There's an App for That!

A joke is making the rounds these days that says if you’re looking for someone, start by first checking behind their phone. Yes, it seems as if we (and I’ll include myself) are continually wired in to our devices. From perusing email, texts, news developments, the latest Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat postings, and gaming. Whether we’re monitoring how many steps traversed in an hour or are anxiously anticipating a picture of what good old Uncle Saul cooked for dinner, it’s obvious we don’t want to miss a thing (there might be an Aerosmith song in there somewhere).

Now don’t start fretting here. This isn’t an ‘old codger’ segment about how we’re sacrificing the world going by in favor of a technological addiction. That’ll be a debate for next week’s blog…kidding! So go ahead and keep playing Clash of Clans, listening to Pandora, and streaming Netflix. For this submission, however, I’ll be taking a look at an app that you just might find rather helpful and educational (ahh, not the dreaded ‘e’ word!).

YALSA’s Teen Book Finder is a free online database with a target audience of teens, parents, librarians, and teachers - essentially anyone who loves Young Adult literature. And the kicker? The platform provides unprecedented access to nearly 4,000 titles! 

Featurettes:

-        In addition to a ‘simple search’ for browsing, users will be made aware of selections honored each year by the Young Adult Library Services Association. Items can be located by title, author, genre, type of award, and book list.

-        A ‘Find It’ button, powered by OCLC WorldCat, which shows users where to track down the material in a nearby library.

-        A ‘Favorites’ button, for the creation of individualized booklists.

-        The ability to pass along recommendations through various social media platforms.

-        Seeking suggestions on reading material? Teen Book Finder has you covered there, too. Three ‘Hot Picks’ are featured daily on the homepage.

So why delay? Download the app today!

This musing brought to you by YA Librarian, Chris.