Sources: Becoming a Media Mentor: A Guide for Working with Children and Families

Abstract

Librarians wishing to provide materials for youth and families increasingly find themselves in the role of media mentor. Media mentors don’t just know what books to suggest for children, they also know which learning apps, DVDs, databases, websites, programming, and other new media will be most beneficial for the child. The breadth of content available to families can often be overwhelming. Effective media mentors help families sift through the noise to find the highest-quality media—in whatever form it may take. In short, the media mentor is a content expert who relies on the context of the interaction and the individual child to help inform families’ healthy media decisions. Together these “3 Cs” guide the media mentor in theory and practice.