It's not just about books anymore

Technology is undeniably a huge part of anyone's life anymore.  Especially so if you're a teen and you've grown up with it.  You're just used to it!  That can be a bad thing, because as I've already discussed in a previous post, a teen might not be aware just how little privacy they afford themselves with social media.  However, that's not to say that technology is bad.  That is most definitely not the case!  A library can really use different hard- and software to promote creativity and inclusivity among teens.

Many teens are creative individuals.  They are eager to bring their imagination to life and express themselves in some way.  Art and graphic design are popular creative outlets, as is music.  Some teens will embrace the Youtube age and take up video creation.  It is important for libraries to help facilitate this budding local talent.  These talents though can require equipment that a student may not be able to afford.  If a teen department can provide computers with graphic or audio/recording software, or loan out handheld video recorders, then teens could explore and develop their talents.  The short funding has been discussed, I know, but if it possible for a library to purchase such equipment and software, then it would not only draw teens but help them learn tech skills they may require later in life.

Nerd cred: my level 85 troll hunter.  Impressed much?
Creating an avatar can create a shield for insecure users
who are still working up confidence off-line.

In S401, we discussed multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and I was intrigued by the possible applications in a teen department.  Everyone knows the power and the draw of social media.  As a passionate gamer, I'm also aware of the draw of these environments.  In fact, my undergraduate thesis was on how anonymous individuals slowly build personal relationships in MMORPGs (massive multiplayer online role-playing games), specifically focusing on World of Warcraft. I played WoW for a couple years in college, and not only was it a fun game, it had a very supportive community surrounding it.  MUVEs like World of Warcraft provide a 'third place', an environment outside of work and home, where users can just simply be themselves without pressure to conform to a certain standard.  That's important--public libraries like where I work should provide service for everyone, including those who feel disenfranchised. MUVEs could be very effective in teen programming, especially in racially diverse communities and ones that need help with their support of LGBTQ teens.  In this class, we read many articles calling on librarians to become more tech-saavy in order to build better information portals.  I suggest teen librarians becoming tech-saavy enough to create a 'hangout space' online, even if it only be a discussion forum, where teens can discuss anything from social-political issues or their favorite hobbies.  Of course, such a space would have to be moderated, and that could create its own headaches.  But it would be worth trying, to see if the positives outweigh the negatives for each community.

(For an example of how MUVEs can have a positive impact for minority groups, see Proudmoore Pride.  It's been an annual event for the past nine years, created by players for LGBTQ players, that corresponds to real-life Pride events.  Proudmoore Pride is not sponsored by Blizzard, the massive developer behind WoW.  It would be great to see a librarian-created, online teen space be used to promote inclusivity such as this.)