YALSA and Best Buy Partnership Brings Digital Literacy to Teens (2014)

What would you do if your library was given $2000 to purchase equipment for teen programs and services? Thanks to an innovative partnership between YALSA and electronics retailer Best Buy, 12 libraries throughout the country last year had an opportunity to answer that question. At the ALA 2013 Midwinter Meeting, YALSA announced the creation of a partnership with Best Buy to provide funds that would be used by libraries to expand teen literacy skill development. Public and school librarians were invited to apply through YALSA for a $2000 grant from Best Buy. 12 libraries were selected to receive the funding and to design programs and services that would help close the digital divide for teens. The selected libraries participated in a community celebration with Best Buy that promoted the new collaborative partnership. To assist the selected libraries in managing the funds, YALSA created an online community to provide training and support. Recipients were able to interact online and share their ideas, experiences, and best practices. What Did They Do? As one might imagine, the librarians chosen to administer the funding came up with some amazingly creative ideas that would connect technology with their teen communities. * Librarian Natalie Couch, from Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Columbus, Georgia, purchased eight iPod Touches, a webcam with built-in mic, and Wii gaming equipment. She used the iPod Touches to design QR code scavenger hunts that taught teens how to use the library. The library also offered a class in photo editing using the iPod's camera and apps. The webcam came in handy when Natalie booked authors like Marissa Meyer and Walter Sorrells for virtual author chats with teens. The Wii equipment is used in gaming programs and was specifically purchased for a mini-convention held at the library. Natalie celebrated the purchase of this equipment at the grand opening of her local Best Buy Mobile store. The purchased equipment will be an essential part of a new media programming model that is underway at her library. Natalie notes that a significant portion of her teen community does not have mobile technology, so the funding allowed her to help close that divide. * High school librarian Kyla Johnson, from the Farmington, New Mexico, school district, purchased cameras, memory cards, wireless mics, adapters, a mini iPad, and an AppleTV. Her students completed a survey that asked what technology devices would be helpful for them to complete class projects. The U.S. government classes used the cameras to make videos of landmark Supreme Court cases, circa 1825. Kyla said that for some of the classes doing the project, the cameras were the only resource that they had. She will continue to work with her students and teaching staff to train them on using the equipment for multimedia presentations. Kyla found the YALSA online community for recipients of the funding to be quite useful in sharing ideas and opportunities. * Penny Blaugh, a teen librarian at Eisenhower Public Library in Harwood Heights, Illinois, used the funding to promote reading in her teen community with the purchase of three iPad Minis loaded with e-books and e-audio books by six authors. The six authors were chosen to be part of the library's Lit Works celebration and included notable authors Jack Gantos and Marie Lu. Penny notes that the iPads also provided exclusive content such as radio broadcasts and shorts. …