The Next Big Thing in Teen Spaces

Image from http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/March07/Olin.renovation.html

Modern teen library spaces is one of the themes discussed on YALSA's blog this month. The writer, Linda W. Braun, asks us to consider what our teen library spaces will be transformed into, once the day comes when there will be no need for book shelves or even computer labs. Read her post here. She suggests that with all that extra space, we need to think of creative solutions to use that space wisely, be it new furniture, "Maker" programming, setting up a "Genius Bar", etc.

I think this situation is very interesting to ponder and consider. Some libraries have well funded and supported teen areas but this isn't always the case. If there isn't much space to begin with for teens in some public libraries, what are we really talking about? I've read about libraries having a couple of book cases, a small table and some chairs, and perhaps a simple display that is considered the "Teen section". If you take this away, does anybody notice? If your library admin hasn't given you much space for them in the first place, why would they give it to you now that you don't need it because "everybody has a device".

You also have to look at the culture of your library. If your director isn't too crazy about teens, you may already find it hard to program for them. Having a "bunch of free space" is no guarantee that it'll be awarded to teen services to attract patrons that may not be high on the welcome list in the first place.

Ms. Braun, though she is casting a wide net in posing this question, seems to be making a few assumptions I've alluded to already. One of these is the assumption that all libraries have these large teen book collections that are at risk of being eliminated by technology. Another is that with all that new open space, YOU have a choice as to what to do with it. And a third assumption is that all teens will possess said "technology" that replaces said "eliminated books" and are skilled at using it.

This last assumption should make us realize why we got into this profession in the first place. Our patrons need us because we know how to do stuff with technology or are savvy enough to find out how. Our patrons will probably need us to have technology available for them if we intend on teaching them how to do things with it. Not all teens will have an iPhone that works identically for everyone or be able to afford one. Having a standard library technology helps us find information and teach better. As knowledge collectors and connectors, we librarians are needed to help our teen patrons find answers to their questions, solutions to their problems, and techniques to their creation of knowledge!

We need to be sensitive to all of our patrons' needs when considering what we can offer them as a library. Not all of them will have an eDevice, not all of them will be tech savvy, and not all of them will care what's going on in the library. But we definitely need to do more than to have a bunch of  tables with chairs around them in that nice new empty space we just got.

I have also posted a shorter response to Ms. Braun's post here.

Transmedia and School Libraries

Image from http://transmediaevaluation.co/.

So what is transmedia and what does it have to do with Youth in Libraries?

Well, I was walking along the Internet one day, when all of a sudden I stumbled across a blog posting on School Library Journal's blog Connect the Pop called "Convergence", DIY Transmedia, and Librarians. Now this blog describes itself as being "At the intersection of pop culture, transliteracy, and critical thinking" so they tend to dedicate themselves to some pretty cutting edge developments that can affect our kids, libraries, and education. As it turns out, "Convergence" is a transmedia conference at the New York Film Festival and the post's author (Peter Gutierrez) was talking about the possibilities of transmedia within the school library. But I have to say that I didn't know what they were talking about with this transmedia stuff. It sounded like another hyped up term that I am sick of hearing (see the cloud), so I was a bit wary of giving this post much notice. But I glanced at it, skimmed it, read it, and read it again to find that it does make sense for the right reason: it gives kids a lot of creative control in determining what the medium will be in creating a story. They may not be able to publish a novel or use broadcast tv, but they sure can shoot a video, animate a story, record a song, shoot photos, or perform a play while at the same time connecting it all to their smart phones.

Isn't it all about telling stories anyway? These are new tools being used for an old concept: how do you make a compelling NARRATIVE? How do you get kids to tell a story that gets other kids and adults interested, and at the same time teach them how to use the tools and thought process to execute this story? Being in an elementary or high school library presents us with some opportunities and challenges. We might have some of the technology at our disposal (school computers, students' iPhones, etc.) but do we have the expertise? We may have willing students, but do we have a supportive administration, staff, and parents? Do we have a clear vision for what we are trying to accomplish on a given project? Can you pull off a sophisticated story project on your own or do you need the structure of collaboration with another faculty member to really get the kids engaged and legitimize your curricular goals? How can you tap in to the integrated way kids perceive media?

The school library is in a unique position to help students not only be consumers of media, but also be the creators and critics of media as well. We have a responsibility to facilitate literacy for our students in multiple formats and methods, and by teaching reading and writing with technology and narrative in mind, we can address many of our learners' needs and enhance their learning experiences. We can probably have some fun in the library, too!

See also transmedia on Connect the Pop.