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Teen Tech Week 2010

Teen Tech Week 2010 is March 7-13! Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teens, librarians, educators, parents, and other concerned adults meant to encourage teens to take advantage of libraries' nonprint resources. The 2010 theme — Learn Create Share @ your library — fosters teen creativity and positions the library as a physical and virtual place for safe exploration of the many types of technology available at libraries, including DVDs, music, gaming, video production, online homework help, social networking, tech workshops, audiobooks and more.

Start planning your celebration today:

• Begin by registering for Teen Tech Week. Registration is free and gives you access to the 2010 logo, which you can use to promote Teen Tech Week by adding it to your library's website, blog, Facebook page, or other resources. Thanks to Evanced Solutions for providing Teen Tech Week registration.
• Check out program ideas relating to this year's theme or resources to help you plan.
• Know what you'll be doing? Use our helpful publicity tools to promote Teen Tech Week in your community and list your events on the 2010 Teen Tech Week wiki
• Thank our promotional partners for supporting Teen Tech Week! Thanks to ALA Graphics, Evanced Solutions, and Tutor.com
• Check out Teen Tech Week products, including decals, posters, bookmarks, digital downloads and more, all featuring this year's theme: Learn, Create, Share @ your library.
• Questions? Find an answer in our FAQ or contact us at yalsa@ala.org.
  

About Teen Tech Week

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, and videogames. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology. Teen Tech Week began in 2007 and has a general theme of Get Connected @ your library.

Teens’ use of nonprint resources has increased dramatically in recent years, yet more teens are doing this from home instead of the library. According to a recent study by Harris Interactive, in 2005, 86% of youth aged 8-18 have a computer in their home, and 74% have Internet access in their home. On average, 8-18 year olds spend 6 hours and 21 minutes per day using media (including TV, video/DVDs/movies, video games, audio media, computers and print media). Furthermore, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 71% of teens report that the Internet is their primary source for completing school projects. Yet multiple studies have shown that the majority of teens lack the critical thinking skills and technical expertise to use the Internet and other electronic resources effectively. Teens need to know that the library is a trusted resource for accessing information and that librarians are the experts who can help them develop the skills they need to use electronic resources effectively and efficiently.

Teens, in order to gain the skills necessary to compete in today's job market, need access to digital and online information and trained professionals who can help them use these resources effectively, efficiently and ethically. Librarians and educators know this and work with teens on a regular basis to ensure they develop these skills. Teen Tech Week is a chance for libraries to throw open their physical & virtual doors and show their communities all the great things they're doing for teens with technology.

Related Links

Teen Tech Week Wiki

YALSA Blog

YALSA Technology Resources

Resources for Librarians about Online Social Networking

Teens and Social Networking in School and Public Libraries Toolkit (PDF)

Social Networking: A Guide for Teens (PDF)

Previous Teen Tech Week sites

Teen Tech Week 2008

Teen Tech Week 2008 Resources & Tech Guides

 Teen Tech Week 2009