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[Note: These notes can be read verbatim as you show the session slides, or you can adapt your training presentation to fit the needs of your audience. Slide note contents in [brackets] indicate directions to session presenters and should not be read aloud, such as this note, or [Read slide content aloud.]. You’ll probably want to print a copy of the notes text to read as you go through the slide since some of the slides have several paragraphs of text to read. The slide notes also contain options for different activities for you to choose from that can be adapted to suit your presentation style, audience, and level of interactivity you are most comfortable with.]

This professional training session is entitled “Can You Help Me? A Media Advisory Interview Guide.” Together these slides and notes comprise a freely-available, locally-adaptable training session for librarians and other community professionals interested in helping parents and other caregivers make decisions about their families’ use of media.

The expected duration for this training is about 30-45 minutes, depending on speed of presentation and on the length of time allotted for the interactive audience activities and discussions embedded in the training. There is a short and a long version of this training. The long version involves more discussion of quotes from parents and librarians as well as multiple options for interactive activities.

There are suggestions for discussion in many of the “Notes” sections of each slide. For some slides, there are optional ways to extend discussion. The presenter can therefore

either choose to continue exploring themes in depth (e.g. through optional discussion prompts), or simply move on to the next slide.

There is one handout which you may opt to use. The handout contains a quick reference guide to the elements of a media advisory interview.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services as a part of the Navigating Screens project, a joint research project of the University of Wisconsin, Drexel University, and the University of Oklahoma. This training is one of several available for free public use and adaptation on the Navigating Projects website: https://navigatingscreens.wordpress.com/.

[If you are using other training materials in this set you may not need to include or read this slide.]

This professional training is based on the Navigating Screens research project, funded by the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS). The Navigating Screens research team interviewed parents and other adult caregivers in three U.S. states on their thoughts and opinions about children and media.

This session is part of a larger set of training materials intended to “train the trainer” -- that is, to be used for professional training with librarians and other adults who work with families and media.

[Please read the slide, same as content here.]

Our study findings indicate that many professionals feel overwhelmed by the fast pace of media development and feel unprepared (even if they do have the content knowledge) to advise parents about their children’s media use. This set of materials addresses these feelings by having participants consider ways media advocacy is part of the work they already do.

The learning objectives of this training set include:1. Recognize there are different purposes for using digital media, and value

judgments are often detrimentally attached to media use2. Describe how media advocacy relates to youth services staff members’ work3. Apply strategies for engaging in a ‘media advisory interview’

This training set introduces the concept of ‘media advocacy’ and provides guidelines for a media advisory interview.

● First, we will talk about the different ways that people use digital media and the value judgments that we apply to those uses

● Next, we will look at the definition of media advocacy, which describes the work we are already doing. As we go through this training session, you’ll notice that the media advisory interview parallels a reader’s advisory interview. That’s intentional—this type of interaction is meant to help advise families in the same way, we’re just talking about advising in a different format than books.

● Third, we’re going to provide some guidelines for approaching media advisory interviews.

● Finally, we’ll have time to brainstorm and practice with scenarios. Our hope is that after this training session library staff will see themselves as (1) digital media advocates and (2) resources for dialog.

[The next set of slides provides prompts for participant discussion and reflection activities.]

Let’s begin by thinking about why and how YOU use digital media? Think about how you used media throughout your day on a recent day. (1 minute)Likely examples (the more specific, the better):

● Researching● Email● When is a store opening?● Looking for a phone number● Maps● Etc.

[After the 1 minute have participants volunteer to shout out answers and record these on a whiteboard/paper, etc. (1min)]

Now, let’s think about why and how CHILDREN use digital media. Specifically, how do you see children ages 5-11 using digital media in their lives? (1 minute)

Make sure you’re thinking about:● Productive vs. consumptive● Leisure vs. non-leisure● Educational vs. entertainment● Daily activities or activities you see them engage in while in the library, such as

looking up a book

[Reflection: Have participants compare and contrast with adult answers (likely very similar).]Do you see any similarities between how YOU use digital media and how children use digital media? How about differences?

[The main idea could be that not all children’s screen time is the same. Record and discuss other themes that emerge.]

Link to photo: https://tinyurl.com/vqy7pp3

Now that we have considered our own use of digital media and how we see children using digital media let’s talk about assumptions that are commonly made when thinking about children’s use of media. [You may want to reference back to the “Flipping the Script training if you also completed that training in this session.]

For example,● Adults tend to think of kids’ use of digital media as wasting time ● There are often value judgments we make about kids’ use of media, especially

when we generalize their media use as being of only one type. - Ask yourself, when adults use media in the same way is it judged similarly?

It’s important for us as youth services staff who support youth and families to note that there is often a tendency for adults to assume that when kids use digital media, they’re missing out on something else. Media can often be an asset that allows kids to do and experience more than they could without it.

Some main idea or takeaway points might then be: ● Not all screen use is bad● We make value judgments about children’s use of technology ● We make value judgments about other parents/caregivers in relation to their

children and how they allow their children to use digital media

As with all our other interactions with youth and caregivers, we need to be intentional about refraining from imposing any personal judgments on what and how our patrons

are using media. It’s on us to check any biases we might have and that may influence how we serve our patrons.

Let’s take a look at a quote from a librarian from the Navigating Screens study.[Please read the slide.]

“Sometimes people will be like concerned about, ‘Oh, how much screen time are they supposed to have?’ You know, and I'll be like, ‘Oh, here's this research study. Take from that what you will.’ 'Cause I don't want to make them think that I'm, like, ‘Well, if it's more than this time then you're a bad parent or something.’" --[insert context]

What does this professional’s concern suggest to you about serving youth and their caregivers during a media advisory interview? Do you have similar concerns when advising parents about media use?

Let’s look at a quote from another youth services librarian in the Navigating Screens study.

[Please read the slide.]

“Well, we're information specialists. Our job is to help people access the information that they need and help them figure out how to find that on their own as well. That's where we come in is either we're finding the information and handing it to them or ideally we're guiding them through ways that they can find what they need themselves.”

Is this how you think about digital media interactions with parents? What can we learn from this quote? This quote indicates that the youth services librarian job is to help people find the sources they need to satisfy their information needs, regardless of the form of media. So, if this is the case, why do we often think of supporting a family’s digital media needs as different than how we support their other media needs?

How can youth services staff support the needs of families when it comes to digital media in the same ways we support their other media needs and questions? Based on our conversations with librarians and observations of library websites, we see various ways that library staff and other community professionals act as Media Advocates. Media Advocacy can take many forms such as [read slide].

Media advocacy includes digital media, and media advocacy is already part of what librarians do. Try this,

○ Add the word “books” to each bullet point above - this is what we do every day

○ As new forms of media emerge, we can simply think of them as additional formats for which we provide support. Think about the new formats that have emerged throughout your time in libraries.

Now that we’ve set the stage for being a media advocate, let’s quickly take stock of where we all are in thinking about how you feel about yourselves as media advocates.

● What information formats for children do you feel really confident about when supporting families? What information formats for children do you feel less confident about when supporting families?

● What resources can you use to support families asking about these formats?

[This is a good place to open up discussion on this topic. The facilitator may take a few minutes to give the audience time to discuss their views on youth services staff as media advocates.

A second option is to move on to the next slide and bring this topic up again in a later discussion.]

[insert an image of your own service desk]

Picture yourself at your service point in your library. A caregiver with an 8-year-old approaches you with a question about something to read. Think about how you’d typically respond.

Now picture that same caregiver and child approaching you with a question about digital media. Think about how you’d respond.

Think about whether you’re responding differently based on the media format. We want to strive to use the same strategies for digital media interactions that we do for print and other forms of media.

Many youth services staff are already doing digital media advocacy - responding to digital media inquiries is similar to dealing with book inquiries. So, a digital media advisory interview is very similar to a traditional reference interview. However, always remember that parental and caregiver decisions are ultimately based on (1) individual family needs and (2) values.

Let’s take a look at some media advisory interview guidelines, and then we will engage in an exercise to help you put yourself into a media advisory interview scenario.

First, you should recognize your relationship with the patron/s (parents, caregivers, and youth) and set the tone for the interaction.

○ Make the patron feel comfortable in the interaction. Speak with them in a manner that does not cause them to feel intimidated, confused, or overwhelmed.

○ Set a foundation that all formats of information are valid and useful. Be ready to connect the patron/s to books, audio, digital media, and any other format that may help satisfy their information need.

Second, stay within the context of the patron need by establishing their interest and preferences.

○ Embrace each patron's unique informational need, whatever it may be. Regardless of the specific request, you should be committed to providing the most effective assistance.

○ Determine what types of formats may be useful to the patron. This may include asking:

■ What types of formats do you/your kids use? Books/audio/digital?■ Do you have Internet access at home or elsewhere?

■ What types of devices do you have? Would you be able to use/allow your child to use one of these devices for this information?

Third, provide content suggestions and/or reference support that the patron requires based on their specific information needs.

○ If the patron is looking for a suggestion for a resource or type of information (such as a DVD or book on sea creatures), connect them to options with content to meet their needs.

○ If the patron is looking for practical suggestions or in depth reference information, (such as “What are the side effects of allowing my child to spend time on our family tablet?” or "I'm doing a state report. Where can I find information about Indiana?"), connect them to resources that can answer their question and/or provide them options they can consider. Effective listening and questioning skills are necessary for a positive interaction.

The classifications of content suggestions AND reference support depend on the depth of the request and the amount of time required to help the patron find the resource(s) or the information to satisfy their information need. Content suggestion interactions require less time and may result in advisory information such as a specific book or software program or website the patron can use. Reference support interactions require more time, the youth services staff may need to ask the patron for more information about their specific information need and use of the information, and the interaction may result in finding multiple sources to satisfy their information need.

[We have used these terms based on our advisory board recommendations from their own youth services practice. You may use other terms, such as advisory for content suggestions or information support for reference support.]

[This could be a good point where you ask the audience to discuss the media advisory interview and the two types of interactions you just described. Do they agree with these descriptions? Do they equate book advisory with media advisory? If not, how would they change them based on their own experiences working with parents and caregivers?

Option 2 is to move on to the next slide and the media advisory interview in practice interview.]

Now that we have considered some media advisory interview guidelines, let’s put them into practice.

Ask yourself, how do you conduct a media advisory interview? The purpose of this next activity is to practice facilitating conversations about digital media with parents and caregivers, and to identify what parts of these conversations we might feel more confident addressing versus which parts need more work.

For example, here are some typical content interaction scenarios. How might you work with these patrons in a media advisory interview? [The facilitator can add their own questions if they prefer.]

So, for example question #1, [read the question]. The youth services staff will first need to determine whether this is a content question or a reference support question. The youth services staff would first need to recognize their relationship with the patron/s (parents, caregivers, and youth) and set the tone for the interaction.

○ Make the patron feel comfortable in the interaction by restating the question in their words and then ask them questions to establish if this is a content or reference interaction. For example, in example #1 you may ask them if they have apps they like and if they want something similar. Or if there is a specific topic they want to focus on.

○ Next, set a foundation that all formats of information are valid and useful. Be ready to connect the patron/s to books, audio, digital media, and any other format that may help satisfy their information need. For example, their question already states they are looking for app suggestions for a Kindle and also the age of their child. These are cues that they want digital media instead of a book recommendation and for a specific age group.

With the questions you have asked to establish the relationship with the patron you have also stayed within the context of the patron need by establishing their specific areas of interest and media preferences. Recommendations for this content interaction would be specific Kindle apps related to the patron’s subjects of interest.

Here are some typical reference support scenarios. How might you work with these patrons in a media advisory interview? [The facilitator can add their own questions if they prefer.]

Let’s walk through example #1. [Read the question.]

The first question suggests an interaction that will require more time and possibly multiple sources to address the patron’s information need. In this example, the youth services staff has determined that a reference support interaction rather than a content advisory interaction is needed. Next the youth services staff will recognize your relationship with the patron(s) (parents, caregivers, and youth) and set the tone for the interaction by asking them if you can help them find more information and/or research on the topic, in this example, digital media use by children. Make the patron feel comfortable in the interaction. You can ask them what sources they may have already looked at and if they have other questions about digital media use by children. These interactions with the patron not only establish your relationship with the patron, but they also recognize them as a parent and expert on their child’s use of technology, AND they also establish your role as an expert youth services staff member who can assist them to find more information about this topic. You are staying within the context of the patron need by establishing their interest and preferences but also determining types of information and formats they may have already used, which will help you assist the patron in finding additional information sources.

Now that we have reviewed each type of scenario, you try it! As a group or in pairs, brainstorm digital media advisory interactions or use the scenarios on the slides. Choose one from each of the two types and talk through each interaction using the guidelines outlined in the previous slide: Relationship, Context, Content or Reference

Support. Let’s take about 5 minutes for each type of scenario, so as a pair or small group, spend about 10 minutes working together on the two scenarios. After the 10 minutes have lapsed, be prepared to present what you discussed with the rest of the group.

[The facilitator may spend more or less time on this activity.]

[After small group discussion of the scenarios in the previous slides, come together as a large group to reflect on the media advisory interview. Here are some ideas you could use to reflect on the different scenarios. Depending on how much time you want to spend in this part of the session choose one or maybe two of these options. Each of these discussions should be limited to no more than 10 minutes if possible.]

1. Share discussions of scenarios with the large groupa. Discuss each type of interaction and the small groups’

comments about their group discussions.b. What types of advice would the groups give around each

type of scenario?2. Reflect on the 3 components of the media advisory interview

a. Did their group scenarios suggest other components to add to the media advisory interview guidelines?

b. Did their group scenarios suggest other components to change about the media advisory interview guidelines?

3. Reflect as individuals on an area of strength (rose), an area of emergence (bud), and an area of growth (thorn).

a. (rose) Where did you feel confident in conversation?b. (bud) Where might you need some work?c. (thorn) When did the conversation feel tricky or

uncomfortable for you, e.g. addressing certain questions (to address practice needs)?]

[There are two options you can use for this slide. Choose which works best for your audience, library, etc. If time allows you could do more than one. If time is short you can leave out this slide and these options.]

Option 1: Facilitators may localize the slide deck to share local, situated examples of digital media advocacy.

[For Option 1 you might want to begin this slide by looking at some examples using the following URLs or others you may know of, or insert these as screenshots.]

Carissa’s App Picks for Kids: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/kids/apps Digital Media & Kids: https://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library/digital-media-kids Tech together: https://www.hclib.org/programs/early-learning#Online%20Resources

[Next, engage the audience in discussion about what digital media advocacy might look like in their library.]

Now let’s look at what digital media advocacy might be like in your library. Here is a likely scenario that you are probably familiar with:

Patron: “We are looking for truck books.”

Librarian: “Here is our’ things that go’ section. We can also order titles for you, and if your family uses apps, there’s a great truck app called [insert app you are familiar with.]”

Option 2: discussion[Next, engage the audience in discussion about their role as a media advocate and why it may differ in their library. Possible questions to use are below. Spend about 5-10 minutes on this discussion depending on the sharing level of the audience.

● Why do you think librarians feel they aren’t digital media advocates or media mentors?

○ Lack of training? ○ “Traditional” role of librarians as curators of

information?○ Your thoughts.

Be sure to emphasize that each library system is different● Different levels of expertise in the different “media” service models

(digital media advocacy, media mentorship are two models)● Different levels of experience or comfort interacting with patrons,

using various media and technology]

[If you are using this training set with the others you may want to leave this slide out and move onto the next training.]

To conclude, let’s bring the discussion back to our professional practice one final time. We want to encourage you to put into practice some of what you’ve learned today. Thinking back over everything we’ve been discussing here, how can you implement media advisory interviews into your library?

Lastly, take a few minutes to come up with one step you plan to take within the next week to build on the ideas that you’ve learned from today’s training and one step you plan to take in the longer term as you work to make media advocacy a more central role of your work with families. These “steps” might be changing how you discuss children’s media use with parents, creating new active or passive library programs for parents or families, seeking out resources you can share with parents, teaching colleagues about some of generalizations we examined today, etc.

[Pause to give the audience a few minutes to think about this question. Then ask for volunteers to discuss their responses.]

Thank you for taking part in this training.

For further information including fully realized short and long versions of this presentation please visit the navigating screens website and click on the overview of training materials tab.

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