PLA Blog

Think Outside the Book seemed like two totally different presentations. I found the latter part, after a portion of the audience had disappeared, most addressed my library’s teen issues. (The presentation was in much too large a room anyway.)

Sarah Cofer, the Teen Librarian at Worthington Libraries, Ohio, told about how she and the other teen librarian have used a blogfusion blog to market the library to teens. Their colorful website is called Worthingteens and is worth a look. They promote books, announce programs, conduct polls, and point to cool websites.

A key point was that they increased the visibility of their website greatly by starting MySpace and FaceBook accounts, which they maintain mostly to attract viewers to their library site. They do use the popular social sites for some communications, as well. They have set up the sites so that an update on their website automatically updates the other sites.

Cofer also said that a Meebo widget showing when she was available to chat was much more effective than one showing that an unnamed person at the library was available to chat.

Cofer advised librarians trying to attract teens develop their websites slowly, in stage. Do not overwhelm the teens or burn out the librarians with many offering. Add features one at a time so they are noticed.

Sunday was a very busy day full of programs.

Nancy Pearl
First I arrive bright and early to see Nancy Pearl speak. It was fascinating to hear how each of her books came into being, especially her lastest book, Book Crush. She gave some suggestions of books for children and teens such as :
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz
The Paperboy by Pete Dexter
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Lee
Each Little Bird that Sings by Deborah Wiles
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
The Great Good Thing by Rod Townley
Ragweed by Avi
The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck
Thirsty by MT Anderson
Feed by MT Anderson
Looking for Normal by Betty Monthei
Voyage of the Dawn Treader by CS Lewis

Off the Chain: Reader’s Advisory for Exploding Genres
I really enjoyed this program. I won’t go into too many details because one of my fellow bloggers have done a great job detailing the program. I know that RUSA/PLA CODES will be having the handouts from their program on their websites. I found the program very interesting and has given me more authors and books to add to my list of books to read. I liked the many ways of finding out about new literature online, such as lit blogs and email lists as well as MySpace.

English Only: Censorship and its Impact on Latino Children and Young Adults in Schools and Public Libraries
I came into this program about half way through but I am glad I did. This program was given by AFL REFORMA. I missed the presentation part, but I did come in just as they started the discussion groups for different types of libraries. The public library discussion group was led by Rose Trevino. This gave people from different library systems a chance to ask questions and talk about how their library systems have their foreign languages materials placed in the collection and any programming that they have in foreign languages. Suggestions were also given on how to start a collection or to grow your current collection.

Future Friends: Marketing Reference and User Services to Generation X
This program was given by RUSA RSS. The handouts for this program will also be posted on RUSA’s blog. First the presenters went into defining Generation X and the facts about this generation. They then presented what this particular generation are looking for when it comes to services and potential segments of this generation. After defining Generation X, the presentation then went into how this would pertain to advertising to this generation and the different stages to planning advertising.
The next part of this program had St. Charles Library system in Illinois talk about their programs that they have for 20- and 30-somethings’ as well how they market those programs. They also gave examples of different programs, such as a cooking for 1 or 2 program, white elephant exchange, creating a safe online presence, a course on wine, and an history crawl of the town. Then they followed with some of the challenges that they have had with marketing as well as what they have learned.
Following this presentation was another presentation on the Young Friends of the Kansas City Public Library a.k.a BooksEnds. They went over what the group was and also how they marketed to their Generation X population.

Final Thoughts on ALA Annual Conference 2007
Unfortunately this was my last day at the conference. After attending different programs on Sunday, I took the time to go to the Library School Reunion Event at the Rennaissance Mayflower Hotel. It was great being able to see some fellow alumni from University of South Florida along with some of the professors that I had taken classes from. It was a good way to end my last day at the conference. I have had a blast at this year’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. I am looking forward to the next time I can attend an Annual Conference. I have found out a lot of useful information to take back to my library. I also have had a great time blogging about my experiences and the different programs that I have attended. So it’s been fun and I hope all those staying through Tuesday ave a great rest of conference. This is Catherine Moffatt signing off.

Hey y’all!

I’m Anne Robert, a children’s librarian who works with the Jacksonville (FL) Library. I am a native Louisianaian; I lived in Baton Rouge (about 90 miles north of N’awlins) for 22 years. It’s great to be back in New Orleans - except for the humidity (one thing I don’t miss!).

I arrived here yesterday and acted like a tourist, taking pictures and absorbing culture. It’s nice to have time during a conference to look around before actually beginning the conference aspect.

Today I went to two sessions: That’s Tight! Teen Volunteer Success Stories and Tapping Resources: Serving Children Through Partnerships.

A brief summary of each:

That’s Tight!

• Teenagers should be treated with respect, just like the adult volunteers
• Three key words: Ideas, Investment, Reward
• Ideas: Create tasks for the teenagers before they volunteer at the library (so you won’t be flabbergasted when they show up)
• More Ideas: Have teenagers do more than just shelving, such as reading to the children, helping with projects, assist with collection development of popular items (CDs, DVDs, graphic novels), help with computers/databases, summer reading club helper, monitor programs
• Investment: Train them properly with verbal (words) and physical (paper) training; give customer service tips (as you would your staff)
• Reward: Always thank them for their help and hard work! Consider writing them a nice letter at the end of their volunteer term (could be used as a referral for college)

I have about 17 teen volunteers in my children’s department this summer, so this session helped me with new ideas on how to fully use them as great resources this summer.

Tapping Resources

• Develop community partnerships with groups outside your library, such as businesses, non-profits, and/or government agencies
• Partnership is a two-way street and each group should get something back
• Partnerships were compared to human relationships: they can be short-term (like a glance or date) or more long-term (like an engagement or marriage)
• Access your library’s strengths before beginning the process and use partnership as a strategic tool

Welcome to New Orleans! And as we say here, Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

Karaoke night at the Weymouth Public Library (MA). See more on their Photoset. They also have a blog for their teens, with comments open. Very cool.

“life is a never-ending coil
with twists and turns
and you are one thing that I did not count on”

- quite simply, you are a parallel revolution
Brooke Shippee

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The Johnson County Library (Kansas) holds a monthly teen poetry night. After reading about it in one of their local online papers, I contacted the library and asked for more information and if I could blog about this fun event. I received an overwhelming response from the staff and was immediately provided with answers to my questions.The poems are printed in a literary zine titled, elementia [PDF]Angel Jewel Dew, Youth Information Specialist, is quoted below.

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PLA Blog - How many teens showed up and did some parents attend? Is this above/below average?AJD - 25 teens came last night. Our total number in attendance was 62. There were approximately 30 parents and several grandparents. When it comes to our young adult programs in the most general sense, I’d have to say attendance was above average. However, when we unveiled our first issue in October, attendance was just about the same.”PLA Blog - Where did you come up with the idea? Have you seen it successful anywhere else?AJD - In college, I, alongside a professor, dedicated a semester to researching how to start and maintain a literary magazine. Thus, I was ecstatic when I was offered the opportunity to work (internship) alongside a team of students at a local high school, producing the school’s literary magazine.That experience was one of great fortitude and just solidified my desire to pursue a job that was both creative and focused on young people.So in a sense, the idea, due to my own path, was always in the back of my head.

But it manifested into reality as we (my colleagues and I within Youth Services) thought of ways to reignite our fading program dedicated to poetry. I came up with the idea for the literary magazine, but we weren’t sure if printing was feasible. We began leaning towards an online zine.

Then a colleague found an article in the April 2004 issue of VOYA, featuring Hamilton East Public Library and its’ Poetry Contest. Reading that article was a pivotal marker in our decision to do a printed publication.

PLA Blog - Do you invite or work with other non-library organizations on this event?

AJD - The co-editor and co-designer of elementia is an AmeriCorps volunteer. And last night we passed out information for the Kansas City Writers Group & Kansas Authors Club–on a contest and camp being offered.

PLA Blog - Tell me about the most interesting poem.

AJD - The most interesting poem…that’s difficult for me to answer, for each poem served its’ own interesting purpose.

It seems though, that poems which gauge the most thought, sentiment, and perspective will undeniably pull in the most interest & we have many writers that fulfill these notions. Yet, it’s important to realize that writing is a journey–there are definite stages to trudge through, and each stage is just as important as the next.

PLA Blog - What were some of the reactions to the event from teens/parents/staff?

AJD - Very positive. The atmosphere was highly praised. The design and layout was also highly praised.

Parents were very appreciative and excited for their young adults and some of the teens couldn’t believe that so many people were there to see…them. The open mic time was very popular for the young people…they just kept going and going. Thus, we did go a bit longer than I’d hoped, and I believe a few parents and younger patrons got a bit antsy.

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On their blog, the Johnson County Library had this to say about their successful event:“Soft light set an ambience for the creative and intellectual as the teens listened intently to their peers’ readings. Fingers snapped in appreciation. Smiles exchanged. Some spoke with confidence, others nervousness. But in the end, everyone moved. After all, it is not everyday one gets to express themselves creatively, to be published.”

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Photos from the event

Angel Dew, Youth Information Specialist, introduces the young adult poets

Abby Huffman prepares to take the open mic
Over sixty people gathered to hear readings from the 2nd edition of elementia, the Johnson County Library’s young adult zine
Kelly Morillo reads her poem, “if I were a star.”
Matthew Morefield reads his poem, “pressure.”

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“Peer pressure,
You always hear,
Those words spoken.
What they don’t know,
Is the pressure of family,
Continually asking,
What happened today?
Your parents wonder,
Why you answered,
Answered nothing.”- Pressure
Matthew MorefieldNote: - Permission was granted by the library and poets to post pieces of the works.

This should be an annual event. Game Crazy came and set up:

• Dance Dance Revolution (Mario mix and Ultramix 3)
• Donkey Konga
• Guitar Hero
• Karoake Revolution
• Madden 2005
• Prince of Persia
• Tekken
• and more!

Goodie bags including a card game, xbox lanyard, stickers, coupons, pens. A bunch of games got raffled off at 8 PM and then people left for other events.

I played just a few games - LOVE Donkey Konga - and spent a lot of time talking to folks about what they were doing with gaming in their libraries. The coolest idea I heard was a public library in Humble TX that just had a program called Pong, Pizza and Prizes. They used the handheld games shaped like an arcade game with a joystick that sell for around $15 and plug right into the TV to play retro games, and raffled one off to a winner. What a cool idea!

YALSA Teens & Technology Institute
Linda Braun: The Three C’s of Teens: Community, Collaboration, Creation

Linda Braun, author of many books and articles, teacher at 2 library schools, and fan of the Gilmore Girls, began with an exercise to prove you can be whoever you want to be online, and to show in a somewhat tangible way how wikis work. We got a multiple choice checklist of characteristics that define her and had to select the right choice, and she invited folks to come up and do an introduction of her based on their choices. Walter Mayes did a fabulous funny and uninformed job, and it really drove home the points about identity and authority that Linda wanted to make.

She started a dialogue by asking the group, “How do you build community?” Responses were

• common interest
• stuck together in the same room for another way
• identity
• collaboration
• through exposure/introductions

Blogs are examples of online communties. Linda shared a quote by Jill Walker that basically said when you blog, you read and write a lot. It teaches you how to connect ideas. She said she didn’t really learn to write until after library school, and that not always having to cite and document frees you up.

Blogging allows teens to make sophisticated reflections and connections. For example, on Charlotte’s blog - an end of the year review of the past year’s worth identities made a girl see how she’d changed in 12 months. From there we examined Livejournal which has an “Interests” feature -tagging and folksonomies to create communities. Community is built on the users terms.

We couldn’t venture into talking about online communities without talking about MySpace. It’s like “a yearbook on steriods” said Frances Jacobson Harris. Linda asked folks what they’d heard and how they were using it. I cited the school that banned students from using it or mentioning the name of the school on any blogs. “We built into curriculum because it gives an illustion of privacy that they do not have,” said Walter Mayes.

Why do teens like MySpace (original concept was for music sharing)? asked Linda. We responded:

• sophisticated - 16+
• it’s theirs
• easy to build
• easy to communicate & connect instantaneously
• you can be whoever you want to be
• expands your community
• it’s cool

Linda reminded us we have to be careful about taking over teen spaces. We need to know what’s going on, but they don’t necessarily want us directly in their communities.

MySpace can be horrible & dangerous & scary, but it can also be a parental supervision tool. If we ban MySpace it doesn’t give them skills to cope out there on their own. It should be noted that teens are aware of some of these issues and make stuff up to be less findable. And MySpace has protections built in to protect yourself - who has permission to contact you. Finally, the literacy and asset-building happening on MySpace is a way to justify it’s use. The Ford Memorial Library set up a MySpace for their library at http://myspace.com/thomasford

Next, we moved into podcasts. “I am addicted to podcasts,” admitted Linda. Podcasting is also a great way to communicate and collaboration and build community. A podcasting resource is
Podcasting Transforming Middle Schoolers into Middle Scholars by Larry Anderson. “I think creating a podcast is a great way to teach outlining skills,” asserted Linda. You can talk off the cuff but sometimes that results in a pocast consisting of giggling and “this podcasts stinks I have nothing to say.”

Some examples of teen podcasts:
Pod Princess (15) did Google tips in one show. It’s well-organized and edited. In one segment, Christina played with voices and putting in own ads with a spoof of an SNL skit and holiday parady of pop music: “Dirty Little Secret” by All-American Rejects, “Golddigger” by Kayne West, and “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson.

Emo Girl Talk (15, west coast)
Informal. Plays Emo music and talks off the cuff. Martina is noted for being the first teen podcaster to get advertising on her show; some teens are complaining that she sold out!
This experience is really teaching her marketing skills and financial literacy and media literacy. I noticed the show notes on Emo Girls website are a way of documenting sources and providing more information to listeners.

“I don’t read as much - I listen” said Linda. A librarian who doesn’t read?! She said looks at text all day - online, papers, articles.” (Personally, I find much of my own reading is now online, in games, or listening to podcasts - BG). “We need research on this…it has incredible implications for our services.”

To find teen podcasts, visit the Teen Podcaster’s Network. Linda gave examples of two schools producing podcasts: Bush School, and East Oakland Community Podcast (Oakland CA). We got to hear a sample of East Oakland - it was obviously scripted, but still so powerful - podcasting is a way to builds community and allows teens to feel they are not alone.

“We need to give teens their voice,” said Linda, inviting comments, and a fantastic dialogue started:

Linda suggested we help them create, we can help them filter what they say AND what they listen to in response to Walter, who said “If the story moves you it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not,” as he admitted he was torn between encouraging storytelling and being overwhelmed by all the noise.

One audience member pointed out there has always been this noise, it just was in the form of bad poetry and bad websites. It’s only that the medium has changed.

Sara Ryan reminded us not to forget about fan fiction. The criticism that happens knocks people down a peg but also results in improvements to the medium (writing fan fiction, fan art, podcasting, blogging, etc).

I argued that self-centeredness doesn’t have to mean narcissism, it can result in high self-esteem - gamers who are used to being heroes of their games have great self awareness and selfworth as a result of their self-centeredness.

Having teens speak to one another is a relief from the bombardment of media and toys and consumerism, suggested another participant.

What about lower income? asked one participant. This is where libraries come in! Also, podcasting doesn’t have to be listened to on an iPod - it doesn’t have to be elitist. And the Pew study on the digital divide was brought out - interestingly enough, kids felt like they were beng held back because of adult fears that couldn’t access or wouldn’t be able to access.

With only a tiny amount of time left we whizzed through wikis. A wiki is content creation software (note: it’s not cool to correct your own page on Wikipedia).

The exercise that Linda started with is an example of Wiki. She suggested that show notes be wiki? The listeners add the content and resources with timestamps.
Staples High School has a wiki where teens & teachers write the content about the school. A public library could do this too! Next, Linda showcased MyOwnCafe - a website for teens hosted for through a grant at the SouthEastern MA Library System. Teens enter your library card and it authenicates you for database and catalog. Teens can submit their music, a TAB for the website decides what goes on the site. It has many discussion boards old technology, yet heavily used. Each board has a teen moderators and they seed it to keep it going. No adults are posting on this. Some topics: New here? Gaming, News & Politics, Music, Books, Local, etc. Topics decided by teens. Because technology expands the world, they have a global focus as well.

We didn’t have time to do Linda’s final exercise, so - a homework assignment:

• Why are teens drawn to the 3 C’s?
• What are 3 barriers?
• How can barriers be overcome?
• What are the literacy connections in the 3C technologies?

Please discuss amongst yourselves.

“This is a historic event” said Pam Spencer Holly, YALSA President in her welcome to the 80+ participants at the TNT institute.

Linda Braun introduced the committe behind the program, presented the agenda and thanked our sponsors (Rosen, Gamecrazy, Up to Date, Alliance/Diamond Comics) before Jana Fine introduced the first speaker, Dr. Anthony Bernier.

Anthony opened by saying as an academic it is his job to review the research and make it palatable to us and quoted Edward Murrow address to the radio television news directors association that “This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire, but it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box.” Murrow’s full address is online at http://www.rtnda.org/resources/speeches/murrow.shtml. This quote canbe applied to computers, and games.

Anthony acheived three objectives:
State of Current Research (information seeking)
Critical Assessment of current research (analysis)
New Questions: What counts as youth literacy and why?

“We need to expand the definition of what counts in information literacy,” said Anthony. Why is it that we need to see youth on terms designed by teachers, academics, test creators, etc? And we must recognize that information seeking happens beyond the classroom. When public libraries only validate school related info seeking, we don’t see students beyond the one dimensional or as individuals. They become information silos filled at information troughs.

Can Grand Theft Auto inspire professors? James Paul Gee claims that games introduce new worlds, new identities, new experiences just as good literature does.

The literature is only negative about student info gathering skills - they have nothing but deficits. Some researchers argue against simplified searching - against students being handed information on a plate. Search engines are doing just these, and we are losing people as a result.

The research also views students as consumers of information, and hasn’t started to examine youth as content creators and producers.

One place for librarians to start is by shift attitudes about info gatherers:
impatient -> demanding
unprepared/lacking -> consumers who need better designed product
consumer ->agents of production

How do we fix this? Explore new research possibilities by requiring more research with an emphasis on young adults. They are more complex!

Examine daily life as a whole, not just school and tests, to find out how teens are gathering and using and creating information. It’s actually high level literacy behaviors - but because it might be scholastic in nature it doesn’t count. Adolescent literacy acts come embedded in social aspects.

For example, a grocery store bagger requires reading and interpreting schedules, paperwork, ads/coupons, customer service scripts, etc. Or, ESL students who have an additional challenge in researching and translating documents for parents who are not English speakers at all.

What about FUN? Not all literacies help solve problems.

Pew Internet & American Life Project’s July report on Teens & Technology documents how teens use the Internet in their daily life for news, health, spiritual, and recreational activities.

Why do teens adapt and engage with some tools over others? And how is that Pew finds the same teens’ skills sophisticated while the research finds them deficient?

One skill is determining what is the best way to communicate a message (privacy, time, cost, required response) and selecting the right medium (cell, texting, iming, email).

Althought the Pew report focuses on more affluent teens, but there are studies on marginalized teens as well.

Teens conversation is “wide-ranging and fearless.” Bernier described an example of a conversation involving literacies that was youth directed.

Language experience adopted 25 years ago in Chicago is widespread and this, coupled with the lack of free speech in school newspapers has lead to a boom in youth created and produced writing in “fugitive materials,” that are non sequential, small lots, etc in print, audio and web. There are subversive, or designed to fly beneath the radar of mass media.
Ephemra (connation of not very valuable) is often difficult to collect, catalog, and display. For example:
Mugglecast
Harry and Potters
memes
blogs
zines
Quizilla
machina
gaia online
fan fiction / fan art
YO Youth Outlook 25000 circulation Urban youth magazine
Youth Today - journal for youth service workers
NexGenreation da magazine of truth from youth
Foster care magazines - NYC, CT
Mockingbird Times Foster youth in Seattle 60000 circulation
VOX Atlanta
New Expressions (since 1977) Chicago
Beat Within creative writing of incarcerated youth in San Francisco
You Heard Me? Louisiana
Clamor from OH
SNAG Seventh Native American Generation
Represent NY Foster Care
New Youth Connections NYC
Road Dawgs 24000 circulation Homeless youth in San Francisco

Online
Sprawl Magazine (Suburban life)
DeBug South bay bilingual
Communicator San Antonio public school system
High School newspapers! Does your library collect the school paper?
The Aegis Oakland
Youth Today Fremont
Laney College
Onxy Express
LA Youth 400000 circluation

Broadcast media (most now podcasted)
Youth Radio Berkley (nationally syndicated NPR award winning radio)
Blunt radio from Portland
Teenage Diaries NY
Block 2 Block (part of DeBug)
Radio Arte Day
Youth Led Media
Radio Rookies NYC
East Oakland Community High School
Youth cast NPR

TV
Open-World TV (Bay Area)
Poetry Television
YTV Youth TV ABC
YOuth Channel Manhattan NY
Unspoken
Uth TV
In the Mix
Reel Peeps video (Everyday Eastlake)

‘Zines
Playbill SF
Wire tap
Hot Secret Files (SF TAB)
Perspectives of Schuyler (critical left-leaning student blog)

Reference Resources by youth
Know Justice
Slang Dictionary (Berkeley High School)
Youth Movement Press Database
Youth Media NEtwork
Speaking for ourselves
Bay Area Media Map
Smart Mobs
Mobile Gaming
Social Gaming

These are tools for programming, not just collection development. The new YALSA preferred method of programs is youth participation in all aspects of the program, so these productions mesh with New Directions for Library Service to Young Adults.

The outcomes of these programs are not academic or curricula in nature. They learn skills, techniques and habits of mind for a wide variety of applications. “Youth media stuff is exploding!” reminded Bernier. All of these examples are collaborative, tie into developmental assets of adolescents.

How can we categorize YA-produced literature?
It will not remain only adults writing to and for YA audiences. This tag is expanding narrative essay, graphic novels blogs, films, etc - produced by youth themselves for a broad range of generations, not just for teens.

This multi-literacy landscape is not simply an issue of young adult librarains - what happens when these kids grow up? We need to prepare for these content creators in ALL aspects of library service.

“What are the spacial implications for libraries? We are starting to get a foothold in teen spaces,” said Anthony, “and the technology is taking it back.” He called for us to reimagine the space libraries should be, with a focus on out of school public culture (tutoring, homeschooling, special schools) and youth content creation. We need spaces for social relationships and cultural creations FAR MORE THAN FOR BOOKS, building in flexibility and change. Anthony showed a sample of a model young adult space that is an inversion of the current model: the collection is PERIPHERAL to the social space and is collaborative, among other things.

Our research needs to focus on these subversive emergent literacies. Don’t forget, the YALSA/VOYA/Henne Research grant could be seed money to study youth and literacy, and Berkley’s information management school has big money available as well.

Ask Anthony about “afterschool apartheid” the next time you see him, and don’t forget to check the new YALSA blog for more coverage of this event at http://blogs.ala.org/index.php?blog=5.
Anthony’s presentation this morning will be appearing in Mary K. Chelton’s new book, and online on YALSA’s website.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) annual meeting and President’s Program was Monday afternoon. Although there were envelopes stuffed with program handouts, there were only 100 copies of most items, and there were well over 125 people in the room. I was fortunate to snag an evaluation, a copy of the annual report, and the program handout by scavenging at the end of the session. This was the 4th meeting that I attended that we ran out of handouts.

Outgoing president David Mowery and Executive Director Beth Yoke provided some statistics at that I’d like to share:

• YALSA is the fastest growing division in the American Library Association; membership has doubled in the last five years and in April 2005 membership stood at 4,541.
• One in four members are student members
• YALSA now operates free of ALA subsidy
• Registration for Teen Read Week (TRW) 2005 Get Real @ your library has already surpassed last year’s enrollment of 1,300
• Donations for TRW 2005 total $30,000, up from $8,000 last year
• There are now over 100 Serving the Underserved Trainers
• There are 40 mentors in YALSA’s new mentoring program
• We have more volunteers than slots, but committees will likely be expanding to meet the increased demand for services

Other highlights: the Graphic Novel Selection List was approved, and will become a real committee at Midwinter ‘06.

The meeting introduced current and incoming board members and acknowledged the work of the local arrangements committee. The winners for YALSA awards and grants were announced, and recognition was given to Jana Fine for her work on YALS before Mowery passed the gavel to incoming president Pam Spencer Holly. Her theme will be “Growing YALSA,” and she has a special interest in audiobooks.

Mowery’s theme this year has been literacy, so it seemed fitting that he would put together a program called “Teen Literacy is a Four Letter Word: Reading Equity of Access, Advocacy Diversity.” Panelists addressed financial literacy, traditional literacy, humor and overcoming adversity in literature, and boys and literacy.

Robin Willard of the Chicago Public Library, along with Helen Roberts and Tom Smith, talked about her partnership with the Center for Financial Freedom, and their educational workshops for ages 12-18 (and their parents and teachers) teach kids how read credit card statements and contracts, how to balance a checkbook, how to prioritize spending, how to manage money by saving spending, donating and investing, how to read a job description and find a job, and much more. They recommended Thomas J. Stanley’s The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy (Longstreet Press, 1996) and stressed that they display books on money management at all of their programs. This is a wonderful replicable program, as Roberts said, “We’re part of a nationwide network, which means there’s a Tom and me near you.” These three presenters really made the program interactive by having the audience try a few of the exercises they do with teens such as opening with some true/false questions about millionaires and having us guess a job description for a prize.

Sandra Tobias and Paul Winston of Chicago Public Schools brought along two teen participants to talk about Mayor Daley’s Book Club, which ties in to One Book, One Chicago and provides 6 titles a year, a battle of the books, and a spring symposium with author visits, book discussion and more battle of the books. Now in it’s fifth year, 75 schools participate and offer limited extra pay to librarians and teachers interested in running an afterschool club. Fifty books are given out at each school, and 20-25 teens participate in each meeting. They meet monthly even if they don’t have a specific title to talk about. The club is advertised at the activities fair and approximately 25% of the kids who express interest join. “We get to meet authors and have them sign our books and tell them what we thought,” said one teen about the annual conference that the mayor attends. “Reading is just, passion.”

Joan Bauer, author of, among other novels, Rules of the Road (1998), Hope was Here (2000), Stand Tall (Penguin Putnam, 2004), and the forthcoming Best Foot Forward (2005) talked about humor and pain in her novels, and finding inspiration in variety of places, some dark. In relating a story about her 8th grade experience of having a group of kids tease her, she said “the only armor I had was my sense of humor… we have to learn the kind of humor that isn’t laughing at someone, but bringing someone along.” As she talked about the writing process and how she gets her ideas, her examples held up her statement that her books are a mix of her own experiences plus a current cultural phenomenon.

Jon Scieszka, author of, among other books, the Time Warp Trio Series (Viking, 1991-), the Stinky Cheese Man (1992), and most recently, Guys Write for Guys Read (2005), talked about the steadily declining reading scores of boys and what we can do as librarians to change them. “I think you really have a chance to change this world,” he challenged, and gave us a handful of things we can do to accomplish it:

1. Recognize boys and girls are different. Give boys a special display or section in the library with guy books in it, and ask them for their recommendations. It harkens back to cave man days, explained Scieszka. “Put in a little area so they can go and kill it right there and drag it back to the cave!”

2. Give them short books they can look cool reading, and let them know they don’t need to commit to finishing it, write a paper on it, sit around and discuss it, or answer questions. A good place to start, of course is http://www.guysread.com