Press Play @ ZB Library

Press Play is the theme of Teen Tech Week 2009, which will be celebrated March 8-14. Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), Press Play @ the Library is about connecting teens with different technologies available through the library.

Teens can literally press play on digital devices such as mp3 players, DVD players, gaming controllers and more. Press Play @ the Library is about teens creating and sharing their own content for the fun of it, like videos, music, and digital artwork.

Play through games can be encouraged with tournaments, tech trivia contests, and video games. On Friday, March 13, the ZB Library and the Zion-Benton Township High School IMC are co-hosting all-day videogaming in the IMC. Open gaming will be available during the school day, and a special tournament fundraiser for the IMC Student Advisory Board will be held after school.

At the ZB Library, teens can “press play” on various digital devices to learn more about the world around them. They can press play to watch film documentaries, listen to an audiobook, get live online homework help through BrainFuse, learn a new language and more.

Teens, in order to gain the skills necessary to compete in the future 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.

Teens’ use of nonprint resources has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 71 percent 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, which is where libraries can help. School and public libraries are trusted resources for accessing information, and librarians are the experts who can help teens develop the skills they need to use electronic resources effectively and efficiently.