it’s social, and can be safe too helping youth stay safe online scls brainsnack friday, october...
TRANSCRIPT
It’s Social, and Can Be Safe Too
Helping Youth Stay Safe Online
SCLS Brainsnack
Friday, October 17, 2008
12:00 noon
Cheryl Becker, Public Library Administration Consultant
Shawn Brommer, Youth Services and Outreach Consultant
Social Software
• Connect
• Interact
• Share data
• Communities
• “Web 2.0”
• “Power to the people”
Social Software
• “Ready for 2.0”– Presentation and recording (mp3)
• Five Weeks to a Social Library
• Project Play
Social Networking
• Meet and communicate
• Shared interests/causes
• Combines– Chat– Blog– Photo sharing– “Friending”
Social Networking - parents
How kids are using - Neopets
How kids are using – Club Penguin
How kids are using – National Geographic for Kids (blog)
Blogs – elementary school
Teachers and kids - TeacherTube
TeacherTube - SCLS
How are teens using - Runescape
How teens are using – summer camp blog
How teens are using - MySpace
YouTube!
Teen Read blog (SCLS)
Library Blogs
• Baraboo Public Library Teens
• Director’s Blog (Menasha Public Library)
• More at Menasha– (see “Library Blogs”)
Internal Library Blog
Wikis
• Stevens County, Washington
• Loudonpedia (Loudon County, Virginia)
• SkokieNet (Skokie, Illinois)
Social Networking
• Seattle Public Library FaceBook
• Topeka-Shawnee County (Kansas) Public Library FaceBook
• Denver Public Library MySpace
• Middleton Public Library MySpace
YouTube
• Denver Public Library
• Columbus (Nebraska) Public Library
• McCracken County (2007 Kentucky SLP)
Flickr
• Westerville (Ohio) Public Library→ “About us” → “Tour the Library”
• Lester Public Library (Two Rivers)
→ “LPL Online”(MySpace and blogs too!)
Food for Thought
• User 2.0: Innovative Library Sites (LibraryGarden blog entry)
• “Technology Goes Local” (American Libraries, September 2008)
• Users want companies to use social media(ReadWriteWeb, September 2008)
Benefits of social software
• Critical thinking
• Reading and writing skills
• Collaboration
• Communicating with authors, experts, etc.—Social and cultural competence
• Boundaries and expectations
Benefits (2)
• Communication between those with special interests
• Equalizing – Appearance, status, disabilities
• Gaming: “Subversive Learning”– Learn skills– Form coalitions– Decision making
• “Virtual malt shop”
Benefits (3)
• See the YALSA articles (bibliography)
– Social Networking and DOPA
– Teens & Social Networking in School & Public Libraries
Social software for kids in libraries because. . .
• They live their lives online
• They get their information from the Internet
• They socialize online
• They expect it
Additionally. . .
• They are future tax-payers and future library supporters.
• This is the way teens seek, share and recommend information
• We want libraries to remain relevant
• . . . Remember – there are benefits
But is it safe?
• Maybe.
• Maybe not.
Maybe not
• Accuracy?
• Anonymity can encourage bad behavior.
• Potential for online scamming, identity theft, predation.
• But, wait. . .
But wait—
• Online networking isn’t going away
• We don’t ban automobiles, TV, or children walking home alone
• Are we over-reacting?
• Safety measures exist
Are we over-reacting?
• The news: “1 in 7 children approached by predators”
• The reality: – Teen to teen– Very few lead to actual contact or assault– Most abuse committed by persons known to
youth
NCMEC, 2006
Safety Measures
• Education and Involvement
• Tips – For youth– For parents
• Library policies and programs
• Sites themselves
• Helpful sources
Tips for Youth
• Be smart about what you post and say.
• Be careful about sharing personal info.
• Don’t get together in person with someone you “meet” online. – 3 P’s
• Report people acting inappropriately. Don’t play along.
Tips for Parents
• Talk to kids!
• Learn what they’re using: – Spend time with them online– Get your own accounts and explore
• Set and enforce rules.
• Monitor computer time.
• Keep computer in visible area.
Tips for Parents
• Be aware of other computers your child uses
• Tell them about “Tips for Youth”
• Know who they’re emailing and chatting with.
Policies
• Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
• Thomas Ford Memorial Library (Western Springs, Illinois)
• E.G. Fisher Public Library (Athens, Tennessee)
Programs
• Springfield (Nebraska) Memorial Library
• Putney (Vermont) Public Library
Site Safety Measures
• MySpace
Other Helpful Sources
• Federal Trade Commission
• StopCyberbullying.org
• NetSafe (Illinois Library Association)
• WiredSafety.org
• TeenAngels
• Wisconsin Department of Justice
Think About
• The world is changing
• Are we meeting changing needs?
• “Did You Know 2.0” (YouTube)
• How will libraries respond?
