TEEN TECH WEEK™ :

Showcase Your Library’s Latest Resources

Teen Tech Week

Created by YALSAFirst celebrated in 2007Annual event the second week of MarchPurpose: to provide a special time of year

for libraries to showcase all the tech resources, services and programs they have for the teens in their community

DIY@ your library

Dates for 2014: March 9 – 15To keep the event fresh, there

is a different theme each yearThe 2014 theme mentioned

above is broad enough so that all types and sizes of libraries will have something to celebrate

Key Dates

November: TTW web site goes live, registration opens and products go on sale

January: TTW issue of YALSA’s journal, YALS mails

February: Free TTW webinar recording mailed to registrants, product ordering deadline

March: celebrate the event!

Planning Timeline: November

Sign up to participate by joining the site at www.ala.org/teentechweek

Browse the TTW web site for ideas or share your own

Meet with your Teen Advisory Group (TAG) to decide how best to celebrate TTW in your library

Based on your TAG meeting(s), write up a proposal and budget to share with your supervisor

Planning Timeline: December

Continue planning with your TAG. Think about what area organizations might be good to partner with

Order supplies and promotional materialsALA Graphics will have official posters,

bookmarks, digital downloads, etc. Communicate your plans to the library staff

and get any TTW events on the library calendar

Planning Timeline: January

Read the winter issue of Young Adult Library Services for TTW ideas and resources

Contact & confirm presenters or speakers for your TTW events

Send VIPs invitations to attend TTW events

Work with your TAG to identify ways to market TTW events then create marketing materials

Planning Timeline: February

Market TTW events to area teens Invite local press/media to TTW eventsFind volunteers to be photographers or

videographers for your TTW events Work with your TAG to finalize plansUpdate and prepare library staff for TTWWork w/ TAG to create a TTW display in

the library, school, community center, etc.

Planning Timeline: March

Contact local press and media to confirm attendance at event(s)

Contact VIPs to remind them of the event(s)

Work with your TAG to implement event(s)Evaluate your effortsSend thank yous to volunteers, press, VIPsSend press wrap up press release, photos,

etc.

Celebrating the Lighter Side of Tech

Host a film or anime festival and show age appropriate movies with a tech focus

Put on a gaming tournamentHave a tech crafting event

(e.g. make jewelry out of discarded computer parts)

Sponsor a texting contest to see which of your teen patrons can text the fastest

Educational Tech Programs

Have a “Build a Tumblr Page” workshop and incorporate internet safety skills into the event

Recruit teens to teach a computers or Internet 101 workshop to senior citizens

Host a “Painless Research Papers” workshop and teach teens tips for efficient, effective researching

Connecting Reading & TechCreate a space where teens can share book

reviews onlineSet up a microblog account, encourage teens

to subscribe & use to alert them when new reading materials arrive or to send brief reading recommendations

Have teens create book trailers featuring their favorite books and post on YouTube.

Host an e-chat for teens w/ a favorite author

Community Service & TechHave teens collect used tech items, such

as cell phones, and donate them to an appropriate charity

Recruit teens to volunteer their tech expertise at a local charity or organization

Help teens create audio recordings of stories and distribute on CDs to parents of young children

Additional Resources from YALSAAdvocacy Toolkit www.ala.org/yalsa/advocacy DIY & Maker Programs Wiki http://ow.ly/ogTnU STEM Resources Wiki & Toolkit

http://ow.ly/ogTwg Teen Tech Week site

www.ala.org/teentechweek YA-YAAC, a listserv for library workers to share

programming ideas, http://tinyurl.com/YAYAACYoung Adult Library Services (quarterly journal)

http://yalsa.ala.org/yals

Please contact YALSA if we can be of help

YALSA

50 E. Huron St.

Chicago, IL 60611

1.800.545.2433 x4390

yalsa@ala.org

www.ala.org/yalsa (web site)

http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ (blog)

http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php (wiki)

Who is YALSA?YALSA stands for the Young Adult Library

Services AssociationParent organization is the American Library

Association (ALA)Has over 5,200 members who are school

librarians, public librarians, educators, grad students and library supporters

YALSA is a national association of librarians, library workers and advocates whose mission is to expand and strengthen library services for teens, aged 12-18. Through its member-driven advocacy, research, and professional development initiatives, YALSA builds the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve and empower teens.

Questions or Comments?