Get ready to showcase your library's technology offerings during Teen Tech Week™.  This year, TTW is March 8-14th and will be celebrated with a theme of "Libraries are for Making."

The purpose of Teen Tech Week is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of digital media, especially the nonprint resources offered through libraries, such as e-books, e-readers, databases, audiobooks, and social media.

There are lots of ways your library can participate in Teen Tech Week: you can offer special programs or activities, or simply encourage teens and parents to come to the library and check out your tech resources.

Here are free toolkits to plan for TTW at your library:

If your library provides gadget "petting zoo" events to acquaint patrons with ebook readers, tablets, and other handheld devices, you'll want to take a look at TechSoup's Gadget Instruction post where you can get lots of great tips for providing one of your own, plus 3 library success stories you can learn from.

Haven't held a Gadget Petting Zoo yet? Here's what Techsoup's Crystal Schimpf says about the benefits of gadget instruction:

Many libraries offer training on specific gadgets such as e-readers, smartphones, and tablets, in an effort to help patrons access books and information more effectively.
In a recent Pew study (Library Services in the Digital Age), 69% of adults said they would be "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to attend a "tech petting zoo" type event at their local library, so that they can test and toy with different devices.
Offering gadget instruction can teach patrons how to use their device to download library materials, access library resources online, and improve their ability to find relevant and authoritative information from any location.

Note: if you're at a Winnefox library and want to hold a Gadget Petting Zoo event, contact me to borrow a WPLC Gadget Package.  The Gadget Pack contains handheld devices, including an iPad, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, NOOK Simple Touch, and NOOK Color.

Here's a sample of what you'll find at TechSoup's Gadget Instruction:

Jennifer Birnel over at WebJunction wrote Fear Not the New Gadget where she provides the 9 basics you can master to navigate the variety of e-book readers and tablets your patrons need help with — no matter the make or manufacturer.

Here's what Jennifer covers; navigating ...

The folks at South Central Library System (thanks Rose Ziech!) worked with OverDrive to create an updated ebook & digital audio books 1-2-3 how-to handout, that's customized with WPLC information.

You may download the PDF here, and you can also find it on the Wisconsin Digital Book Center wiki under the heading "Printer-friendly Handouts".

You don't need to buy a Kindle to read Kindle books!  You can add the Kindle software to your computer, iPod Touch, or iPhone, and then download free (or purchased) ebooks.