Magee wins Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA Research Grant

For Immediate Release
Mon, 03/11/2013

Contact:

Jaclyn Finneke

Communications Manager

Young Adult Library Services Association

1-800-545-2433 ext.2128

jfinneke@ala.org

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) awarded the 2013 Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA Research Grant to Rachel M. Magee. This $1,000 grant will provide seed money for her research project, “Teens’ Everyday Life Information Ecologies: People, Technology, Values, and Practices.”

The research project is designed to develop a better understanding of how teens use (or do not use) technologies, how the values and relationships surrounding teens and technology impact that use and what that means for the role of information in teens' lives. Magee will use multiple methods to help develop a deeper understanding of teens’ information behaviors and practices and will include geographical, cultural and socio-economic diversity. This research addresses teens’ use of technology in every day settings. Much research into the ways youth interact with information and technology focuses on academic settings, leaving everyday settings less explored.

“Magee’s research will provide essential information as to how teens really use technology in their lives, what technology they actually use, and the importance of this use to their lives and relationships,” said Jury chairperson Janet Hilbun.  “So much of the research now available looks as the quantitative issues—how many teens use what technology. Magee’s research will extend this by looking at the qualitative aspects—not only what they use but why they use it and the value they derive from it”.

Magee is a doctoral student at iSchool at Drexel’s program in Information Studies. 

“I’m so excited to be selected for this award,” said Magee.  “Receiving this support will help me to study the everyday lives of teens, and helps demonstrate that these practices are important to learn more about. A deeper understanding here may enable us to make improvements to library services and better support the young people in our communities.”

The YALSA Research Committee members are: Chair Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas; Jennifer Burek Pierce, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; Ariel Cummins, San Antonio (Texas) Public Library; Colette Drouillard, Valdosta (Georg.) State University; and Dr. Carol L. Tilley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Guidelines for applying for the YALSA/VOYA/Henne Research Grant are available in the Awards and Grants for Members section of the YALSA web site at  www.ala.org/yalsa.  Applications are due by Dec. 1, 2013.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve and empower teens.  For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail, yalsa@ala.org.