Last year, Delaware County teens were incredibly active with the Delaware County District Library. They attended 40 programs, with a total of almost 500 attendees.
One hundred teen volunteers, who we call “Volunteens,” gave 400 combined service hours. On top of their program participation, teens read 3,300-plus hours in the summer alone.
With all the ways the Delaware Library reaches teens, we felt like we could take it another step further. That’s why this year is the first time that all DCDL locations are participating in Teen Tech Week March 6-10.
The Teen Tech Week initiative was created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) in 2007 to encourage the development of digital literacy skills. Some initial goals were to help teens use skills learned to obtain scholarships, secure jobs, and effectively manage their online identity.
DCDL has enhanced the program this year to include programs that show how technology is used in careers in the real world. Programs are happening every day this week across the library system and they include special guests from the local community showing technology in action.
Here are some of our upcoming programs and their descriptions. Check out www.delawarelibrary.org to see if they’re coming to a branch near you.
• Meet Big George: Supermicroscope. Ever wondered what a snowflake looks like magnified 400,000 times? What about cat food? Even brains. Teens will meet at the Delaware Main Library, then walk to Ohio Wesleyan University and meet Big George 2.0, a Zeiss EVO LS10 Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope. Teens will test samples under the microscope, then print and take home the images.
• Teen Weather Spotters. The Delaware County Emergency Management Agency uses the top meteorological technology to help keep you safe from natural disasters every day. Learn how the pros spot thunderstorms and tornadoes, and discover the dangers of flooding and lightning. Everyone will also walk away with their very own DIY cloud light.
• Crime Catchers. The Delaware Police Department uses some of the most sophisticated technology on the market to catch criminals and keep our communities safe. Join us this Teen Tech Week to shoot traffic lasers, investigate crime scenes, scan license plates, and see how a GoPro might catch the bad guys.
• Make a Tesla Coil. See a high voltage Tesla coil live in person, learn how it launched the revolution of radio communications that made the world we live in today possible and make your own Tesla coil to take home. Learn about Amateur Radio, electronics and the evolution of radio communication technology from the Delaware Amateur Radio Association.
• Music Remix Workshop. Teens at the Orange Branch will get to experience the library’s new Audio Booth to rock out and learn the basics of music remixing.
• Become a YouTube Star. What does it take to become one of the greats on YouTube? Teens might be surprised that they already have all they need. Get ready for a close up, participants will become a #BookTuber.
• Crafting with Graveyard Computers. Where do old, dead computers go to die? The Computer Graveyard, of course. We’ve resurrected some computers from the library graveyard and we’ll be using their pieces and parts to Frankenstein some awesome, techy crafts.
