“The Lizzie Bennett Diaries,” the brainchild of Hank Green, co-creator of the well-known “Vlog Brothers” videos on YouTube, and Bernie Su, was made available through YouTube starting in 2012. A modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved classic Pride and Prejudice, the titular character Lizzie Bennett is a deviation of Austen’s heroine: Elizabeth Bennett. Using a variety of mediums including social media sites, Tumblr and Twitter, personas of existing fictional characters were developed. Heading this production was the web series, itself, posted in the form of biweekly “vlogs” or video blogs on YouTube.

Through this contemporary medium teenagers, as the target demographic of these transmedia productions, are exposed to classic literature with a unique twist. Although reading for fun is not uncommon among teenagers, over time there has been a steady decline in interest and action with this age group concerning reading, a result of the increasing popularity and accessibility of technology. Projects like “The Lizzie Bennett Diaries” are adapting to these changing times.

“The Lizzie Bennett Diaries” has inspired numerous other modernized web series. Adaptations of Anne of Green Gables, Much Ado About Nothing, Emma, Carmilla, Jane Eyre, and Frankenstein, among others, have since been released on YouTube.

This new format is ultimately a clever and often necessary way to introduce the digital generation to beloved classics and even reading itself, which although once a widely favored pastime among children, now finds itself waning in popularity.