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Pokémon Go: 'Gotta catch 'em all' at your local library

7/27/2016

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Photo via Akron-Summit County Public Library's Facebook.
So I realized I only posted one blog entry in June and now  July is almost over and I still have yet to publish anything new! This summer is flying by, and I'll be honest —​ I've been spending my time enjoying it rather than blogging ... not that blogging isn't enjoyable, haha.

One of the latest crazes to surface during my blogging hiatus is the Pokémon Go phenomenon. And while I personally don't want to waste my time, data or phone battery playing the game, I can already tell you that I love it. Why? Because it is a perfect match for public libraries.

Perhaps the best way to familiarize people with the library's resources and services is to get them in the door. Once you get someone inside, it's almost impossible for them to not find something of interest. And Pokémon Go is definitely bringing people into the library — particularly millennials who might not regularly step foot inside a brick-and-mortar library branch.
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Photo via Community Library's Facebook.
Whoever was responsible for deciding to make public libraries Pokéstops and/or Poké Gyms deserves a high five, a bear hug, a pat on the back and maybe a foot massage too. This decision is not only bringing people into the library, but it's giving librarians new and creative programming ideas as well. Some libraries have even reinvigorated their old Pokémon clubs in addition to creating new programming for the next generation of Pokémon enthusiasts. Between hosting group walks to catch Pokémon, setting off lures and inviting people to libraries to battle for control of a gym, this new mobile game is breathing some fresh air into youth services provided by libraries everywhere.

Well there's no telling just how long this trend will stay in the spotlight, public libraries have been quick to embrace the mobile game's growing popularity. While Pokémon originally got big in the early 2000s, many libraries have seen a rise in circulation for their Pokémon materials since the games exponentially successful launch earlier this month.

We'll see how long Pokémon Go remains a "thing," but I'd be willing to bet a super rare Pokémon that it won't be nearly as long as public libraries last!
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How libraries can prepare to better serve teens in the future

6/25/2015

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When I was 13 I didn't own a cell phone. I didn't pluck my eyebrows. I didn't spend hours taking pictures of myself and then Snapchat them to all my friends. I didn't feel inundated with unrealistic body image ideals presented by the media. Frankly, I just didn't care, and that's because I was still living in a kid's world. Sadly, I feel that with each trip around the sun this planet takes, children are entering the adult world sooner and sooner.

Being a teenager today is quite different than it was for me, just as my glamorous time of adolescence was different than my parents, and theirs before them. And I'm not just talking about today's popularity of social media or Minecraft or whatever the heck else is ~hip with the young folk~ these days. 
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Image via American Libraries magazine.
Like it or not for anyone who has already survived their awkward and acne-ridden teenage years, those young whippersnappers of today are tomorrow's future, and the ones who will be using the library (and everything else) long after the rest of us leave this world. Teenagers are society's real innovators, and they are shaping the future! During a time when teens have access to information and entertainment at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a finger, libraries need to find a way to keep them coming through their doors, regardless of what sort of technological (or hormonal) changes are occurring elsewhere.

In January 2014, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) released a report titled The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action. According to an article in American Libraries magazine published earlier this month called The Future of Library Services to Teens, "The report is the culmination of a project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and spearheaded by YALSA’s National Forum on Libraries and Teens, which focused on the needs of teens and how libraries can support those needs."

"Teens are living in an environment filled with mobile technology. They can find and download music, movies, and personal or academic reading materials from anywhere, not just at the library. Yet many teens do not have the skills or access to use the technology available to them. And in some cases, library staff working with teens don’t have the knowledge, skills, background, or support to help adolescents in the way needed in the 21st century," -- The Future of Library Services to Teens, American Libraries magazine

Coming up with a plan for how libraries can serve and attract teens in the unforeseeable future can be a daunting task, and with limited budgets and staff (and patron) reluctance to change, it can be especially difficult for libraries to start adjusting. However, according to the American Libraries article, there are small ways libraries across the country can get the ball rolling now, including:
  • Hiring new staff to support digital media and learning initiatives and provide support to other staff and youth and families around the ideas of connected learning
  • Talking with a state youth-services consultant about YALSA's Futures report and its impact on the work that libraries in the state do with and for teens
  • Working with college and career readiness providers in the community in order to develop programs and services for teens that will help them succeed in life
  • Providing training to colleagues on the ideas embedded in YALSA's Futures report
But perhaps the most obvious way for librarians to arm themselves with the metaphorical weapons they need to secure a long-term teenage patronage is by *gasp* TALKING TO TEENS! Find out what sorts of services, materials and activities teens want and do your best to incorporate them. Don't just talk to the teens who walk through the library's doors -- you already have them hooked on books! Make an effort to reach out to teens who don't usual frequent the library and see what you can do to get them to open their minds — or better yet, open a book!
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Grad school assignment: Promoting library materials to teens

4/20/2015

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As my first semester of graduate school draws to a close, final projects and papers are piling up. Luckily I was able to cross a couple off my to do list this weekend, including creating a webpage promoting library materials to teens. 

The assignment was for my Library Materials for Young Adults class, and it required me to create some sort of publicity or marketing "thing" – a series of bookmarks, a brochure, a poster, a library display, a webpage or even a video – to promote a certain genre or topic to the teenage demographic.

With summer on the horizon, I decided to promote books highlighting outdoor activities and nature. It's far too easy for teens miss out on nature's beauty while sitting in an air-conditioned room overindulging
in screen time during the summer months, so I wanted to motivate them to get out and explore. 

My webpage promoted a mixture of fiction and nonfiction books – everything from survival fiction classics like Gary Paulsen's Hatchet to The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide. Whether teens are preparing for an outdoor adventure themselves or just looking to travel vicariously through someone else, books are a great way to discover the great outdoors.

To view my publicity project webpage, click here – and remember to #ReadAdventurously this summer!
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Unique and clever ways to display your book collection

4/6/2015

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I've found that there are few places I feel more comfortable than being surrounded books (topped only by being surrounded by – in no particular order – loved ones, Nature and live music). And while one of my favorite restoration projects I've done so far was refurbishing some old bookshelves, there are a lot of other unique ways to store and display your precious paperbacks at home. After all, nothing furnishes a room quite like books!

Here are a few of some of my favorite unique book displays that you could use in your own home. If you click any of the pictures below, you'll be redirected to websites where you can learn how to make or even buy these cool bookshelves. I'm all about up-cycling and repurposing old things you might have laying around the house, so I'm particularly fond of the old refrigerator and the baby grand. Looking for more inspiration? You can also find a lot of unique bookshelves ideas on Pinterest.

Have a creative bookshelf idea you'd like to share with me? Please tweet me @TessaFoxReads! 
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Available on Etsy.
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Designed by Mark Taylor.
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Reclaim an old piano!
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Click the picture to learn how to repurpose a fridge!
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Repurpose old scaffolding - available on Etsy.
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Click the picture to learn how to make a reading bench!
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30 tips to get reluctant teen readers picking up more books

3/25/2015

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Image via Google
I recently watched a recorded webinar from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) that featured tips for librarians to get reluctant teenagers reading more. Today's teens spend much of their free time plugged into technology, but reading a book can be just as much fun (if not more) than playing the newest video game or scrolling endlessly through your social media feeds.

Young Adult librarian, book reviewer and ReadingRants.org founder Jennifer Hubert Swan led the webinar and reminded the audience that just because many teenagers aren't choosing to read for fun doesn't mean they have poor literacy skills. They just likely haven't found a book – that book – that really speaks to them yet. It is your job as a librarian to make that happen.

Jennifer broke her tips down into three different categories: booktalks, programs and contests, and library displays. Because I found her tips so useful as an aspiring youth services librarian, I would like to share them with you. Keep in mind that these are tips for librarians, but could really benefit any parent, teacher, etc. who is looking to motivate teens to read.

Booktalks: A booktalk is basically a verbal advertisement for a book, like a movie trailer is a video advertisement for a film. Booktalks are frequently given by librarians visiting high school classrooms and are meant to encourage a particular book or books to an audience.
  1. DIY Booktalk: Instead of having the librarian give a booktalk, flip the script and ask a student to tell the group about a book they recently read and enjoyed. Use prompting questions like, "Did anyone read a book about a vampire this summer?" or "Did anyone read a book that a summer movie was based off of?" to start get the conversation started.
  2. Genre-blenders: Try suggesting books that blend two genres together, like a supernatural mystery or a paranormal romance. Teens might discover a new kind of book that they didn't know existed!
  3. Gross-outs: Your mother probably told you there was never a place for poop jokes and fart noises – well a booktalk is an exception to that rule. Teenagers love to be grossed out by stuff, and many might be unaware that basically anything goes in today's YA literature. Why not find a scene from a book about booger eating or projectile vomiting? It sounds a bit crazy, but it will captivate your kids.
  4. Multimedia: Mix up booktalks with websites, book trailers and other videos. This will help spice things up and reach your more visual listeners.
  5. Pairings: Like fine wine and cheese there is an art to finding two complimentary objects. Try booktalking a fiction and non-fiction book together. You can also try pairing a book with a video, or even a video game with an audiobook. Mixing media is  great way to attract to reluctant readers to the written word.
  6. Playlists: Some books are just meant to have a soundtrack. Have your group of teens come up with a playlist for a particular book's character and explain why they chose the songs they did.
  7. Reality TV Tie-in: Think of any crappy MTV or reality show you can come up with and find a book with a related theme. Ask the group if they watched a show like Teen Mom recently and then suggest a book where the main character experiences teen pregnancy, or get those viewers of The Bachelor reading a new story about a budding romance.
  8. Show and Tell: Grab a couple books with big pictures of high interest, like books about tattoos, travel or even Awkward Family Photos. It will get your audience picking up (and talking about) new books!
  9. Twitter: Trying having a Twitter booktalk challenge by making teens "sell" a book, movie or video game using 140 characters or less!
  10. Variety: Don't be afraid to switch up your booktalking formats. Choose a mix of graphic novels, audiobooks, films, popular paperbacks and more!

Programs and contests: Libraries are known for their programming and it's a great way to get teens in the doors of the physical library. Once you have them inside, you have their attention.
  1. Anything But Reading: Use non-reading-related programs to get reluctant readers inside the library like a Battle of the Bands or a cook-off. Be sure to have a display of related books (in this case, popular musicians' biographies or cookbooks) available for teens to check out on their way out.
  2. Book Buddies: What teenager doesn't want to feel looked up to or appreciated? Pair a reluctant reader with a younger kid and inspire them both to read. With many high schools requiring a certain amount of community service before graduation, having a teen read to the elderly is also a great opportunity. Matching a teenager with a senior citizen who enjoys books but maybe can't read on their own anymore is a great opportunity for all parties involved!
  3. Book Spine Poetry: Have teens wander through the stacks picking out books based on the titles printed on the spine. Then have them turn those words into poetry by stacking the books on top of each other. This activity will get teens looking at and picking out books based on their titles, but it will also make them more likely to take a peek inside.
  4. Book Trailer Workshops: Have teens put their multimedia and technology skills to use and ask them to make a book trailer for particular titles. If your community has a local cable access channel, this is a great outlet to show off your area's local teens' skills!
  5. Brown Bag Books: Have teenagers look through the library for the most boring book covers they can find. Cover those books with brown paper bags and have the teens reimagine the covers. This is an excellent way to attract the artists and designers out there.
  6. Goodreads Accounts: Have kids sign up for a Goodreads account – an awesome social networking site for book lovers. Once signed up, the teens can connect with their friends, tag or rate some of their favorite books, and get suggestions on what to read next.
  7. Famous Last Lines: Inspired by John Green's book Looking for Alaska, challenge your teens to match famous people with their last lines said before death. You could also do a similar activity pairing the last line of books with their titles.
  8. Stump the Librarian: Challenge your teens by saying you can find each of them a book they want to read by the end of the year. This will give you a chance to interact with your readers on an individual reader and make reading more of a contest.
  9. Stupid Weird Book Hunt: Does your library's collection have weird books about stranded shopping carts or crazy flea market finds? Encourage your teenagers to find some of the strangest books your shelves have to offer and give the winner an even kookier prize.
  10. Teen Read Week: Visit the YALSA website fore more teen program inspiration.

Library displays: Book displays are a great excuse to pull some books off  the shelves and give them some more face-time with your teenaged patrons. Don't be afraid to get creative!
  1. As Good as Games: Pair circulating video games with tech heavy books like Artemis Fowl or Maximum Ride titles to reach those technology whizzes.
  2. ARC Shelves: Many librarians and reviewers are privy to Advanced Reader Copies of books. Pick up as many ARCs as possible at places like professional development conferences and create a unique section for them on your shelves. Signs like "Read it here first" or "Read it before it comes out" is a great way to make a reluctant teen reader feel like they have exclusive access to certain books.
  3. Banned Book Week: A lot of teens would be shocked to see some of their favorites on the Banned Book List – Harry Potter anyone? This activity is a great conversation starter for teens.
  4. Teens Top 10: Use a display to highlight some of the most popular books for teens, chosen by teens!
  5. Don't Shelve: A lot of patrons are interested in reading books that they know others have enjoyed. Make a "recently returned" shelf to attract reluctant readers to titles their peers have just read.
  6. Evil Geniuses: Make a display mixing fiction and non-fiction titles, video games and movies about evil geniuses trying to take over the world.
  7. Recommended by Magazines: Make a special display for books that have been recommended in popular magazines like People or U.S. Weekly, showing that reading can be popular and "in."
  8. Roaming Bookmarks: Have a group of teens make "Read-alike Bookmarks" to slip into some of the books in the stacks. Try pairing old classics with contemporary titles! 
  9. Sob-o-Meter: Who doesn't like a good cry now and then? Make a display featuring all the the tear-jerkers you can think of a put plenty of Kleenex boxes nearby! 
  10. YALSA Popular Paperbacks: Running low on ideas? Check out some of YALSA's themed booklists to help encourage reluctant readers to pick up more books!

Happy reading! 

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    Author

    Tessa Fox is the Early Literacy Librarian at the Kenosha Public Library. After working in the journalism and publishing fields, Tessa decided to dedicate her life to books and public librarianship, and went back to school to get her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she graduated in December 2016. Tessa has been working in public libraries since 2014. Disclaimer: The views expressed here are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer.


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