"Why I Need My Library" Teen Video Contest Winners!

In keeping with the theme of switching the schedule of blog postings this week, and the fact that I got Tuesdays and Thursdays confused, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Logan Heights Library teens for winning a 3rd place prize in their age category in the ALA "Why I need my library" teen video contest.

This contest was sponsored by the American Library Association which put out a call for teens to advocate for their libraries by creating 1-3 minute videos about why they need their libraries. The contest took place from January to April 2011 and during this time 157 videos were submitted.

The Logan Heights Library teens worked on this video for a month. They wrote and played their own song. They filmed the video in 1 day with the library's Flip video camera. They created their storyboard, chose their wardrobe and drew the art work on the white board featured on this video as the background. Most of the time was spent editing by the teen videographer who came into the library twice per week to use the security guard's MacBook and use his software to edit and add images to the video. These teens are all 13 years old and members of both the Logan Heights Library teen council and the the library's teen music group. Staff and adults assisted teens with ideas and equipment but the entire process and production of the video is based on content from the teens.

I'm very proud of our teens and their efforts advocating for their library. In addition to this video, teens at the Logan Heights Library are constantly getting involved as volunteers, by participating in library activities and promoting library programs. Recently, one Logan Heights teen council member spoke in front of City Council to voice how much his library means to him and urge them to reduce budget cuts to libraries and keep libraries open for him and his friends.

The teens won $1000 for the their library and are hoping to use it for teen programs and towards purchasing some furniture for a teen space.

Check out their video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdS8jr_P1FA