Social Media, Children’s Books, and the Goblet of Fire

(okay, not really… but it sounds so dramatic!)

October 26, 2010The Lewis Library and Technology Center

I’m geeky so you don’t have to be.

I

Web 2.0!

Telling Fibs since 2006

A LIBRARY GROWS!

Donations. Read-aloud ideas. Resources.EVERYONE, online and offline,

wants kids to read.

Web 2.0The Social Web

Web 3.0

• The names of the networks might change, but it’s not going away.

• It’s big.• It’s global.• Did I mention it’s not going away?

Y.A.W.S.A.D.

think of

TrustInfluence

If Facebook were a country…

… it would be the third most populous nation on Earth.

Over 500 million members, with more than 150 million added in 2009.

A Few More Stats

Late 2009: over 234,000,000 websites on the net

Late 2009 (per Blog Pulse): over 126,000,000 blogs

on the net

The Blogosphere!

(collectively, all the blogs that are out there.)

Knock, Knock. Who’s There?

teachers, writers, illustrators, librarians, editors, agents, literacy advocates,

publishers, book designers, students, reviewers, reporters, kids, parents

potential friends, potential champions, potential readers

?What are they/we looking for?

CONNECTION

INFORMATION

CONTEXT

Blogs

Act as home base or website Create a place for interaction

Can demonstrate expertise

A blog can give people reasons to keep coming back to a site time and again to form a community.

Community Events… Online!

• Carnival of Children’s Literature (monthly)

• Poetry Friday (weekly)

• Non-Fiction Monday (weekly)

Poetry prompts, collections of reviews, what’s in your to be read pile, literacy roundup, etc. plus etc.!

Bigger Still

• Share a Story – Shape a Future• Guys Lit Wire book drive• Operation Teen Book Drop• The Haiti/Earthquake Booklists• Cover controversies• National Poetry Month, 2010

Why do we do what we do?

We love children’s literature, of course!

How Can People Benefit From the Kidlitosphere?

• Knowledge• Access• Context• Resources• More resources• And a few more resources

Jump in! The water’s fine….

Filter!

thatth

that’s one thing he hated… the NOISE! NOISE!

NOISE! NOISE!

A Listening Efficiency Tip

• Get on JacketFlap or get a Google Reader account and SUBSCRIBE to blogs as you find them.

Visiting blogs each day takes time. Bring content TO you so it’s there for your on your terms.

Say “Please” and “Thank You”

There are different ways to ask for help:

Some are more effective than others.

When someone helps or is nice to you, show appreciation. You can make fans for life.

and the real-time web

What are you doing?12:01:01 p.m.

Hey, what about now?12:01:02 p.m.

Let’s Chat!

#kidlitchat – Tuesday nights at 6 PM our time

Transcripts are stored at The Happy Accident(http://www.thehappyaccident.net)

HOW TO CHAT: http://bit.ly/writerchats(great article by Debbie Ridpath Ohi)

6:00 PM Pacific time#YAlitchat - Wednesday#kidlitart – Thursday

7:00 PM Pacific time#pblitchat - Monday

http://bit.ly/writerchats - @inkyelbows

#followreader, #writechat, #litchat, #scribechat, #edchat, #scriptchat, #younameititexistschat

Knock, Knock. Who’s There?

teachers, writers, illustrators, librarians, editors, agents, literacy advocates,

publishers, book designers, students, reviewers, reporters, kids, parents

potential friends, potential champions, potential readers

#speakloudly became speakloudly.org

People are People

We are not just one thing online any more than we are one thing offline.

So… how does this relate to kids and reading?

It’s complicated.

Kids these days…

They are active online, but in general…

They don’t read blogs. They don’t connect with adults on Twitter or Facebook.

They talk with peers via updates or in communities.

(oh yeah, they text. A LOT.)

TRUTH

• teens get on social networks to talk to their peers but not to those who have power over them (via @zephoria)

Microsoft researcher danah boydhttp://www.danah.org

http://www.zephoria.org

So, again… how does this affect kids and reading?

• They are digital natives• They don’t interact with adults online• They do interact among their peers• They need communities where it is safe to talk

And…

Books and Stories Need Mindshare

As we tweet and blog, we spread the word.

We reach and form new communities.

We give context and content.

But we also need…

INNOVATION!

• Tweeting Animal Farm• Skype Author Visits• Live Twitter Chats• Yes, the 39 Clues• Inkpop.com

We need ways to tie story and technology together, particularly since…

thE futurE includEs

We must NOT demonize video games, socialnetworks, e-readers, and iPads. We cannot

cast these as the villains with “the book” as the hero.

(it didn’t work for our parents, either)

Embrace the Tools

• Find trusted sources. Become trusted sources.

• Put children’s literature – in a positive way – into the zeitgeist.

• Experiment. Explore. Act like a kid!(I know… I’m preaching to the choir!)

Thanks to Susan Erickson for bringing me here today, and to all of you for coming on

out.

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Future winning lottery numbers?

Greg Pincusgreg@thehappyaccident.net