YALSA releases social networking guide for teens
Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist
312-280-2128
skuenn@ala.org
For Immediate Release
June 19, 2007
YALSA releases social networking guide for teens
CHICAGO - In honor of National Internet Safety Month, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), announces the publication of
“Social Networking: A Guide for Teens.”
YALSA created the brochure with teen audiences in mind to assist librarians in educating teens about safe use of online social networking software, including sites like Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, YouTube, and LiveJournal. The guide is available as a PDF on YALSA’s Web site at
www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/profdev/socialnetworking.htm. Librarians can download the color brochure to distribute to their teen users.
“We wanted to give librarians a resource they could use to jump-start discussions with teens about Web 2.0 in their lives,” said Linda Braun, chair of YALSA’s Website Advisory Committee. “June is Internet Safety Month, so it’s a great time for librarians to do just that.”
Written expressly for teens, the guide offers definitions of online social networking software, gives teens practical safety advice, explains why social networking causes so much debate, and provides several online resources for safe, smart use of online social networking software.
“Teens need help understanding why adults are concerned about teen use of social networking,” said Braun. “As librarians who serve teens, it’s our responsibility to help show them how they could get involved in educating others about social networking and how it has an impact on teen lives.”
For 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens.
For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to
www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail:
yalsa@ala.org.
