The IPL is otherwise known as the Internet Public Library.  Okay, there is a lot going on in this website, but I think the conception of providing a wiki for teens to write, read, critique and analyze poetry and other writings is imperative and excellent.  But, the IPL offers so much more:  Subject Collections, Ready Reference, Reading Room, KidSpace, Special Collections, Exhibits, FARQ’s (Frequently Asked Reference Questions.) The IPL’s conception is posted on the bottom of their index page, but states how the site is “maintained by the iSchool at Drexel, College of Information at Florida State University, and University if Michigan’s School of Information.”

The IPL Teen Space is easy to find on their home page, which then leads the user to IPL’s Poetry Wiki.  The user has options from the splash page of the Poetry Wiki site to explore the wiki, or go into an open mic, word play, poet of the week, and exquisite corpse. In order to utilize these features and become involved, the user has to join the IPL Teen Space.  

Besides which, in the Teen Space, there are other categories that provide homework assistance, research and writing techniques, FAEQ’s (Frequently Asked Embarrassing Questions,) Procrastinator, and Graphic Novels Guide.

The Mic, which is part of the Teen Poetry Wiki Space provides poems and other writings from various authors.  It also provides directions on how to begin the process of writing the poem in html code.  The Exquisite Corpse game also seems enticing and fun.  Both of these sites for teens and youth are a beneficial way of incorporating their views, as well as, providing information literacy.  

While, the Teen Space doesn’t exactly coincide with the rest of IPL’s website pages, (because many of them regard post-secondary education oriented research,) it’s a great idea to incorporate teens, youth, and children.  It’s also a beneficial way of including a broader and wider scope of demographics, besides trying to provide information literacy skills.  

I viscerally feel that this is the overall goal for this website though–educational purposes.  Yes, I state above that Teen Space seems out of place when compared to the rest of the IPL website, but overall I think the website is providing its conceptualized idea, which is to educate and provide knowledge.  Kudos and well done.  

While, I would probably not use the Teen Poetry Wiki site, I think I would utilize the other resources that IPL has to offer. There are some new resources that I was introduced to while navigating through this site.

While the IPL website is well done, one of my few critiques is, would the IPL broaden their scope to older demographics, also?  If they already provide youth and teens with their own portals, then why not seniors or geriatrics?  That demographic is on the web too, and they still love to learn and educate themselves.  

The other critique I have may seem nit-picky, but in no way means to degrade the website–it’s just a braoder scope in the use of semantics or meanings or words that are utilized.  For instance, in one of the categories, FAEQ’s (Frequently Asked Embarrassing Questions) there is information regarding sex, doctors, help phone hotlines, etc.  But, I think this information is nothing to be embarrassed about, right?  So, why categorize thoughtful, responsible and accountable questions in this way?  Shouldn’t older generations state and discuss that these types of questions and comments are not embarrassing and should be asked?  

If the website states that these questions are embarrassing, is that a way of implying that the questions in that umbrella term are embarrassing, when in fact, they are not?  Isn’t this the opposite psychological implications educators are trying to instill on youth?  Maybe, it’s just me, but I don’t think those questions that are placed in the FAEQ’s are embarrassing at all, and the teens that may end up on that page should know that asking and analyzing those questions are not embarrassing either.  (My apologies for the rant)

Overall, I think this website is again, a really great service for providing a sense of community for youth, by incorporating their ideas and commentaries.  The users are able to utilize the features that allow them to comment and write poetry, use the Teen Space site for other assistance (i.e. homework), like many other libraries, besides the post-secondary information that could be research and utilized.  This is a really wonderful service and a great idea for all libraries that want to focus on youth patronage.