Have you been to the library lately? If not, summer is a good time to reacquaint yourself with all the activities available to teens…all for F R E E.
First, there’s the summer reading game, designed to keep kids reading during the summer months by enticing them with prizes and opportunities to win raffle drawings for big ticket items like a digital camera or an iPod Touch. If you haven’t signed up yet, come to any branch and let us know you want to play along. It’s painless, it doesn’t require a library card, and all you have to do is keep track of how many pages you read throughout the summer. We even provide you with a gameboard.
Second, there are all kinds of special programs planned for teens this summer. Whether you like crafts, movies, or gaming, there’s bound to be something you’ll enjoy. There’s even a Japanese Swordplay demonstration. Check our calendar for all the options. Some require advance registration…others you can just show up if the spirit moves you. We’d love to see you!
Lastly, there are three recurring groups that meet on a monthly basis throughout the year: Teen Advisory Board (T. A. B), Galley Review Group, and J-Pop Club. Each of these groups always welcomes new members, so bring a friend and come join us!
Summer at the library – it’s not just for little kids any more.
Here in the Teen Services department, we are constantly striving to provide the kinds of programs that Kalamazoo's teenagers want. We know that gaming, crafts, and Japanese pop culture are popular. And Galley Group attracts new enthusiastic teen readers almost every month. Besides those, however, are there other programs we could offer that would bring you and your friends to the library? If so, we want to hear from you! Among the ideas that we have recently scheduled that either had to be cancelled due to lack of registrants or had few, if any, attendees include reader's theatre and workshops in the library's computer lab.
If you are a teenager and you have some good ideas about how the library can better serve its teen patrons, please leave your comments below. Better yet, consider joining the Teen Advisory Board (T.A.B.), which meets once a month. The next meeting is Wednesday, December 2, from 3:30 to 5 in the Van Deusen Room. We look forward to your feedback!
The most recent teens books I have read, Hate List by Jennifer Brown and The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson, were galleys, which means they haven't been published yet. Therefore, unfortunately, I cannot link the titles to a KPL catalog record since they have yet to be added to the Teen collection. BUT...if reading new books before they are even published is something that interests you, I'd like to invite you to join Galley Review Group. Members of GRG have the opportunity to read these pre-publication versions of new books and then provide their opinions to the publishers by filling out this review form. We meet once a month to talk about the titles we've read and to discuss which ones we think should be nominated for the Teens Top Ten list.
If you are an avid reader and would like to get in on the fun of reading new teen titles before everyone else, call the Teen desk at 553-7807. Of just come to our next meeting which will be Thursday, August 6 at 4:00 at the Central branch downtown.
Hope to see you there!
Book
Galley Review Group
teens-reading-111-160
http://www.kpl.gov/teens/galley-group.aspx