Teen Podcasting Program for Public Libraries

The Challenge:
Choose either an adult services program or a children’s services program in a public library and describe the specific steps that you would take to update the service program to respond to changing societal and community needs.

My Idea:
While essay contests and book reviews from librarians are wonderful ways to provide outreach to teens, librarians can take advantage of new media technologies to appeal to a wider audience of teenagers and allow a forum for teens to actively get involved in the library. Podcasting is a new media and is a great way to reach a large number of people inexpensively. Creating a teen podcasting program will provide a forum for teens to share their ideas and views with their community, as well as gaining leadership skills and experience in audio production.

A podcast is a digital audio or video recording that users can subscribe to using an aggregator or podcatcher such as iTunes. What makes podcasts different from streaming or downloading digital media files is that podcasts use RSS feeds allow users to automatically download a new podcast episode to your aggregator when it is available, like a newspaper or magazine that is automactially delivered to your door. While this subscription feature is what differentiates a podcast, many podcasters (people who create podcasts) offer their shows through streaming and individually downloadable file options as well.

Many public libraries have found success creating teen podcast shows. The Seattle Public Library has teens podcast library events such as performances for Banned Books Week and teen writers reading their work. The Library Loft podcast from the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg in North Carolina features interviews with young adult authors. The Cheshire Public Library uses podcasts as kind of cultural magazine that features teen writers, musicians, reviewers, commentators, and more. There are also non-library teen podcast programs such as Smashcast, a program run by the non-profit Level Playing Field Institute which features video podcasts by bay area teens on technology equal access issues.


My idea is to create a regular podcasting program created by teens through the public library. The teens will meet twice a month in one to two hour meetings. The first meeting at the beginning of the month will be to plan the podcast and the second will be to record and edit the podcast. Creating an "editorial board" of high school students will help ensure that the podcasts will become a regular feature as well as give students an opportunity to take a leadership role in project management.


1. Work with technology department to figure out best way to record podcasts and provide hosting.
a. Can record using laptop with microphone (external or internal)
b. Use free editing software like GarageBand (on Mac OS systems) or Audacity.
c. Should be hosted on the library website
d. Stream through iTunes, provide RSS feed.

2. Market to local high schools, tutoring centers, and in the library
a. Contact high school principles and teachers
b. Contact tutoring centers
c. Create fliers and posters (emphasize usefulness in college apps, fun, leadership, creativity, etc.)
d. Need at least two to three volunteers, can use more depending on interest

3. Teen Podcast Committee Meeting 1
a. Interested students email librarian to participate
b. Set up time to have first meeting at library
i. Create Teen Editorial Board (like Seattle Public Library, Cheshire Public Library in Connecticut) core group to edit and decide on topics.
ii. Brainstorm ideas and choose ideas for show
- examples include reviews, current events, and teens reading from their own work.
iii. Create outline for show

4. Teen Podcast Committee Meeting 2
a. Record podcast show
b. Teens edit audio file
c. Publish show and put it up on the website!


5. Promote Podcast
a. Create business cards and posters, have teens pass out business cards to other students
b. Contact teachers, principals, etc. to let them know the podcast is available
b. Market to local media, newspapers, television, etc.

6. Repeat steps 1-5!