The First All-Digital Library Space: The Effectiveness of BiblioTech's Services for Urban Youth

As the first physical library space in the United States offering all technological and digital resources, BiblioTech provides much-needed support for youth in the urbanized area of San Antonio, Texas. In this study, we critically analyzed the impact of the library's services on the community u...

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Published inJournal of research on libraries and young adults Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 1 - 21
Main Authors Masten, Kristy, Mobley-Sellers, Teresa, Sailors, Misty, Pickett, Anita, Siller, Melissa, Garcia-Alvarado, Socorro, Johnson, Paula, Whitlock, Tivy
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Chicago American Library Association 01.01.2019
Subjects
Academic achievement
Access to information
Access to materials
Communication
Communications technology
Community
Computer industry
Computers
Digital divide
Electronic government
Internet access
Librarians
Literacy
Portable computers
Public libraries
Reading promotion
Secondary school students
Secondary schools
Wireless networks
Bexar County Texas
United States > US
Texas
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Summary:As the first physical library space in the United States offering all technological and digital resources, BiblioTech provides much-needed support for youth in the urbanized area of San Antonio, Texas. In this study, we critically analyzed the impact of the library's services on the community using mixed methods, specifically looking at the merit and value of BiblioTech's services for middle and high school students. The findings of a chi-squared analysis indicated a non-significant but interesting relationship between usage of library services and reading achievement data. Utilizing focus groups and surveys with middle and high school students, we documented the importance of the social nature of BiblioTech's physical and digital spaces in the lives of the young people it serves. Namely, youth talked about their appreciations of BiblioTech's services and the affordances those services offered them. They also talked about the importance of the relationships they developed with both peers and staff at BiblioTech and the way in which the services offered them opportunities for personal development.
ISSN:2157-3980