Connected Youth
For nearly a decade, our Wired for Youth Centers have helped us provide technology and resources to teens and young adults. Now, thanks to a new Grant from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, APL's Teen Services is able to evolve that effort.
The Connected Youth project, launching this year in 2009, is bringing mobile technology, laptops, and creative new programs to teens and young adults throughout Austin.
Connected Youth will bring laptops into the library setting, provide mobile media programs that inspire creativity, and empower young people to use the library collection for discovery and to develop a love of reading. Come and see what we're up to!
Connected Youth Teen Cards
Teens now have the opportunity to apply for a Connected Youth Teen card. This card will allow them to check out regular library collection materials such as books, DVDs, and manga. With parental permission, it will also allow them to check out laptops for two hours per day.
Austin teens selected the look of the card from among three possible styles by APL designer Patrick Hughey. Out of the box, the Connected Youth card offers exactly the same privileges as a regular library card, but replaces that card for young people ages 12 through 16. If cardholders decide they want to check out laptops at any of our 10 pilot Connected Youth laptop sites, they can talk to a Teen Services Librarian about getting permissions set to do so. The Connected Youth Teen Card will be available for young people ages 12 through 16 to check out classic APL materials starting March 30, 2009 at all branches.
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| Connected Youth - Teen Library Card |
Connected Youth Laptops - 10 Pilot Branches
Beginning on Monday, March 30, with the Ruiz and Carver Branches, each Teen Center (formerly known as Wired for Youth Centers) will receive 4 laptop computers which will be available for check-out as well as special programs run by Teen Services Librarians. The following year will refresh the technology at each center. The laptop checkout and mobile media programs for the Connected Youth project will debut at 10 Austin Public Library locations, where Teen Services Librarians are staffed and ready to help offer these services to young people ages 12 through 16. The laptops for youth checkout will be available at the branches in phases.
Monday, March 30, 2009 |
Ruiz |
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Carver |
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Monday, April 27, 2009 |
University Hills | |
Windsor Park | |
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Monday, May 18, 2009 |
Faulk Central Library | |
St. John | |
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Monday, June 15, 2009 |
Oak Springs | |
Southeast Austin | |
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Monday, July 6, 2009 |
Terrazas | |
Manchaca | |
Connected Youth Programs - 8 through 16
Having mobile laptops available will allow Teen Services staff and new Interns to take mobile programs around APL branches, including those that do not have a Teen Center designated. Although laptop checkout and cards will be available only to ages 12 through 16, the mobile programs will welcome younger people (focusing on ages 8 through 16). In the programs, laptops will be connected up and shared by attendees, and projected onto screen. Possible programs include Social Networking information, science programs using 3d, and creative programs such as Photoshop. Creative work from these programs will also make its way to the Connected Youth website's Teen Studio, where young people across the APL system can participate. Connected Youth programs will begin happening in different branches as the year goes on.
