YALS 2011

Teens, Tweens, Their Devices, and the Library

YALS Conference September 29, 2011

Thursday, September 29, 11

It’s not all about the library...


It’s not about the gadget...


It’s about the teens ... and tweens.


These Days Are Over


Today’s Library


Why try to reach teens with gadgets?

Gadgets are teens’:

• communication hub

• entertainment platform

• ready reference


Some Stats from Pew Research (October 2010)

• 66% of 12-13 year olds own a cell phone.

• 80% of 14-17 year olds own one.

• In households earning less than $30,000/year, 59% of teens own a cell phone. This percentage increases with household earnings to 87%.

• What probably makes a difference in NH is the lack of cellular service in some of our communities.

http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2010/Oct/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx




Pew Internet: How kids talk daily

0 15 30 45 60

2009

Text Talk Cell Talk Talk Landline Social NetworkIM Email





Text? How is the library going to text teens?


What not Gmail?

• There is no charge to the library to send an SMS. But you have a limited number to send.

• The recipient will be charged if they do not have a texting plan.

• If they reply, the message will go to your chat history in case you miss it.

• Send a text to 5 people at once through Google Voice, too.


What more can the library do for teens...?


Mobile Site

Mobile sites are easy to create with blogging software like WordPress or Blogger.

Add useful links to help them connect with the people and services they need.


QR Codes

Quick read codes can be used in a variety of ways.

(This one links to a YouTube video.)


QR Code Ideas

• Add QR codes to library posters for adding the event to their calendar.

• Placing a QR code on a book linking to a webpage for readalike suggestions.

• Giving the library’s contact information in a QR code to get added to the patron’s contacts.


eBooks

• Library eBooks can be read devices other than dedicated readers, like on Android phones and tablets and iPod Touches and iPhones.

• Schools are promoting the service and purchasing their own readers and eBooks.


The simple guide to gadgets... Now it’s all about the toys.


There are three major players to know about...


Android

Google’s Operating System


A Google Search for Android Tablets Choices, choices!


Android Hints• Is it an Android? Look for the

“Google” brand or the four “buttons” at the bottom of the screen.

• Open source operating system

• Used by many, many phone and tablet manufacturers and each manufacturer makes changes to the system.

• Outselling iPhone 2 to 1.

• Direct download of MP3 audiobooks, but transfer (with cable) from computer recommended

• Direct download of eBooks with OMC or (kind of directly download) to the Kindle app.


Apple

What to know


Apple Hints

•What it does best: mini-computer on the go.

•Games, music, video, productivity tools, etc.

•Download eBooks from OverDrive.

•Directly download MP3 audiobooks via wireless or cellular connection.

• It’s recommended to download MP3 to computer and transfer with cable via iTunes

•Transfer of WMA audiobooks from a PC via iTunes with a cable


Dedicated Readers

• What they do best: eBook Reading.

• May offer wireless or cellular download of eBooks purchased from store

• All OverDrive eBooks are transferred from computer with cable via Adobe Digital Editions or sent wirelessly to the Kindle from a computer.

• Early returns through Adobe Digital Editions, the mobile OMC app, or the Kindle account.

• Often developed on closed Android operating system -- like Nooks and the new Kindle Fire.


The Kindle (Original)

• Created by Amazon

• Uses proprietary DRM

• Does not use EPUB (the format NHDB uses)

• Recently compatible with OverDrive.

• Allows wireless downloads of Kindle eBooks

• Now allows wireless downloads of Audible audiobooks (wi-fi, not cellular)

• Now allows for wireless transfers of OverDrive eBooks (wi-fi, not cellular)

• Wireless Internet access to check email, use Wikipedia, etc.


Tablets

• Text Editing

• Presentations

• Spreadsheets

• Video and photo editing

• Camera

• Scanning

• Games!

• Research

• Reading

• Music

• Videos

• And more...


What’s new?


New Amazon Kindles


New Kindles & Pricing


Apple will release a new operating system for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad called iOS 5.


New iMessage from Apple coming soon! http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/features.html#imessage


iCloud A competitor to Google?


References http://yals2011.tumblr.com/


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Technology

YALS 2011