How to Incorporate

Digital Literacy into

your Programming
and Services
An in-service for all youth services library staff
Presented by Mariah Kennedy-English
In partnership with Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science
Welcome & Introductions

 Hello, I’m Mariah!

 Who all is here today?

 Please introduce yourself to the group!
Goals of this In-Service

 Learn about the research that’s been done

on digital media and young children

 Understand positive media behaviors and

how to incorporate into library services

 Find and evaluate new media for use within

your own library
American Academy of Pediatrics:
screen time recommendations

 Changed since 2016

 Updatedto reflect the actualities of America’s

youth and cultural attitudes towards media
consumption
American Academy of Pediatrics:
screen time recommendations
 For children birth – 2 years of age:
 Only be used for mobile/video chatting with loved
ones
 Little benefit comes from mobile “learning”
 Their brains aren’t able to process any “lessons” –
even from educational apps/media
 Digitalmedia should only be used in conjunction
with adult supervision and interaction
American Academy of Pediatrics:
screen time recommendations
 For children 3 - 5:

 No more than 2 hours a day

 Educational, safe, and ad-free digital media

 Highly recommended that digital media be used in

conjunction with adult supervision and interaction
 How do safe and educational apps
support existing early literacy initiatives?
Find apps and digital media that include:

Talking, Singing, Playing,

Reading and Writing
Common Sense Media:
Evolution of media consumption by kids ages 8 and younger
What is the “digital divide”?

 74% of lower-income  96% of higher-income

families with children families with children
age 0 to 8 have high- age 0 to 8 have high-
speed internet service at speed internet service at
home home

This matters because it means that children from higher-income

families will have a better likelihood of doing well in school and
in life, since so much of learning and everyday activities require
technological knowledge and competency.
What is healthy media consumption?

 American Academy of Pediatrics' Family Media Plan:

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx

 Choosing safe, educational apps that support Every

Child Ready to Read

 Showing parents/educators how to interact with

children and digital media
Utilizing new digital media correctly
can support lifelong learning

 Tons of educational apps that intrigue and excite will

lead to futher exploration of topic through other types
of media

 Coding and programming apps can spark creativity and

learning that will stay with children as they grow
 How you can utilize digital media
in your library:

 Programming
 Using apps during Storytime

 STEM programs

 Family Tech Night

 Host an informational session for parents/educators on

healthy and educational media consumption
 How you can utilize digital media
in your library:

 Collection Development
& Technology
 Purchasing apps (& tablets) for your library

 DIG Checklist by Kidmap

 How you can utilize digital media
in your library:

 Library Service
 Be a Media Mentor!

 Creating a safe/educational App List for your library

patrons

 Write and practice your “elevator pitch” for casual

discussion with patrons about healthy media consumption
 Are you ready to get
your hands dirty?

 App Evaluation
 Utilize the DIG checklist
on your table to evaluate
each of the 3 pre-
downloaded apps on your
iPad.

 Whole Group Discussion

 Which apps did you like
best? Which were the
easiest to use? Which app
was hard to use or
uninteresting?
Conclusion
 Digital literacy and media mentorship is important, because:

 Children are consuming new media from screens

(particularly mobile screens) more and more (Common Sense
Media, 2017)

 As information professionals, it is our job to meet patrons

where they are and that now includes mobile devices (ALSC,
2015).

 Be a media mentor in your library by modeling safe and

educational apps, healthy mobile media consumption, and
providing more information to those who want it
 Thank you all for coming
to this in-service!

Please do fill out the quick

evaluation before you
leave.

Feel free to come up and

chat with me about any
questions or comments
you might have!