YALSA’s updated Teen Book Finder app now available in the Apple App Store

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has launched an updated version of its free Teen Book Finder app that now includes all titles that appeared on YALSA’s 2013 lists of recommended reading and/or that were honored by one of YALSA’s six young adult literature awards.

“The Teen Book Finder is a great resource for library workers, educators, parents, and teens to utilize to find award-winning books and recommended reading,” said Shannon Peterson, YALSA president. “We’re really happy it has received such a great response since our members work so hard and enthusiastically to identify the best in young adult literature, and we’re extremely grateful to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for funding the project.”

The Teen Book Finder app is free for download through the Apple App Store. Through the Teen Book Finder App, users can access YALSA’s recommended reading and award-winning titles from the past three years with just a touch from their mobile device. Compatible devices include an iPhone, iPod, or iPad. An android version of the app is planned for release in 2014.

The Teen Book Finder’s features include:

• The ability to search for books by author, title, award or list year, genre, by award, and by book list;
• A Find It! button, powered by the OCLC WorldCat Search API, that shows users where to find the book in a nearby library and a book’s available format, including audiobook and e-book;
• Three Hot Picks, featuring different titles from the database, refreshed each day;
• A Favorites button, to create an individualized reading list;
• The ability to share books from the Teen Book Finder on Twitter and Facebook.

YALSA’s Teen Book Finder is available thanks to generous funding by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

About Dollar General

Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with 10,000 stores in 40 states. Dollar General stores provide convenience and value to customers by offering consumable basic items such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids and cleaning supplies, as well as basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices. The company has a longstanding tradition of supporting literacy and education. Since 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $71.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 4.1 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve and empower teens. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or email: yalsa@ala.org.

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Teen Book Finder app