Website - http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/
Website Contents - This site is a generalize website for teens that are interested in any amount of subjects. It would appear to be developed for teens who are interested in particular topics but maybe having a difficult time asking someone a question about something for fear of the response they will get when asking the question. The information on the site ranges from sexual questions to pieces on health and other health related issues teens are interested in.
Website Review - The opening page of the site is pleasing to look at and divided into easily viewable material. The left side has a bar to be able to look at general topics. While the opening page seems well developed the rest of the site seems overly confusing to me. When looking into the sexual health section on the site I found a bunch of questions that someone might have about anything related to sexual health. The unfortunate thing to this page was that it seemed to have no organization to it. While it may have been difficult to organize so many different questions it makes it hard for someone who is looking for something specifically to find what they are looking for. Overall, while the cites looks on the outside are interesting and inviting, and the range of issues they cover are of great interest to the user, the downside of having to do large searches through the cite outweigh the benefits.
Reader's Annotation- Having any health related issue that you are afraid to talk to your parents or friends about? Don't go to just any website? Go Ask Alice!
About the Author- Alice is part of the Columbia University Health Services program. The program was created to meet the health needs of the average university student to be able to give them a place to get help and advice on any number of subjects on the campus. They believe in this mission and as such they are trying to do two major things on the campus.
These two things consist of promotion, which concerns of a pro-active care for the students in the community. This means making them healthier on the inside and out. This encourages activity and healthy eating habits in the community. The second area consists of education of the student. They want the community to have a vast understanding of the latest health issues of the day. They believe this in turn encourages the student to live an active and healthy lifestyle.
Genre - Website
Curriculum Ties - Health education,
Booktalking Ideas - N/A
Reading Level/Interest Age - Grade 9+
Challenge Issues - Much of the information on the cite consists of things of a sexual nature. Some parent may complain that they don't want their teens to have access to this information.
Overcoming Challenges - Encourage parents to have a proactive relationship with students, and discuss with them the need to have accurate information about health issues. There is a ton of information on the net, that can be false and misleading. Explain to them that it is better to have accurate information available for them on these delicate issues that is promoted by the library rather then them finding some website that gives misinformation about an illness or sexually related health issue.
Why Included - One of my librarians pointed out this website and showed it as colorful and interesting, something that teens would find engaging.
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