Advocacy, Outreach and Collaboration
Panel
Marcia Melkonian, M.Ed., MLIS
Young Adult Librarian III
Canoga Park Branch - Los Angeles Public Library
Jennifer Claire Siron, MLS
Senior Librarian
Sun Valley Branch: Los Angeles Public Library
Using visuals we will discuss the preparation, progress, and purpose of the Los Angeles Public Library's Teens Leading Change (TLC) initiative projects.
The Pacoima Branch Library’s Community By Design project which will introduce teens to how art represents the individual self, community, and culture. The teens will be transported to approximately six Los Angeles museums during three excursions.
The group will meet with artists and arts managers to design, scale-up, and paint a mural on the courtyard wall of The Incubator (a local arts space). The focus of the mural will be to serve as a representation of their community while serving as beautification and community-pride building. The teens will develop an informational brochure or ‘Zine that relates to their experience and the project. Those will be distributed among all of the schools in the Local District North/East of Los Angeles Unified School District. Teachers who request speakers on the project will be matched with the empowered teens to represent their efforts when possible.
The Chatsworth Branch Library’s Be CRAAP Savvy project will focus on evaluating and combating fake news. Teens will research and develop a media literacy curriculum to educate other teens and younger peers.
Project members have been working in small groups in the Library and virtually, sharing their findings and work. They are creating infographics and developing a workshop for a future Library program and we hope to be able to take the workshop to local schools to reach a greater audience. Part of their training includes using online resources from the Los Angeles Public Library, Common Sense Media, YALSA, and Teaching Tolerance. In the spring 2018 spring semester, the Young Adult Librarian plans to work with a local middle school group on the creation of a game aimed to help teens identify fake and real news. Our hope is to have an even greater impact on the younger generation about the importance of digital citizenship, media literacy, and especially identify fake news. By having teens lead the workshops, younger students may be more inclined to listen and follow their lead.