Read Beyond Reality @ Your Library – October 18-24, 2009

Registration is now open for Teen Read Week 2009!  Visit the TRW site to register, find ideas and products, use publicity tools, and more.

This year’s theme is “Read Beyond Reality @ your library,” which encourages teens to read something out of this world, just for the fun of it.

Teen Read Week is an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).

Why is it important to celebrate?  For a lot of reasons!  Teens have so many options for entertainment, so it’s important to remind them to spend time reading for pleasure: it’s free, fun, and can be done anywhere!  Research shows that teens who read for fun have better test scores and are more likely to succeed in the workforce.  Also, it’s a great chance to let your school or your public library communities know how important teen services are!  Let teens know the possibilities that exist within your doors, and within the covers of books.

Crouching Tigers, Reading Dragons: Creating a Reading Challenge Program (A Free Webinar)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern

Register here

(Note: If this time doesn’t fit your schedule, you can find this and other programs in the WebJunction archive at http://www.webjunction.org/events/webinars/webinar-archives.)

Join guest presenters from Seattle and British Columbia as they share their experiences and expertise with the Global Reading Challenge/Reading Link Challenge, a program that encourages team building, reading for retention, and cooperation between school and public libraries. Using a “quiz bowl” format, the program has successfully challenged teams of young readers across the country for over a decade. The presenters will demonstrate how the program can fit into your library’s programming, regardless of size or budget; and how it can be done in one building, between public libraries and public schools, or across state or international borders. The program emphasizes books that reflect a diversity of backgrounds, and encourages fourth and fifth grade students of all reading abilities to engage in the “sport” of reading.

Presenters:

Ada Con, Diversity Services & Programming Coordinator, Fraser Valley Regional Library (BC)

Mary Palmer, Global Reading Challenge Coordinator, The Seattle Public Library (WA)

Hi everyone,

I wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity for your young adult patrons to participate in this summer—Listening Library’s Fantasy Road Trip Contest!  Participating in the contest is a great way to engage teens in what they’re reading and encourage them to be creative.  And since many families will be forgoing expensive vacations and summer camps this year, the Fantasy Road Trip Contest is a perfect (and free!) summer activity. 

Listed below you’ll find details about the contest to get you more familiar with the promotion; if you’ve already registered for Teen Read Week, keep an eye out for a blurb in that newsletter soon as well. 

THINGS TO KNOW:

Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book are now available in an easy-to-use, powerful online database, the KIDS COUNT Data Center, which allows you to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles; or, download the entire data set as delimited text files. The pull-down menus also allow you to read the book online or view the book in PDF format.

This is a good site to bookmark if you are drafting grant proposals or budget requests and need supporting data; in my opinion, it is easier to use than the federal census Web site.

Patricia Romig

Youth Services Consultant

State Library and Archives of Florida

While in the midst of moving to a brand new library, Union County Public Library held its first summer program at its local elementary school. The program, held on Thursday, June 11 saw 285 in attendance! Loudini the Magician and Michelle Thurman, Youth Service Coordinator kept the crowd entertained. Additionally, library staff checked out dozens of books from the off-site location. To see the progress of the new library (grand Opening will be on July 1, 2009) go to:

http://www.unioncountypubliclibrary.blogspot.com/