AtoZ Blogging Challenge – Intergenerational Programs

Program Name: Tech Night

What: This program is offered once a month at my library and involves one-on-one tech support with high school volunteers. These volunteers help adults and seniors make better use of the technology they have – cell phones, tablets and laptops. They’ll teach them how to access Overdrive (to download audiobooks) or will help them with any specific issues that the individual has.

Where: We offer this program in one of our small meeting rooms as there are often fewer than 20 people in attendance at any given time.

When: We offer between 8-10 tech gurus at these events and make sure that we sign up individuals for a specific time slot, in order for everyone to be helped during the evening. As I said, this is a program that occurs once a month at my library, but you could hold it as frequently as you needed to for your community.

Who: Our adult and teen program coordinator works with our tech kids to make sure they’ll be in attendance and gives them certificates for their volunteer hours to be used for Scouts, religious organizations or National Honor Society requirements.

How: Patrons can sign up for the evening time slot and will be partnered one-on-one with a teen who will help them through any issues they might be having. We have gotten such amazing feedback from this program, the adults and seniors can’t seem to say enough nice things about these kids and are really thankful they’re available to help them out.

Alternatives:

• Our kids also provide tech help at the Senior Center during school breaks and summer vacation, stopping by for a morning to help anyone who attends programs there.
• You could also pair these teens with kids for a STEM program about coding for a program reaching teens and children, rather than teens and adults.

During the month of April, I’ll be participating in the 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. For this year’s theme, I’ll be offering you a library program plan with everything you to need to re-create it at your own library. Most of these programs we’ve offered in the past, others are programs I’d like to try in the future. I’m always looking for new inspiration and I thought you might be too!