Best Buy grant to PW Public Library System to help local teens use technology to promote books

Prince William Public Library System (PWPLS) has announced that Friends of the Montclair Community Library has been awarded $5,000 from the Best Buy Foundation Community Grant Program for teens who need to apply for the program by Nov. 30 (tomorrow).

This is a joint effort between the Friends of the Montclair Community Library, Prince William Public Library System and Forest Park High School, developed by Ursula Juarez-Wall, a PWPLS librarian, and Eva Newton, a librarian at Fairfax County Public Library, advancing a Young Adult Digital Book Trailer contest as part of their Virginia Library Leadership Academy project.
 
Student volunteers in grades 9-12 will select a young adult book they have read, then create and produce a digital book trailer that will inspire others to read the book. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Volunteer applications are due Nov. 30, with the book trailer due Jan. 7, 2017 for those enrolled in the program.

The funding for this project came from a Best Buy Foundation “Ignites Teen Potential through Technology” grant, whose mission is to provide teens with places and opportunities to develop technology skills that will inspire future education and career choices. In October, Best Buy awarded $5,000 to support this project. Funds will be used to procure additional equipment and software for the Montclair Community Library’s Digital Media Lab and Central Community Library, student meetings, contest prizes, teen programs, and a project finale celebration, a news release said.

“Nothing pleases me more than to see my staff motivate from within the organization and succeed on not only receiving funding, but also developing community partnerships and working with our teen audience,” Deborah Wright, PWPLS Acting Library Director, was quoted as saying in the press release.