guidelines in place for general social media use in libraries and develop policies based on their findings. There should be guidelines in place for different types of content that should be shared, posting frequency, and any other expectations that come up during the initial training.
Action Steps & Timeline:
I believe this project, from planning to going live, could be up and running within 3-4 months, depending on how long it takes to get approval from upper management; until they approve it, we cannot move forward with this idea. That would also allow Communications enough time to develop print materials.
Submit proposal to admin team and present at their next meeting
If they say no, find out why and reevaluate what needs to be fixed, changed, or clarified to move forward
Once approved, begin recruiting a team of 4, including at least one member of the Teens Online committee
Plan the initial training and first meeting for the Snapchat team
Meet with Communications Department to discuss marketing and promoting the Snapchat account
Train the team on how to use Snapchat; begin brainstorming ideas for content, stories, contests, etc.
Begin a countdown to when the Snapchat account goes live through other social media platforms (Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram); also promote through a print campaign
Publish the first post
Staffing Considerations for this Technology or Service:
As there is already a Teens Online team that maintains the teen social media, I believe at least one member from this committee and two or three staff members that work in adult services should coordinate to moderate the Snapchat account. A team of four employees should be sufficient for the first six months, until we have a better handle on the app and everything it will require from us. Snapchat is not incredibly time-consuming, depending on how you choose to use it. At the beginning, I believe each of these team members should spend an hour each week creating a story, a contest, or a promotion to post on Snapchat. Quarterly, the team should plan three-hour meetings to check-in with each other, brainstorm ideas for future posts, and look at any new features that have been added. It will be important to keep in contact outside of these meetings because trends are continuously changing and evolving, and the team will want to be sure to stay on top of whatever is current and popular among Snapchat users.
Training for this Technology or Service:
The initial training should be by someone who has experience using Snapchat. Hopefully, one of the members of the Snapchat team would have personal experience with the app and be able to teach the basics to the other team members. Ideally, they could design the training from personal knowledge, and read some of the articles included above on how to apply Snapchat to a business or organization. A three-hour combined training and first meeting would be sufficient for the members to learn how to use the app, to explore the various features, and to brainstorm ideas for upcoming contests and campaigns they want to run. Coordinating schedules for a training with four staff members should be fairly manageable.
Funding Considerations for this Technology or Service:
Snapchat is a free app, so we would not need any additional funding to create an account. As I proposed above, if each staff member could initially use an hour of time during each work week to dedicate to posting on the site, I believe we would be able to run the content and keep interest up.
The only things we may need to purchase are additional devices for the members of the team to post to Snapchat. Some libraries have “petting zoos” that include devices such as iPads. We also might still have a couple that are housed at our Service Center and could be reassigned. If the members of the team are from libraries with those devices already in place, or we are able to reassign some from the Service Center, no new equipment would be necessary. However, if no extra devices are available, we would need to purchase an additional 2-3 iPads (all of the Teens Online members have or are scheduled to receive devices by the end of the year). On Apple’s website, an iPad Mini 2 costs $269; I would estimate that $600-$900 at most would be necessary to buy these extra devices, though if we chose to buy refurbished versions or another type of tablet, we could come in considerably under budget.
Promotion & Marketing for this Technology or Service:
A print campaign could be developed with our Communications Department that would include flyers and posters that we could hang in-house as well as around the community. This could help us reach people who don’t come to the library very often, as well as spark interest from non-users who may see the ads around town. These print materials could feature our Snapcode, which Snapchat will assign to us once we have an account. Snapcodes are scannable codes unique to each account that allow users to easily add us to their contacts (read more about Snapcodes here). We could also use our website and social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram) to begin a countdown to when our Snapchat account will go live. A daily post on the social media sites, as well as a timer counting down on our homepage, would be eye-catching and could generate a lot of interest. By promoting online and through social media, we would be able to reach our patrons that don’t often visit the library.
Evaluation:
Snapchat does not have traditional performance metrics such as comments, likes, or opportunities to repost our content
Users are able to snap back when they see our posts: we could measure over time to see how many snaps we receive, and we could evaluate based on those numbers
During the initial promotion through the website and social media we will be able to use metrics such as site visits, shares, likes, and comments to evaluate if the word is getting out about it
As we receive snaps back from patrons, we will be able to share that content on our website and social media, and will be able to gauge user interaction through the statistics from the website and social media
By sharing user-created content, we will be able to spread the stories we create on Snapchat that those who haven’t added us miss out on, thus raising awareness and showing others how much fun it can be
As time goes on, we can evaluate what types of posts get the most interaction and develop those further:
We can post more frequently
We can post more types of content (contests, stories, promotions)
We could offer more in-depth contests or stories
We could look for other local businesses and organizations that also have Snapchat and potentially partner with them to do campaigns or contests
Conclusion
There are a lot of unique, creative, and exciting ways a library can incorporate Snapchat into their branding. I believe creating a Snapchat account for TRL would benefit us through a higher amount of visibility in the community, especially among teenagers and millennials, thus allowing us to reach out to new user groups. We could create a new type of virtual user experience, and allow our patrons to participate in fun campaigns and share the content they make.
As an added bonus, here is Part 2 of the Snapchat Song Covers:
Participatory culture is one of my favorite subjects that I have discovered over the course of my time at SJSU. This hands-on, engaging approach to librarianship helps me to see the possibilities of where we are headed in the future, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. There are many aspects to participatory culture, but I want to focus on patron involvement in developing services, programs, and library spaces. In her article about the design of the Los Angeles Public Library, Candice Mack (2013) states that “the library is nothing without its community.” This statement really struck me as being wholly true, and something we, as LIS professionals, must always remember. Without the support of our users, we would be nothing: we need their patronage to continue to thrive. We need to establish ourselves as essential in the eyes of our community, and should try to offer services and programs that fit their needs and provide something they would not necessarily have access to otherwise. And what better way to find out what they need and want than by asking them? Something as simple as surveying our patrons allows them some input toward what we plan in the future, and it shows them that their thoughts are being heard. By acknowledging our users, we are telling them that their opinions matter, and that we are here to serve them. Letting them participate gives them the chance to feel included at the library.
Teens were able to help plan many details, from layout to furniture, and were involved every step of the way (Costanza, 2015). I love this hands-on approach to planning the space, because not only does it validate their use of the library, it empowers them to have a voice and shows them that we valuetheir needs and opinions. Teens are an especially overlooked group of users, and I love reading about opportunities like this one that give them a chance to be involved.
At work, we recently were asked to put in any budget proposals for the 2016 budget. I want to redo the teen zone at our library, so with one of my coworkers, I spent time looking through furniture catalogs and considering our options. We discussed getting teen input, but we only had a week to submit and it was the end of summer, so we had no upcoming programs where we could talk to them, and many were out of town or enjoying their last days of freedom. Some of the pieces we chose came in multiple colors, so our plan was to let teens vote if the budget was approved. After we sent it to the manager, I had a chance to sit down with her and talk about it, and she suggested not including the specific pieces we wanted; that way, if the budget was approved, we could put together a variety of ideas that fall within the same price range, and allow the teens a vote. I was thrilled by this idea, and am so glad we were able to talk about it. I believe that by allowing my teens to vote on how we redo their space, they will be more likely to use it and feel comfortable. I hope we get the budget approved!
The main reason I feel so strongly about giving my teens a voice, and about patron input in general, is that it allows them a sense of ownership at the library. And if you have stock in something, you are much more likely to continue to support it. As Casey and Savastinuk (2007) point out, “library users should at least have an effect on the programs and services your library provides” (p. 14). By providing them that opportunity, we offer them the chance to participate in something that will directly affect them in the future, and hopefully not only encourage their continued support of the library, but also help their imaginations to run free.
References
Casey, M.E. & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service. Medford, N.J.: Information Today.
“At its core, creative confidence is about believing in your ability to create change in the world around you. It is the conviction that you can achieve what you set out to do. We think this self-assurance, this belief in your creative capacity, lies at the heart of innovation” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 2).
Having previously read a different book by Tom Kelley, I was thrilled when @k2theiely mentioned another book by him, Creative Confidence, that would work for this report. After reading the description, I immediately placed a hold on it and eagerly awaited its arrival so I could learn all about ‘unleashing the creative potential within us all,’ as the subtitle tells us. And I was not disappointed.
David and Tom Kelley Preface
Tom and David Kelley wrote this book together with the intention of helping individuals, companies, and organizations locate their inner creativity and find ways to nurture and develop it into an inherent part of their everyday lives. They want to show that creativity is not just for the “creative types” or for artists, but that anyone has the ability to unlock their creativity with a little imagination: all it takes is some practice and positive reinforcement (Kelley & Kelley, 2013).
Introduction: The Heart of Innovation
Through a series of examples, Tom and David do just that; from Doug Dietz, an MRI developer who wanted to find a way to make his machines less terrifying for children, to Lauren Weinstein, a law school student who wanted to win a mock trial case that her side had never won before, we can see examples of ordinary people tapping into their imaginations to tackle these obstacles. Though neither of these individuals considered themselves to be “creative types,” they were both able to find innovative approaches to solve their respective problems (Kelley & Kelley, 2013).
Chapter 1: Flip From Design Thinking to Creative Confidence
Creative Confidence serves as a demonstration that everyone has ideas that can be used to spur innovation, and also as a map to helping us break out of the mindset that only certain people can be creative. Every idea does not need to be the next big thing either; it is okay to start small because “little changes can eventually add up to a big impact” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 143). We have to start somewhere, otherwise nothing will ever change.
Chapter 2: Dare From Fear to Courage
Creative Confidence and the Library
Tom and David talk a lot about experimenting with new approaches and giving yourself the “latitude to try out new ideas” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 51). We can easily apply this to the library. As society continues to evolve and change with the times, we, as LIS professionals, must adapt. This means we must find creative new ways to stay relevant and important to our communities, or risk losing funding and support. We are not just buildings housing books and providing information; we are now a hub in the community where patrons come looking for a variety of services.
Chapter 3: Spark From Blank Page to Insight
As we move away from being the book repositories of yesteryear, we need to become more imaginative with our branding, our services, and our programming if we want to remain in
the forefront of the minds of our users. Instead of offering lectures and talks, we should start brainstorming ways to get people involved at the library: programs like mini-conventions and adults-only craft nights offer events that, when provided by other organizations, cost money, which often makes them prohibitive for many people to attend. Participatory programming and opportunities that allow patrons a sense of ownership in the library make us more attractive; by engaging our users, we help them feel comfortable and at home in our buildings. We can find ways to make the library more appealing: all it takes is a little imagination.
Chapter 4: Leap From Planning to Action
We can even take this one step further, and find creative ways to use social media to promote ourselves. Many libraries have accounts on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, Pinterest, and Goodreads, to name some of the most popular. We can use these tools to our advantage, and remind community members that we are here to stay, and we want their patronage. All we need is a little imagination, and we can give libraries a new face online. Some people may be hesitant to try new things: no one wants to fail, but in this age when the next new thing is always coming along, “the worst thing you can do is play it safe, stick with the familiarity of the status quo, and not try at all” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 51).
Chapter 5: Seek From Duty to Passion
What good can we do if no one comes in to see us?
There are ways to use technology to our advantage. Perhaps your book club has dropped in number, and it is no longer cost effective to have monthly meetings face-to-face. Why not try a book club through Goodreads?
Chapter 6: Team Creatively Confident Groups
This past summer we hosted a teen event called “Happy Birthday, Harry Potter.” It was a birthday party on Harry’s actual birthday, and we put a lot of money, time, and effort into making it perfect. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to promote it, especially during summer vacation with no ability to go to the schools to do outreach. While I was thinking about Harry Potter, and the various movie marathons it has on television, I was reminded of the numerous ABC Family events throughout the year (13 Days of Halloween, 25 Days of Christmas, etc.). I was inspired to create my own Facebook version as a promotional campaign, which I called “The Ten Days of Harry Potter.” Every day at noon, I would have a Harry Potter-related post go up on our page promoting the event, reminding our followers of the details and giving them something fun to read or do. On the first day, I put up a link to a quiz that was supposed to be the closest you would ever get to putting on the Sorting Hat, and on day eight I posted a quiz to find out what your Patronus would be. I like to think this helped raise awareness; Harry Potter’s birthday party gave us the highest attendance of the summer for teen programs aside from FanatiCon 2015, which is our joint mini-convention between three branches. My point here is that I used a little imagination, a little whimsy, and a little technology to market our program. We can find innovative ways to use social media to our advantage.
Chapter 7: Move Creative Confidence To Go
Tom and David provide a lot of inspiring examples of individuals and groups who found their inner creativity and used it to make changes and deliver products and services that fit the needs of their target audiences. However, they also recognize that getting started can be difficult (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 212). So in Chapter 7, they provide a variety of exercises and activities, which they call “Creativity Challenges” to help you or your organization get started on the road to finding your creativity and developing your imagination. By making a few innovative changes in our thinking, librarians can better serve more diverse needs within their communities.
Chapter 8: Next Embrace Creative Confidence
Ultimately, the important point is this: do not discount any idea, no matter how small, no matter how far-fetched it may sound, because all ideas can lead somewhere brilliant. It just takes that one little spark to ignite a vision that will bring libraries somewhere new and exciting. We want to be unique so that we remain important. No matter who you are, you have the power to create change for the better, and no one can tell you otherwise: don’t let people divide the world into creative and non-creative. Everyone has imagination, it just might be less obvious in some than in others, but don’t ever be afraid to try (Kelley & Kelley, 2013). And always remember:
“Normalcy is overrated” (Kelley & Kelley, 2013, p. 246)
Here is David Kelley’s TED talk from March 2012 called How to build your creative confidence. It gives a good overview of the book, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a little under 12 minutes, but if you have the time I highly suggest you give it a listen!
Brothers and Co-Authors, David and Tom Kelley
David and Tom Kelley are brother who co-authored this book after David’s battle with cancer. If you click on their picture, it will take you to their website where you can learn more about them!
Note: All images in this blog post link to the corresponding chapter page on the Creative Confidence website, where you can take a look at the photos and read excerpts from each chapter.
No one is arguing that as libraries we need to evolve. The Hyperlinked Library Model allows us the room to grow in the way that our community needs us to. While I was reading the 2011 White Paper Michael wrote, The Hyperlinked Library, I found myself highlighting all over it because there are so many great points and fantastic ideas that I wanted to remember to come back to in the future. One of the quotes that really stuck with me came near the end:
“When asked what I see for the future of libraries – of all kinds of libraries – I imagine a space where users will connect, collaborate, create, and care” (Stephens, 2011).
Connect, collaborate, create, and care. Wow. If we can accomplish all of those, what a meaningful space we will have made. I could sit here and go on and on about each of these, because I think they are all important and all values we should undertake, but I want to start by taking a closer look at the first one.
Connect.
Over the past six months at my library, I have been hard at work with one of my coworkers to establish a new program based on one offered at another branch. It is called Teen Tech Tutors. This program is intended to bring together tech-savvy teens and tech-inexperienced adults in a drop-in computer/device/technology class. Our goal is to have the adults, in this case our “students” to come in with any and all of their burning technology questions, and get paired up with one of our awesome teens, or “tutors,” to get the answers they seek. We are making it our goal to connect people who are unsure of themselves and their technology with digital natives who are willing and able to help them. We are also doing this because we have a huge need in the community for technology assistance. Currently, my coworker offers weekly one-on-one computer classes by appointment. The problem? There is such a high demand in our community for his services that he is booked out for the next 6 weeks.
As I’m writing this I am realizing we are also tying in closely with the next word as well.
Collaborate.
We are creating a space where multiple generations of library users can come together to both learn and teach. One of the most important aspects of this project, for me at least, is also showing teens that we value them as people, and we recognize their strengths. I love teens; I love working with teens, I love talking to teens, and I think they are an often overlooked and under-utilized group of people. And what better way to show them their value than to let them collaborate with a group of adults who need their help? They get to take on the role of tutor, a role with power behind it, and collaborate with people who are relying on them to teach. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out, because I think it’s going to be great. When I first heard about it at another branch, I thought it was a very innovative idea, and knew we needed to do it too if we wanted to keep up with the times. These days it seems like a lot of my job while working at the information desk involves assisting patrons with computer help. When I observed a session at the other library, I was fascinated to see the mix of questions; it ranged from helping people use our library system’s online collections of ebooks and audiobooks to showing them how to post photos on Facebook.
I can’t believe this is finally, finally coming to fruition – we finished our last tutor interview today, and next week we will be calling to set up trainings with all of our teens to go over the various online resources we have.
But I digress. My point here is that I think the Hyperlinked Library Model holds a lot of opportunities for change and innovation. Just by using those four little words (connect, collaborate, create, and care), we can help evolve the library into something else, something patrons want, something patrons need. I enjoyed reading about all of the different ideas that are out there. I also like that this model allows room for interpretation as well as growth; we won’t all follow the same path, because our communities are all going to be drastically difference. The thing that isn’t different is the need for innovation, for transformation, for making ourselves relevant.
Embrace the change, because it’s coming. Without it, our libraries may not all survive. Eddie Vedder sang it best: “It’s evolution baby / Do the evolution/ Come on, come on, come on.”
My name is Holly, and I live in Olympia, Washington. I am a Library Associate in the Youth Services department at the Tumwater Timberland Library. We are part of the Timberland Regional Library system, which has 27 branches. My interest is teen services, and I primarily work with teens at my library, though I also host a weekly toddler storytime (though we are on break right now) and I assist in the event planning for children’s events as well. I work closely with a colleague in the adult services department to do weekly teen programming (our last program for the summer was yesterday), and we sort of make up the unofficial teen services team. I am a big advocate of teen services, both in general and within the library community at work. I was recently tapped by the director of youth services for our system to work with another librarian to present a teen services training that is open system-wide to staff who are interested in learning more. I am so excited! In November I will also be attending YALSA’s Teen Services Symposium in Portland! Is anyone else going?
I am also very active in my library’s social media and online presence. One of my job duties is to do weekly postings on our branch’s Facebook page (I post twice on Thursdays). I am also on the online reader’s advisory committee for the system; we use QuestionPoint and patrons are able to fill out a form with likes (or dislikes) about books, and one of the staff members on the team will take it and create a personalized reading recommendation of 3-5 titles for that patron. About 2 months ago I also joined the Teens Online committee, which consists of four of us running the Teen Facebook page, the Teen Tumblr, and the Teen Instagram, as well as updating the teen page on our library’s website and updating the online booklists for teens (I am currently working on Sci-Fi and Fractured Fairytales with happy endings).
This fall I am pleased to be starting a teen volunteer group called Teen Tech Tutors, which we are modifying based on another branch’s model. On the second Friday of each month, we will have teen volunteers available for two hours at a drop-in clinic that adults (or anyone, really) can come to for help with their various electronic devices. I am thrilled because I think this is a really great way to help our patrons connect with other community members and also show teens that they are valued and important to the library community. I believe very much in participatory culture, and the use of online tools and social media in promoting the library, which is a large part of why I am so interested in this class. I believe that this is one of the most applicable classes to my current job, and I am so, so excited to be able to take it! I cannot wait to learn more about ways to utilize technology in community-building and collaboration within the library.
I am planning to graduate next December, and this is my 6th semester in the program. I joint majored in Spanish and Linguistics and minored in Math at New York University. I miss NYC every day, but for now I am where I need to be.
I decided to try making a video to share some fun facts about myself. I got a new computer recently, so I have been having fun and experimenting with it. Hopefully it works!
Hyperlib Garden of Readin' 