0:03
Hello everyone and welcome to today's Infopeople webinar welcoming Generation Z to our libraries presented by Lauren Hayes. Lauren is an assistant professor of instructional technology at the University of Central Missouri. She has presented widely on topics related to teaching and learning and today she teaches teachers to work with members of Generation Z using educational technology, and I am now happy to turn the webinar over to Lauren Hayes.
0:34
Well, thank you. I am happy to be here with all of you. I see that the number of attendees keeps Rising so welcome everyone before I jump in I really felt like it was important just to take a moment to kind of recognize the situation that we find ourselves in.
0:54
I sincerely hope you and yours are all well when I first started working on this webinar covid-19 had not risen to the level of In Dominica. Yes, there really was a time in the recent future or the recent past. I mean when we weren't under quarantine, however, since we're now experiencing this pandemic, I've tried to include some examples of how to reach it Generation Z virtually, but if you have questions about that in particular, feel free to type those in the chat and I will get those and then I'll read them.
1:33
So everyone can Can see them and try to answer those as best as I can. I will leave time for questions at the end. But don't feel that you need to leave that your questions till the end. If you do have something that you would like to ask I'm a big believer in just in time learning. So feel free to go ahead and ask that question as it comes up.
2:03
So let's jump in to the content here.
2:09
So are three main objectives today are to be able to identify characteristics of Generation Z be able to adjust current resources and services for Generation Z and be able to create new resources and services for Generation Z. So a lot of things with Generation Z, so hopefully that is what you are here for.
2:34
So we'll discuss how to create Library services and resources that meet the needs of the Generation Z your gen Z for sure it to but first I want to talk about Generation Z characteristics broadly. So according to an article in Bloomberg this generation is 61 million strong in the us alone, or it could be more depending on which date is that you use but 61 million is a pretty good number and they're rough.
3:03
Between the ages of 8 and 23 some of the younger ones could be seven depending on when their birthdays were so they were born after the internet went mainstream. The oldest were about 10 when the iPhone was introduced and they are the biggest generation globally further.
3:24
They're described as ethnically diverse socially tolerant globally connected environmentally aware and one nickname that the group gets is philanthropy mean so a play on philanthropy and teenagers. So in this presentation, I'm going to talk in generalities as I discussed a whole generation of people. Of course, there are Unique Individuals that do not fit kind of the quote-unquote stereo type.
3:56
And so it's not my intention to say everyone is the same or ignore the diversity that exists with engine see In my own work though. I found it beneficial to have some general knowledge about groups because it gives me a place to start and since you're attending this webinar. I hope you feel the same way.
4:16
So according to the Pew Research Center current Generation Z users were born from 1997 to 2012. So that makes the oldest member 23 and the youngest 7 as I said on the last slide 10, it just depends on their birthday there. You'll see those years are slightly different on.
4:40
and the next slide no, sorry, you'll see that on the next slide. Never mind.
4:49
So some members of our library users who are teens upper elementary students and some young adults are now gen Z and actually have been for a while. So I want you to just to kind of take a moment and think to yourself if you've seen any changes in your library users.
5:11
You know as a kind of the years have passed in as a woodworking maybe with teenagers or you've been working with the children or you've been working with young adults over the last few years. Have you seen any differences in your users or to ask that question in a different way? Do you see differences in the way Generations or this generation in particular interacts with the library? Do they want different resources services?
5:41
Just take a second and think about that to yourself.
5:48
Okay. So this is the slide that has the different dates. So if you look closely you'll see that this McKinsey & Company report actually defines Generation Z as those born between 1995 and 2010. So there's that's what I was thinking there. And so that's pretty common in generational research that there isn't always a consensus on date.
6:09
So so according to the McKinsey and Company report, each generation has unique characteristics and Jimsy has lived in a context that includes many social networks mobility and more than any previous generation. They're the true digital native. So I feel like I should pause here and say that I know the term digital native has some baggage around it just because you grow up with technology does not mean, you know how to use it or use it for features outside of your immediate interest.
6:45
So, Still though Generation Z has a lot more native experience with technology than any previous generation. And so this technology interaction has impacted the attention spans of Generation Z and some marketers say that their attention span is eight seconds, which again according to Market Research is 4 seconds less than the attention span of Millennials regarding common behaviors of Generation Z.
7:16
I'm going to quote here the keep and this is the McKinsey & Company report. The key point for them is not to Define themselves through only one stereotype but rather for individuals to experiment with individual ways of being themselves and to better shape their individual identities over time additionally Jen's ears are radically inclusive. They don't distinguish between friends. They meet online and friends in the physical world.
7:43
Also Jin's ears believe in the importance of dialogue and accept opinion differences of opinion with the institutions in which they participate and with their own families. I'll be curious to see if the research changes any on their ability their interest and not distinguishing between friends. They meet online and friends in the physical world after social distancing this time. So just curious how that will play into that furthermore though Jin's ears with vast amounts of information at their disposal.
8:16
Little are more pragmatic and analytical about their decisions than members of previous generations and 65% of the jinns years in our survey said that they would particularly value knowing what is going on around them and being in control and this generation of self Learners is also more comfortable absorbing knowledge online than in traditional institutions of learning and again that comes from the McKinsey & Company report.
8:41
Regarding their consumption practices Gingy is more pragmatic and realistic more realistic set of consumers because they want to access and evaluate a broad range of information before purchases. And then I have two more quotes that I want to read in share with you from this report. I think they're useful. The first one is the core of Jing zhi is the idea of manifesting individual identity consumption. Therefore becomes a means of self-expression.
9:11
Freshen as opposed for example to buying and wearing brands that fit in with the Norms of groups and the second and the last quote is the point is not to have a politically correct position on a broad range of topics. It is to choose the specific topics or causes that make sense and to have something clear to say about those particular issues.
9:33
So in a transparent World younger consumers don't distinguish between the ethics of a brand the company that owns it and the network of of Partners and suppliers. So agency thinks that a company's actions must match its ideals and those ideals must permeate the entire stakeholder system. And as a general rule jimsy consumers are mostly well-educated about Brands and the realities behind them and when they are not they know how to access information and develop a point of view quickly.
10:10
So what does this mean for Library services and resources so know that according to the McKinsey & Company report? The search for truth is at the root of all generations. He's Behavior. They believe in the importance of expressing individual truth. They look for connections.
10:28
They understand that every will thing has a unique experience and everyone has a unique experience and they're pretty realistic this looking for truth when making life decisions, Additionally, it's important to note that Ginger Zee has experienced the different parenting style than Millennials gen Z was primarily raised by members of Generation X who are latchkey kids and often left to their own devices. And this meant that they were more hands-off and their parenting then the Baby Boomers work, but they've been strong advocates for whatever their child needs.
11:09
So in your interactions with members of Generation Z, you might find that they're more willing to stand up for themselves and bring up issues more frequently than millennials.
11:24
So one other thing that I think it's important for you to know about this generation. And again, this is a quote. It says post Millennials are members of Generation Z are entering adulthood with less experience in the labor market, then post them prior Generations. Roughly 1 in 5 15 to 17 year olds in 2018. So 19 percent report to having worked at all during the prior calendar year compared.
11:53
With 30 percent of Millennials who are 15 to 17 years old in 2002 and almost half of early baby boomers a 48 percent and the same age group twerk in 1968 among Boomer 18 to 21 year olds in 1968 many of them work as you can tell. So again this information comes from the Pew Research Center, and I just think it's also just good to know when you're working with a group.
12:23
What their experiences are outside of school and in this case many of the Jinn see are not going to have had summer jobs or work part-time during school?
12:42
So now that we have discussed the characteristics of Generation Z. Let's consider how to engage gen Z with the library.
12:51
and feel free again to type any questions that come in if you have any I will be watching the chat was just checking to make sure I hadn't missed any.
13:08
Okay. So according to a study conducted at Lancaster University in the UK many gen Z students came to the library and always sought familiar spots to study. They also nested and brought personal items to the space space was used for a variety of activities at once students would eat text read talk to friends and do many different activities all from one spot in the library.
13:37
regarding individual or group use of space according again to the same study at Lancaster University 51 percent of the respondents to the survey said they found it easiest to study alone but in a public place Thirty-two percent of the respondents preferred to study alone in a private place.
14:02
Still my observations in my work have shown that many students are not working alone. But with friends many academic library redesigns and refurbishments that reflected generational change toward collaborative work still the group working practices. I've observed suggest some less collaborative work for example group projects and more.
14:31
Hopefully working alongside each other. So what Lancaster University found in other words, is that people?
14:41
Like to be together, but they don't always hit me that I didn't get they don't mean that they're working on group projects that so they don't necessarily mean that they're always working collaboratively, but they're doing their own things alongside other people. So I think that kind of last piece they're really captures it they're working alongside each other but each person might be working on individual project.
15:08
So if you're in a public library setting I encourage you to think about how to create space where people are comfortable and can gravitate towards on subsequent visits. Oh just because jimsy seems to really like that comfort of being able to go back and be in one place that they're comfortable with their friends can come and hang out. So I see that we have one question.
15:35
What were the intentions bands of Y and Z again good question, so The attention span of Generation Z according to marketers is 8 seconds a which is 4 seconds less than Millennials. So Millennials would be have a 12-second attention span. Hopefully that's a helpful. Another question came in with lower percentage of teens working seeing higher percentage of volunteer experience some so that's a good question. And you know, I don't know if they're if they're having a higher percentage of volunteer experience.
16:11
I'm sure that in Selma and I'm making an assumption here. So forgive me for that, but in some areas there probably are higher and I'm just kind of thinking about some of the people that I know and kind of the area that they're thinking about, you know needing things for their resume for college.
16:34
And so there are You know certainly things that they want to be thinking about in terms of getting experience to look good on a college application.
16:45
And so that volunteer experience could potentially way higher for them than a summer job, but that's obviously going to be very dependent on kind of just at your family life and what is valued and what's needed in the particular situation in which You're in but I don't have any statistics it to tell you about volunteer experience. So I that's a really good question and something that I will have to look up after this.
17:17
So second question a third question here. Are there any subcultures in gen Z at another question good question, and I don't have specific names for any subcultures and I haven't seen that in any of my research certainly.
17:32
There are going to be groups at that, you know, whether that's by region whether that's just by interest, you know, whether it's Just like with any generation you're going to have certain subcultures within it people who are interested in sports versus anime Etc. But I haven't seen any those specifically named or called out in the research. I've done the good question. Another question is a theory as to why less work.
18:13
I think there's a couple things going on here. One one is that we just look at Labor markets, even though up until very recently unemployment was very low.
18:30
I think it can sometimes be harder for to find just a short-term summer jobs, you know and things like what our people And worked in before like, you know fast food community pools some of those those types of jobs that don't necessarily exist in the same way that they used to maybe 20 years ago or more.
18:57
So I think that's one thing and this is get this is a socio-economic difference some families, you know with things like sports that takes up a lot of time that it didn't aunt and I think it didn't take nearly as much time in previous generations again.
19:18
No, that's not every Group of Jin's ears can participate in sports at the same level as another group and that's where some of the subculture will come in. But I think if you look at the data the groups that do work more are going to be from lower socioeconomic groups because they need to help out. They need to pay car insurance things like that though. Jin's ears aren't big.
19:47
They don't drive cars like previous generations do I either so it's not quite at that's not quite as important to them either so they don't necessarily always need money for car insurance or gas or things because especially in cities a lot of them don't drive even I mean I live in Suburbia and taught at a Suburban institution and was surprised often at the number of students who are in college and they were the oldest members.
20:20
Gen Z and wouldn't drive they just didn't need to they could get right with friends their parents drove them around. They lived on campus. They never they never needed to they had older siblings in high school that got them everywhere. They needed to go, you know their neighborhood schools here in the suburbs again to make walk. You know, when I was a teenager driving was a big thing, but it's not as much anymore. So again there aren't there.
20:50
Nothing need to for the income to have a car. That's those are kind of why I think less work comes there's kind of multiple things going on.
21:02
Thanks for those questions.
21:06
Okay, so we talked about space examples.
21:10
So let's talk about resource that access. So so due to short attention spans. I don't remember eight seconds is what marketers agency has you need to capture Generations that Z's attention quickly if the services or resources are not immediately seen as relevant, they'll move on however Generation Z does like to dialogue and if given opportunities will engage in dialogue with you about what they want what they need.
21:40
Need and why those things are important to them relevancy is very important to Generation Z. However, how relevant is service or resource is to a certain individual they'll will vary based on their needs and interests. So this is where using Community data highlighting the wide variety of services and resources offered your libraries useful too often. It is easy to advertise.
22:06
I think only part of what we offer in libraries when in fact that thing we might be ignoring and not intentionally ignoring but is the thing it potentially that's most relevant to some individuals of so engage in a lot of conversations with Generation Z because they'll will they like to dialogue so when decisions do have to be made about what services and resources to advertise, you know to your best ability using data to make the decisions about what will be most helpful and if interest also highlight why individuals should care about this service or resource and how that particular Or service or resource will be useful and I think this is particularly to True during these times where we're staying home ask yourself what's relevant subscriptions newspapers streaming services ways to stay in touch with homework online homework resources. Just think about those different things maybe understand what K-12 schools are doing in your area to support their students.
23:08
And what were the Look Library might be able to you know, offer pending on the resources that you have at your library offer support there and partner potentially even with that K-12 teachers to better support those gen Z students.
23:24
Also, when you think about relevancy, you might also want to think about your library social media presence. And what social media is most relevant for this group Millennials were big users of Facebook. I'm Jin Z is still on Facebook, but they're much more likely to use YouTube and Instagram and in fact YouTube has been cited as being their favorite website additionally Generation Z uses their smartphones more than any other type of device.
23:53
Ice and are watching very little TV a week. Also relevant to Generation Z. Library users is that they value cool products over cool experiences. And that's the exact opposite of Millennials. Millennials valued experiences over products and Generation Z also prefers to purchase products instead of doing it themselves. They're definitely not the DIY or do it yourself generation.
24:25
So we just discussed how to engage in see with the library. So now let's consider current resources and what we can do to support Gingy with them and then also encouraged in Z to use the resources.
24:43
Just checking to see if I had there any questions that come in but I don't see any. Okay, so some key ideas to focus on when creating Library services for Jin's ER to emphasize the relevancy of different services and resources to promote the idea that Library support the common good and to focus on how libraries are community-centric so we already discussed the importance of relevant content. And so we're going to unpack the others and up.
25:12
I mean slimes.
25:17
something else to think about though when you're thinking about current resources is that digital content is important because Generation Z is the first truly digital generation, they grew up with social media and Tech in a way that Millennials did not as we talked about earlier the type of digital content that Generation Z expresses an interested is why a focused and that makes sense because remember they're seven or eight You know the oldest being 23, so right and kind of that why a group so that's very much what they're interested in and of cording to an article on book Riot the book they say defined their generation are the Percy Jackson series Hunger Games Twilight and books like Fault in Our Stars. So Generation Z values quick access to content as we know because they have those shorter attention spans and its digital content becomes more interesting more.
26:17
Isabel there continues to be a shift in their reading habits. Oh two more digital content, however, despite their love for all things digital Generation Z still reports that preferring to read and print because of the experience. So didn't see reads a huge amount of content online already and reading and print on this often seen as a nice change for them.
26:40
Because of the vast number of resources and reading recommendations available online many engines. ER not using the library for more traditional access instead according to Jacob Chang who's part of juvie, so juv Consulting focusing on Generation Z Generation Z values libraries for what Amazon does not have space a space for learning space for collaboration.
27:09
Space for speakers space for game tournaments Etc. So when you're thinking about space focus on usable space flexible and dynamic space design room to collaborate and room to work alongside others.
27:31
So, how do we ultimately connect gin Z to the library?
27:37
Because Generation Z values the space offered by libraries programming can continue to be an important part of services and resources offered for this generation when thinking about the types of programming your library should offer keep in mind a few things one Generation Z values relevancy, which we've talked about already. These users want content.
28:02
They see as practical And to Generation Z values true seeking these users want opportunities to express their own truth and hear others Express theirs and then three since Generation Z has grown up with technology. They see both the shortcomings and opportunities of tech in way previous generations may have not they still use technology all the time, but they value face-to-face communication as well as times they find that technology gets in the way of real relationships.
28:34
Therefore when you're thinking about programming I encourage you to find ways for Generation Z to meet others because they often see Tech as a barrier and often feel isolated, you know as we think about again social distancing here in the time.
28:51
We live in many members of Generation Z might be feeling this even more acutely because we are all isolated to some extent in ways we never been before and so, you know if they were already aware of tech as a barrier there probably mean they're using it because it's the only thing they have to connect but they definitely want to find ways to connect a so if there are ways that you can think about programming in your libraries to facilitate some of that connection, I would encourage you to do so, they have more want to say on the slide, but question came in so the question was so Do you mean you mean we should not encourage our students to read books at but instead give them more digital resources know I think we definitely want to encourage them to read books. I think that they find, you know reading print a really good thing. It's a different experience for them because they are so glued to their device for surely their smartphone all the time.
30:01
And so they enjoy reading and And it's what the research has shown. It's just often more convenient for them to read something digital just because they do always have most of them always have a device with them. And so, you know being able to download something on you know, their app or a book on their app is just easy.
30:27
So I would encourage you to find ways to once they're in the Library, you know since they like to use space definitely highlight books highlight the print material and I think a lot of that can be done and Librarians they are great at this with different displays so they can see the different options for them.
30:52
But also at the same time as your highlighting the print make sure that I think you're also highlighting the digital so they know how to quickly get if they feel that even though they might prefer to read it in print that it could just be too cumbersome. They have to remember to return it and they're just so used to everything being on their device.
31:18
I'm frankly particularly used to everything being on my device and immediate and so knowing how to use that can be I definitely I think a boon for generations and using the library Hopefully that answered your question if it doesn't feel free to type something else in and I'll respond more.
31:41
Are there any stats for Gen Z and higher education expectations? Yeah, so there's one.
31:47
I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but there is a book I definitely Talk to the talks about Generation Z and I've read it and I'm going to draw a blank on the name. So I apologize but I got Generation Z and higher education experiences. Yes. And so this generation, you know is very practical.
32:13
So I think that for a lot of us that means and for them that means they're gravitating towards a college majors that they see are Or getting employment, you know, they are concerned about the bottom line of the cost.
32:33
They in terms of libraries in particular, you know, they're using it using libraries for in higher education for space and they definitely see the importance of lots of power outlets and they'll come and just spin the day they Get stuff done. They'll see their friends or friends will set down they'll eat lunch at University of Lancaster's study is really I think useful if you want to look that up later to see particularly about Jin Z and higher ed Library. So a lot of good stuff in there.
33:11
So it's not I Jenna that's a good book too. But this book was it's about Generation Z and their higher education expectations in particular.
33:29
I can look it up later. So I apologize that I don't run bring up the top of my head. I'm going to be one of those Library users and it's like white and red. So that's how I remember it too. So my apologies but yes, if you if you're curious about Jin Z and higher ed experiences, you know, not only focus on the library, but also just looking at the entirety of their higher education experience. If you do a search, I know you'll be able to find it.
33:58
But there's some good some good articles. And in that book on the whole books on gin see but there's some good chapters and there that really kind of helped understand what marketing needs to be done. But admissions needs to be doing, you know, where we need to think about. So taking Majors the experiences hurricane from first year to just the overall experience that Gingy is expecting when it comes to higher education.
34:29
Good. So back to thinking about Outreach and programming examples. So it's also good to realize that Generation Z produces much of their own content. They're no longer just consumers of media, but instead are constantly creating it as well. So I encourage you to think about creating programming that supports the idea of Library users being producers of content and not solely.
34:59
Is a not too kind of producers of content is something that's talked a lot about in higher ed right now in particular about how we're trying to not just have our students consume content online, but also create content so that they're create a bit of a more authentic experience for them in an authentic learning experience.
35:23
So there are not only creating An assignment or something digital for the class. Yes, we asked them to do is for the class but that it can also live outside of the class and be useful and relevant to them as they move to different classes into the next year and you know future jobs and so really trying to think big picture about how we can have students create content.
35:55
So earlier I shared that jinxy has less work experience and previous generation. And this may I think be an opportunity for libraries to support young people with programming on the use of business technology tools such as Outlook Microsoft teams slack excetera. If this type of program can be done online all the better because it can be done during quarantine.
36:21
Also think about information literacy programming opportunities gen Z is ethical they care about the environment fair trade and good working conditions their ethical consumers and due to this.
36:36
I believe there's a lot of room for conversation and lessons around the idea, which is an acrl frame on information literacy of information having value from my experience students have not considered Dirt information from this perspective, but it clicks when I start describing the mini way societies attach valued information from their doors open to conversations about open access information privileged privacy and information ownership. I personally I think the information has value frame is one that is particularly useful for many Jin's ears because if these individuals start to understand the true value of information they may be more likely to take information.
37:21
Or mation access and information you so more seriously additionally this value aligns.
37:28
Well with Concepts Generation Z Already values of This is Generation Z has little work experience but a lot of experience online and social situations. It will be important to help students understand the similarities and differences between how information is communicated in a variety of settings. So, you know ginseng know a lot about social media, which is really useful skill. Please don't hear me say that it's not what they do not know a lot about though.
38:02
Though is how information in the corporate business world and academic worlds are shared. Therefore. They'll need help understanding the concept of authority and what Authority means to different audiences first year college students will also need guidance and how to read many of the resources. They'll be exposed to so using strategies for critical reading can be really helpful for this so teach students to understand how various documents are structured and the purpose for which they're written will be beneficial as they engage with new content.
38:32
It you know this could you know school librarians? I think are you doing a good job of this? I know not all schools across the country have school librarians. So this could potentially be an area where public libraries could partner with the K-12 teachers particularly in the time.
38:55
We're currently in where students are taking classes online again, many of them I think I saw 24 States as of this morning are fully online for the remainder of the Academic Year.
39:18
So previously we discussed how members of Gingy enjoy working in familiar locations and with others even if they are working on individual projects. So what did this mean for the development of new space according to an article in Demco about Library space design their research discovered three themes for Generation. See the First theme is intuitive design and this means that design should be invisible.
39:44
All and users to just know how to engage with the space specifically and I quote a quote intuitive designs are not formal. They had ownership of the space to the user.
39:55
It's a concept that might be described as together alone and intuitive design combining individual study with group activities, but without boundaries or restrictions, the second theme is managing the space for Generation Z. And this is a quote from the Demco article. There are demands for further support such as power sockets mobile device Chargers group study hubs iPads and tablet loan and storage facilities Furniture Solutions incorporating extra sockets and charger points are essential mobile units and screening interconnected and folding table stackable chairs mobile power Towers. I pant iPad stand.
40:36
In trolleys, I'll become part of the furniture of a modern and accessible Library space and the third theme is preparing students for the future. So think about how offices and K12 classes are configured and then you know, if possible is you're thinking about new space set design that space that's recognizable to Generation Z. So many K-12 schools are moving away from Rose and desks of desks and chairs and instead are using what's called flexible seating.
41:07
Which is where you might have the teacher might have couches, they might have exercise ball students can sit on there will be some chairs with think we pillows carpet and students can really sit for their comfortable there are and so it's it can cause flexible seating now some teachers have moved away from that.
41:31
I've already and are moving back to more desks and chairs that but a lot of teachers Still using the flexible seating if it works for them. And typically it's a classroom management teachers who you know, really good classroom management can use flexible seating well, but that's not always the case. I just a few I've heard say that the classroom management is key to be able to have flexible seating and if you think about, you know workspaces business settings today, you know, you're getting away we're getting away.
42:06
A lot from you know the office setting and a lot more open space, you know of cubicles and our co-working spaces to and so as we think about those think about Library space and how it can look like what other places gen Z is existing.
42:32
So I mention Community earlier and didn't see cares about community and also about individuals being able to express their individual truths. So if you remember back to kind of the beginning of this presentation individual truth that was really important to Generation Z and this generation is going to support causes they care about and see as being valuable for others who are traditionally marginalized when marketing to Generation Z. It'll be important to emphasize what libraries do too.
42:59
Affect communities groups of people individual Pursuit. So so Generation Z wants to be radically inclusive. So they're okay with people who do not see the world the same as they do. They really do want to include everyone to them. Everyone can be part of their community and they want each individual and the community to be able to live their own truth. And so for libraries, this means finding explicit ways to be inclusive while offering opportunities for each individual to express themselves in different ways.
43:33
And then the common good so in general Generation Z is epochal mentioned that earlier and from a business standpoint companies should be attuned to three implications for this generation. And this comes from the McKinsey & Company report. I mentioned earlier consumption as access rather than possession consumption as an expression of individual identity and consumption as a matter matter of ethical concern.
44:02
So for libraries, this means making sure Library values underscore practices and that our practices reflect our values. So Generation Z is going to Value easy access to Library resources are going to want to consume content that meets their individual needs and they're going to care.
44:21
If both of those things are done with the best intentions it to meet the needs of the widest number of people Generation Z cares about Brands more than Millennials and they also are more about money jimsy expects everyone to be treated well and will be offended when they witness something that they deem is unethical or disrespectful. Even if they do not personally belong to the group being disrespected to them. Everyone is equal and everyone deserves the greatest respect.
44:52
So, I think it's important.
44:56
So according let me say this instead according to the McKinsey report that we discussed earlier Jin's years do their research on Brands and companies. So they expect the actions of Library staff and resources in the library to really match the ideal set forth by the library.
45:13
Now members of a generation can disagree with some with something is that the institution and they're okay having conversations about why they disagree with something. However, they'll lose respect for an institution if the mission values actions are not in line.
45:29
Hopefully that makes sense. If so that does kind of brings us to the end of the content here and I said I'd leave time for questions and was planning for about this amount of time. So I think we're doing pretty well. I have two questions here. I'll just briefly say here are the references to if you if anybody is curious about that I can leave those up. Go. What questions do you?
45:59
You have to take a drink of water while I wait for some to come in.
46:16
Hopefully this was helpful. As you're thinking about how to engage these young adults teens and Upper Elementary School students.
46:28
The thing about this generation that I think is exciting is that you know, there are big group but there's 61 million strong and they're going to certainly leave a marker and on this world and I think that's very exciting and I think It there's a lot that we can do to engage them with the library. They like, you know communal spaces and access to resources and they enjoy, you know, a lot of the technology that libraries can support and provide. So I think they're a good generation to reach out. Also, you know that we're thinking about them now.
47:10
No with the youngest being seven or eight there's a lot of time to think about ways to engage this group as well.
47:23
So question came in are there any good online platforms or apps you recommend to have kids produce content? So that's a good so I mentioned that they love YouTube and so they're already on YouTube so that could be something that you want to consider if you're looking for something. That's just so forgive me. It's more kid-friendly a lot of K-12 schools are using like flip.
47:52
Grid for conversations FL IP g r ID and so that's a way that you can have video discussions for a class and so students would probably be familiar with that.
48:11
What other online platforms are apps?
48:19
So I mean things like padlet are good that people can you know contribute ideas and content to if you want them to create, you know screen recordings. I think a really good free one that I like is Screencast-O-Matic screencastify is really good. They have free options, you know particularly in this time of your thinking about wanting to do something.
48:48
During social distance saying a lot of educational technology companies are opening up some of their products making them completely free or making them more open than they were before just because of the time that we're in so you might find that you have more options right now than you would when we weren't in Social distancing, hopefully.
49:18
That's helpful for you. Another question is is this generation more politically engaged do they feel they can make a difference? Um, so they haven't been able to vote for very long. So I'll be interested to see how the oldest ones, you know only for it's the oldest ones maybe were able to in the last election. Yes. I know my math correctly, but for the most part, I don't presidential election, you know, they haven't been able to vote for particularly.
49:48
Long time and so I think they will be interested to see I guess if the numbers of them coming out to vote reflect how passionately they do feel about things.
50:04
So yes that they are definitely a kind of passionate generation and feel that they have things to say politically, but I don't no in terms of actually getting like I said getting out and actually voting I think I don't know.
50:25
They don't necessarily seem to have same maybe political drive though that you've seen a lot of Millennials have I have a hard time seeing this generation Generation Z, you know kind of banding together like Occupy Wall Street, I could be wrong they could change especially with the time that we're in. I think this is going to have a big impact on them just like other National and international events have had impacts on other Generations.
50:56
So I think that could change but you know this generation Is really ethical so in some ways they have ideas and they're very passionate about things but they are sometimes disillusioned when ethics don't line up so you can take that any way you want it.
51:21
Another question has their attention spans impacted their reading comprehension more likely to read lower grade books.
51:30
That's a good question and I haven't seen any specific data on their reading comprehension levels, you know, why is something that as a group they're still very interested in just knowing what I know about and this is completely anecdotal. So forgive me for this.
51:53
I think that.
51:56
Some extent. Yes, I just because of the research that's been done about attention spans and how you know, we're only Reading part, you know, we as a people are not reading whole anymore and a lot of that just because you know, it's were swiping on our phones or scrolling, you know, we get distracted by something else easily. We don't finish the article on our laptop because you know an advertisement.
52:25
Takes our attention away. So we just don't have this much opportunity because of those things that to read and comprehend at the same way, you know, there's certainly a lot of books that have been a lot of research has been done on that but I haven't seen like I said any particular data about Jim's he's reading comprehension compared to other Generations.
52:49
I'll say that if anybody else knows though, feel free to jump in another question is any suggestions how to provide the space they desire while being virtual only so that's a question that I've been contemplating myself all those tell you that and you know, there could be so I know that you know, there's good and bad to product like Zoom, for example, there's privates a lot of privacy concerns.
53:21
Security concerns with it.
53:24
But if you put this steps in place, you know a program like Zoom has break, you know the potential to do breakout rooms so you could Potentially like set up something, you know programming opportunity and you know where the you have a speaker come in or something and then, you know do breakout rooms. So we're members of gin see could talk to each other. So that is something too.
53:58
Figure out something that's an option.
54:02
So, you know, definitely I think you know again Generation Z isn't on Facebook as much but they aren't Instagram more so and on YouTube, so if your library doesn't already have a YouTube account, maybe think about setting one up, you know, if there's ways to, you know create Create videos of you know people for programming opportunities or Librarians are talking about books are talking about whatever you normally do for programming. That could be a good Avenue to host it on and start getting traffic to your YouTube site our YouTube channel. Let's use the correct term there and then something else you could definitely do with it.
54:56
The groom account, you know have them post pictures that have you know with a certain hashtag and you know of them reading or them engaging with the something in particular that your library has been promoting. So I think just finding ways to engage them in spaces that they already are is important as well. 
55:25
Okay. Another question is which of the older Generations have a better connection in terms of communication with Generations ears. So that's a good question. So this generation like I said was raised by gynexin and most of them at least which you know is different than Millennials who are primarily raised by Baby Boomers. So I think doing more research on genetics and their parenting Styles I think would be particularly interesting.
55:55
You know, we know some things about genetics course, you know, but they're definitely more are a bit more hands-off in their parenting because they were latchkey kids and so I would say that genetics is the one that you probably want to look at and how they've communicated with Gen Z just because they're the parents.
56:23
Another question DIY may not be attractive to gen Z, but what about are too many of them?
56:32
Our talented artists. Yeah, so I think that's a so that's something that's different. I think they use art to express themselves. And so if it's if you frame it that way, you know come and do this to express yourself. I think they're going to be all into it. So that could be our thing can be music whatever it is, but we'll Millennials.
57:00
I think we're very, you know into creating a A lot of things and it wasn't that they weren't expressing themselves, but they were but a lot of a bit about was a guest that experience so and you know selling things on Etsy for example was a you know, something that a lot of Millennials did and there were a lot of different reasons for that so they could it wouldn't have to work normal jobs.
57:24
They can have more experience so experiences and have flexibility be their own boss that sort of thing that's not going to resonate with dignity and The same way but again that being able to express themselves through ART will be much more.
57:44
Useful and a good way to bring Gingy in so Mary, I know just posted something from info people for the entire audience and she has posted a short survey.
58:01
Or she'll have a short survey and he did just want to make sure that everybody reads that so.
58:07
Opposed to all attendees will receive a follow-up email tomorrow that includes the link to the archived recording as well as a link to a certificate of attendance.
58:16
So Another question that came in I know we're getting short on time. But I think I have time to answer this question is do members of Generation Z value cross-generational experiences programs a part of wanting to treat everyone well, or do they really like something tailored to their age group? That's a good question. 
58:38
And I think it's about the you know, it's definitely going to be that they see value I think in cross-generational Relationships in ways that again? Maybe other Generations didn't but they definitely do like like any generation of teenagers things that are tailored to them. And you know, it's somebody have a question earlier about volunteering and I think that again kind of gets to that crushed in operational experience where if they have had, you know experiences outside.
59:19
with volunteering they see that value of learning from other generations and They also mentioned and I think I didn't really emphasize his point. But that didn't see, you know values of money and consumption again in ways that Millennials didn't because Millennials are more about experience. And so I think Jin Z is going to see the value of learning from people who have already been very successful in their careers because they want that track.
59:56
So that brings us.
1:00:00
Come back. Yes. That's the last question that brings us a 3 o'clock. Exactly. So I really appreciate everyone being here. And again, thank you for attending and just appreciate everything. I hope you're all doing well during social distancing and like I said at the beginning I sincerely hope that you and yours are all well.
1:00:25
Thank you.
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