Boston Public library going digital and crafty for Teen Tech Week

Boston teens are invited to check out the Boston Public Library during Teen Tech Week, which takes place March 10-15. Seven neighborhood locations in the Boston Public Library system have events planned, ranging from coding and programming workshops to finding creative ways to re-use and recycle technology components via art.

“Digital literacy and creative literacy are important parts of a well-rounded learner’s skill set,” said Jessi Snow, Coordinator of Youth Services. “Teen Tech Week is a way for the Boston Public Library to welcome teens to the library and to all the opportunities that libraries make possible.”

Teen Tech Week is an annual and national initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association. In 2014, the theme is DIY @ your library (do it yourself) with the goal of raising awareness about how Boston Public Library creates a space to extend teens’ learning beyond the classroom where they can explore, create, and share content, and learn to be competent and ethical users of digital media.

The seven Boston Public Library locations participating in Teen Tech Week are: East Boston, Egleston Square, Hyde Park, Grove Hall, Mattapan, Uphams Corner, and the Central Library in Copley Square. The complete schedule of events for Teen Tech Week and beyond can be found by searching for “Teen Tech Week” in the Boston Public Library calendar, which is available via www.bpl.org/calendar.

A special highlight is a Lego Mindstorm Robotics session with the Best Buy Geek Squad. This event will take place on Thursday, March 13, at 4 p.m. at the East Boston Branch, located at 365 Bremen Street. The robotics session is made possible through a partnership between the Young Adult Library Services Association and Best Buy.

To learn more about Boston Public Library teen programs, visit www.bpl.org/teens.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

The full list of Teen Tech Week programs at the Boston Public Library is as follows:

Basic Computer Programming on Monday, March 10, at 3 p.m. at the Mattapan Branch, located at 1350 Blue Hill Avenue. Teens learn how to code using the popular game Angry Birds.
Make Notebooks from Diskettes on Monday, March 10, at 3 p.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
Making Friendship Bracelets from Tech Cords, Monday-Saturday (March 10-15) at the Uphams Corner Branch, located at 500 Columbia Road. This is a “drop-in” arts offering with materials available throughout the week.
Show, Tell, Share, Connect on Tuesday, March 11, at 2 p.m. at the Hyde Park Branch, located at 35 Harvard Avenue. This program demonstrates how teens can use their own mobile devices to connect to and make use of the Boston Public Library’s app and wireless network.
Olympics Video Game Tournament on Tuesday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
Meme Riddles on Tuesday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at the Grove Hall Branch, located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester. Teens can find out what memes mean in this workshop.
Teens & Coding on Tuesday, March 11, at 4:30 p.m. at the East Boston Branch, located at 365 Bremen Street. Teens learn how to code using the popular game Angry Birds.
CD Scratch Art on Wednesday, March 12, at 3 p.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Teens will make art using CDs and poster paint.
Learn a Language with Duolingo on Wednesday, March 12, at 3 p.m. at the Mattapan Branch, located at 1350 Blue Hill Avenue.
Digital Animation Workshop on Wednesday, March 12, at 4:30 p.m. at the Egleston Square Branch, located at 2044 Columbus Avenue in Roxbury. Teens learn how to use Scratch, a free program developed by MIT, to create animated videos and games.
Teens & JavaScript on Wednesday, March 12, at 4:30 p.m. at the East Boston Branch, located at 365 Bremen Street. Teens learn JavaScript by using the CodeCombat game.
Laptop Lab: Teen Tech Trade on Wednesday, March 12, at 4:30 p.m. at the Uphams Corner Branch, located at 500 Columbia Road in Dorchester. Teens meet to share their favorite games, videos, and more in this collaborative session.
Programming with Scratch on Thursday, March 13, at 3 p.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Teens learn how to use Scratch, a free program developed by MIT, to create animated videos and games.
Technically, It’s Art on Thursday, March 13, at 3 p.m. at the Grove Hall Branch, located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester. A workshop on turning cassette tapes and CDs into something new.
Lego Mindstorm Robotics with the Best Buy Geek Squad on Thursday, March 13, at 4 p.m. at the East Boston Branch, located at 365 Bremen Street.
Tech Film for the Family on Thursday, March 13, at 5 p.m. at the Uphams Corner Branch, located at 500 Columbia Road in Dorchester. A screening of the animated film WALL-E.
Make a Game, Play a Game on Friday, March 14, at 3 p.m. at the Grove Hall Branch, located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.
Word Cloud Art on Friday, March 14, at 3 p.m. at the Mattapan Branch, located at 1350 Blue Hill Avenue. Teens learn to create word clouds using song lyrics, poetry, speeches, and more.
How to Search the Library Catalog on Saturday, March 15, at 10 a.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. A program geared toward teens that shows how to use the Boston Public Library’s super-powered catalog.