Idaho Commission for Libraries

Teens and Technology Group Photo

In November 2006, 15 Idaho library staff members successfully completed a class to learn how teens’ use of technology to play, learn, and create improves their text-based literacy skills. This group met in Boise on September 28 and got together again after the online portion of the course was done.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries partnered with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) to offer this training. Participants learned more about how teens use technology to communicate, collaborate, and create and have become more familiar with the tools and techniques teens use.

To listen to a podcast that summarizes the participants' experiences and their plans for how they to use this information in their libraries, download this file or click here to listen to it via your computer.

One of the first things accomplished at the face to face meeting was to set up Instant Messaging accounts at www.meebo.com. ICFL's Project Coordinator Stephanie Bailey-White said this was a quick and easy way for participants in Idaho to talk with each other and get more comfortable using the tools teens use every day.

Setting up MySpace accounts and exploring other social software tools like Flickr, LibraryThing, and Wikis provided hands-on practice with the tools.

“I'm enjoyed the chance to share with other library staff in Idaho and around the country,” participant Marcy Rowe from the Boise Basin District Library said. Rowe said she's been surprised at how much problem-solving and reading most of the online tasks take. “I realized that these kids are pretty darned smart. When we see them on the computers it isn't really down time, they are using so many skills.”

These are some of the resouces and sites the 2006 participants found useful:

• Lucy Barnard recommends reading "The Girl's Life Online" by Kathrine Tarbox

• There's a great article called "Podcasting 101 for K - 12 Librarians" at http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr06/Eash.shtml .