CSSI advises students on library’s “YouMedia” center

Chicago Scenic’s Jeff Bartle, director of creative development, recently partnered with the Chicago Public Library, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and graduate students from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center to create “YouMedia”, a new interactive learning environment for young adults at the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington branch at State and Congress.

The goal of YouMedia is to provide a dynamic destination for Chicago students to employ specific media resources - books, computers, video, sound room – to create digital artifacts like music, documentaries, poetry, fashion, graphic design, fan fiction and anime. The creative output is then presented live or digitally shared with peers and the students’ extended community. Chicago’s YouMedia is being studied as a potential model for other U.S. cities.

“At the start of this six month project,” Bartle explained, “various student and professional development teams established strategic and logistic expectations for the 5,500 sq. ft. space. Immersive areas defined by the students as “hanging out”, “messing around” and “geeking out” allow participants to progressively become involved in a project centered on a book theme selected by the library as a unifying ‘thread’.”

As Bartle continued to act as the project’s design advisor, Gary Heitz, a Chicago Scenic senior project manager, helped CMU students develop a budget and a realistic project schedule. Heitz also oversaw the construction of the custom, nine-foot-tall tree that houses electronic picture frames which showcase student projects. The tree also serves as a community “whiteboard” for students to post messages, share their work and stay connected with one another.