Progress: Figuring out my major malfunction

I think I'm figuring out what my major malfunction is with this class. Not only is all this stuff new to me, which causes anxiety in itself; the big problem is that I'm having difficulty with subject matter around which I am trying to build this page. I wanted to have this web design class apply to my work as a Young Adult Librarian so that I could get the most out it. The problem is, I am floundering in my work. I am trying to figure out how to get the teens to actually be part of the library and want to come to our programs.

Here is the difficulty I face. I work in a very poor, rural community. On the one hand, I have circumstances working in my favor, because the library is one of the few places kids can go. We are just about the only game in town. In fact, one of the problems we face is that the teens use the library as a club house. Currently, we hold what is called Teen Lounge every afternoon and on Saturdays. The kids play games on our Play Station 2 and an occasional board game. My problem is getting them to come in for anything else. I did have a successful photography project in July. Since then it has been pretty dry. (Interestingly, most of the participants in the program were not the library regulars.)

This is what I would like to have on my page if things could work as I envision:

One page devoted to Teen Lounge: There we could have pictures of people playing Madden '09, doing Dance Dance Revolution, and Guitar Hero. We could also show people playing Monopoly and snacking. We could show me putting in new furnishings to make it appeal to teens.

One page devoted to upcoming events. For the month of October, for example, I would highlight our bullying program and our program on sexual harassment. I would get some images from Allison Rose of her doing a presentation. I could solicit anonymous quotes from teen about what those two topics mean to them. Same with Safe Night Out program: get quotes from people who participated in past years. Pictures of the blank leaves that people will be putting their definitions on. Halloween: pictures from past years.

One page devoted to poetry: The kids from the Rec. Center are now using the library in the afternoons while their roof is being repaired. Once a week, a writer comes and work with them on poetry. They are planning to publish a book of their work using a grant. I believe it comes out in November. They already have a website. I would like the library to host an Open Mic event so that the kids could present their work. I would also like to put some of their work on our website and have a link to theirs.

One page devoted to kids' art. We already have plenty of photos from our Picture Hastings event. They came up with some great stuff. I would also like to solicit works that they've done on their own.

One page devoted to Teen Readers Advisory. Right now, we have no such thing. One girl expressed interest in participating in a book club. I need to contact her and see if she still wants to. My fear is that now that school has started, she is wrapped up in that. That brings me to my next point. One big hurdle I'm facing is making contact with the schools. I want to start with the English teachers first. So far, this has been a HUGE challenge. I don't hear back from media specialists I try to contact . . . Teachers are just so busy and harried. How do I make meaningful contact? Should I write personal letters? I want to make it a positive for them. How can I make their jobs easier? Do a database class on the Literature Resource Center or the Biography Resource Center? Ask the teachers to tell me what projects their students will be working on during the year and provide them with the resources the library has on those topics? Back on topic: We could use this page to talk about the book club and to post teen book reviews.

One page devoted to goings-on-around-town. Because this is such a tight-knit community, that might work well. For example, I am going to help out at the teen night that the Rec Center is putting on. I could take pictures of that. I could even start a teen corpse of reporters to cover such events.

Okay, I now have six pages. My big challenge is getting teens to participate enough to put material on those pages. That, I'll repeat, is what has been making this class cause so much anxiety for me. I haven't figured out how to do that.

BTY: links I want on my site: one to juice up the truth, and one to continuing ed. resources.

Action plan:

Talk to Terry about contacting one teacher at the high school. That may be the best way to get my foot in the door. Terry has done a lot of substituting, and she know someone who would be willing.

Put out the word that I'm starting a book club for teens. Call Madison first. Ask if she's still interested and what day is good for her. Maybe Saturdays? I'll provide snacks. Then call everyone (all 5) who participated in the summer reading program. Read that book on running YA book clubs.

Put out a "looking for art" sign. Tell Madison, too, as she has used the library to photograph her art. Make the art page relevant to the library by soliciting suggestions for art programs by teens.

Talk to Miss Kim on Tuesday about having the library host a poetry reading event.
Visit her kids' website on Monday.

In the meantime, I will put up dummy information and images until I get real ones.


Finally, I have a direction!