Contact: Macey Morales
Manager, ALA-PIO Media Relations
(312) 280-4393
mmorales@ala.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release
August 12, 2008

CHICAGO – As libraries throughout the country are gearing up to celebrate Teen Read Week, October 12 – 18, some library PR professionals may find themselves understaffed and underfunded to launch a media campaign to publicize Teen Read Week activities. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) can help.

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Information Office (PIO) sat down with YALSA Communications Specialist Stephanie (Stevie) Kuenn to learn more about Teen Read Week and the various free publicity tools the Teen Read Week Web site has to ( http://www.ala.org/teenread ) offer. You can hear the interview by visiting the PIO blog, Visibility @ your library ( http://www.pio.ala.org/visibility ).

Since its inception in 1998, Teen Read Week has focused on the importance of teen recreational reading and encouraging teens to go to their public or school library. Teen Read Week’s objectives are to give teens an opportunity to read for the fun of it, to allow teens to select their own reading material and to help teens get into the habit of reading regularly and often.

This year’s theme is “Books with Bite @ your library®,” and libraries will offer a variety of programs, events and books that focus on topics ranging from vampires and monsters to cooking and technology (byte).

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists.