YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Division

When thinking about badges and how users already think of them it's important to decide what the goal should be. Ideally badges should be given for completing a task, goal or finding an answer as opposed to being offered for demonstrating proficiency or ability. Our patrons who have experience with badges already associate them with fun, simple "accomplishments" and we don't want to "library-fy" them so much that we take the fun out of them. So when thinking about badges what challenges do you think you might have trying to get them off the ground in your library?

When in doubt, ask for feedback.

I know some of the magazines that are a big hit in my upper school library. They're easy to pick out--their spot on the shelf is always empty. Others, though, are tricky. I don't check out magazines and newspapers so I have no real statistics to go by. When it was time to look at magazine orders for next year I didn't want to go on instinct, I really wanted more feedback from those who use my library.

When you think about badges what do you think of first? Based on what you know now about badges can you imagine using them in any capacity in the library?

I would love to hear responses to these questions before you read the white paper below. And then perhaps weigh back in after you have read it. And whether you currently use badges or feel like you have a good idea of what they are this is still a great starting point: 

This is an open forum for questions on brainstorming, creating and editing YALSA Academy videos. Please post your questions by replying to this discussion thread.