Local teens will be tuning in at the library as Tappan Library celebrates the annual Teen Tech Week March 4-10, 2012.
This national initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technology, especially the types offered through libraries. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to take advantage of the technology at libraries for education and recreation.
Recent studies from Pew Internet & American Life Project show the majority of teens own cell phones and mp3 players. Ninety-three percent of teens regularly use the Internet — 73 percent of all American teens go online to use Facebook or other social networking sites. Three-quarters of American teens send text messages every day. Nearly 40 percent of teens share something online that they created themselves, like artwork or a video.
Tappan Library Teen Service Librarian Sheri Levasseur, feels that getting teens into libraries is essential and that libraries need to meet them where they are at, on their handheld devices and on social network sites. “Teens need to know that we are not just here to help them with their research and reading, but to provide them with the physical space and wireless access to check their Facebook pages and simply to surf.”
“Teen Tech Week is a way for librarians and educators to collaborate with and educate teens about technology and all of the additional digital services Libraries are now starting to provide,” says Levassseur. “Over the last several years the library’s role in increasing digital literacy has become more and more important, equal to that of reading literacy.”
In celebration on Teen Tech Week, Tappan Library hopes to attract a wide variety of teenagers from Orangetown by offering a series of programs including:
Teen Tech Tutors for the Community: Local teens will help community members of all ages learn the basics of how to set up their own Facebook and Twitter accounts and basics on how to use them, download and share digital photos, and direct users to fun free gaming and/or useful apps. “We need both student volunteers to teach and people who need instruction”, says Levasseur. Sessions will be held at the Tappan Library Monday-Wednesday, March 6-8, from 4:30-8:30pm. Residents needing help should bring their handheld devices with them. Laptops will be accessible for use as will wireless Internet Access. Teen volunteers can apply these volunteer hours towards community service requirements they might need for school or other organizations. Interested volunteers should contact Sheri Levasseur, Teen Services Librarian.
Digital Downloads for your handheld devices: Monday, March 6, 7-8pm.
Teens are invited to drop in with their ITouches, SmartPhones, Kindles, IPads and other handheld devices to learn how to access and download the Library’s ebooks and audio books collections and also how to download the free music from Freegal, the Library’s portal to the Sony Music Library. Librarians will be on hand to help set up personal devices.
Privacy Please: Keeping your privacy on Facebook. Wednesday, March 8, 7-8pm. For teens, ages 13-18. Hands-on, step-by-step instructions on the importance of and how to set up privacy settings and blocking, as well points on safety, privacy, and reputation protection. Registration Required. Go to Taplib.org/teenprograms.
Tech Week App “pick of the day”: Visit the Tappan Library Teens Facebook page to review the best FREE app pick of the day.
For more information contact Sheri Levasseur at the Tappan Library at 845-359-3877
Teen Tech Week is held annually the second week of March. For an updated list of sponsors and supporting organizations, visit www.ala.org/teentechweek.
