Leeds Library and Information Service has been received a national award for its work using digital media. One of only 10 UK Online centres in the country and the only library service to receive the award, the award brings in funding of £3000.
The aim of the award is to encourage other UK Online centres to use digital media and the 10 award winners will share their best practice across the country
Robin Blake, Media Literacy Manager at Ofcom presenting us with award
Press Release 30th January 2009Local centre to light the way for digital communities across the country
Are you confused by You Tube or befuddled by Facebook? Can’t tell your twitters from your blogs? Maybe you’re not even sure about surfing the web, let alone adding your own pages and presence to it.
If this sounds like you, then Leeds library and Information Service is here to lend a hand, and they’re already helping local groups and communities in and around Leeds to use new technologies to express themselves, explore issues and stimulate change. Now they’re set to help other areas on the same digital path, as one of just ten UK online centres in the entire country awarded Community Media Beacon status.
Nearly half of us aren’t using community and social media – which encompasses community websites, blogs, forums, videos, digital galleries and community radio. But as visitors to Leeds Libraries will tell you, these new technologies can and are bringing local people together to generate their own ideas and content, and improve their lives and communities in the process.
The ten Community Media Beacons were picked for their expertise in this area, and their job will be to share their tips and experiences with the rest of the 6,000 strong UK online centres network, helping more people in more places find their voices and use digital platforms to have their say. Leeds Library and Information Service will be delivering tailored training sessions for tutors, will help to establish replicable project models and develop a national UK online centres strategy for community and social media.
Leeds Library and Information Service received their Community Media Beacon Award at a special ceremony in London, hosted by communications watchdog Ofcom, which is supporting the new scheme.
Robin Blake, Media Literacy Manager at Ofcom, was there to present the awards. He said: “The internet is no longer a place where we passively consume information provided by others. New technologies are empowering all of us to produce our own information, talk about the issues that matter to us, gather support and make real changes not just to our own lives but to the lives of those around us. Making sure everybody, everywhere can access expert support in understanding and using those technologies is key, and UK online centres can play a major role in opening up new media options. It’s vital we capture and share best practice, and I’m looking forward to seeing Leeds Libraries and their fellow Community Media Beacons light the way for other communities.”
Lynette Falconer, Information Development Manager and Jason Tutin, Learning Co-ordinator were delighted to receive the Award, and are thrilled to be involved in sharing what the Library Service is already doing for communities in Leeds. They said: “We’re constantly amazed at how creative people are when they’ve got the hang of these new tools. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never even touched a computer before, if you’ve got something to say or something to explore, we can help you say and do it. Library staff have already helped people across Leeds to build websites, produce videos and animations, mix their own music or upload their story to the web. We’re looking forward to sharing some of those examples and the lessons that we’ve learned with other UK online centres.”
“My Experience of Studio 12 has been now to rely on myself and be confident in making something …it just made my dreams come true”. Edwin Mathe, Studio 12 participant
“It has really pushed me so far that I want to become a filmmaker or involved in the film industry” – Lee Maloney, Studio 12 participant
For more info contact
lynette.falconer@leeds.gov.uk or
jason.tutin@leeds.gov.uk
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