In October YALSA launched the weekly blog column, App of the Week. The idea behind the column is that there are a lot of apps available to teens and to the librarians that serve them, and getting the word out about what’s available and what’s worth spending time with is something the YB (YALSA Blog) should provide.

Yet, at the same time that YALSA launched the new YB column, I started to recognize that not everyone realizes or accepts that we do now live in an app world. Over the past few months I’ve had several conversations with librarians serving teens and have heard things like, “I don’t get why apps are something I should pay attention to. Not all the teens I serve have devices that can run apps. And, I don’t have a device that runs apps. So, what’s the big deal?” (Of course I’m paraphrasing.) Read More →

Throughout the month of February, YALSA will be posting each day on themes relating to teens and technology in (or outside) libraries. From mobile apps to tablets, technology and its applications are now an inextricable part of young adults’ daily lives. How do libraries and librarians support teen technology use? What do traditional literacy skills look like in the information age? Will we lead the charge, or struggle to keep up?

Lately I’ve been thinking about the disconnect between my personal infrastructure and the one I enjoy (or bemoan) at work. What if my tech habits at home could carry over to work?

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