Orca Book Publishers to give away books to new regular YALSA members
Contact: Nichole Gilbert
Program Officer
312-280-4387
For Immediate Release
June 16, 2006
Orca Book Publishers to give away books
to new regular YALSA members
CHICAGO - The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is looking for new regular members who want to 'Get Active! @ your library.'
Join YALSA between now and September 15 to receive new titles from the Orca Soundings series of teen novels for reluctant readers and the Orca Currents series of novels for reluctant middle school readers.
"This is the second year Orca has been a sponsor of Teen Read Week, and we are delighted to be able to donate books to new members of YALSA," said Andrew Wooldridge of Orca Book Publishers. "Nurturing literacy and encouraging and engaging readers is important work. The support that YALSA provides to individual librarians and teachers is invaluable and continues to grow the community of readers and turn teens into life-long learners."
Orca Book Publishers publishes books for children and teens. Orca also produces the Orca Soundings series of teen novels for reluctant readers, the Orca Currents series for middle school reluctant readers, the Orca Echoes series of early chapter books, and the Orca Young Readers series. Orca is dedicated to enhancing literacy and bringing books and readers together. Their web site is
http://www.orcabook.com.
"Some of the greatest rewards of being a YALSA member are the intangible ones," said YALSA President Pam Spencer Holley.
"Being a member allows you to develop relationships and build networks with other librarians, publishers, and leaders in our profession."
In addition to the intangible benefits, members of YALSA will have access to a Member's Only Web Site with lists of annotated recommended books and films, access to a quarterly newsletter,
YAttitudes, as well as print versions of speeches by the authors who have won the Michael L. Printz Award and the Margaret A. Edwards Award.
A free subscription to YALSA's quarterly journal
Young Adult Library Services also is included with membership, and members receive discounts for ALA products and conferences.
Another benefit of membership is eligibility to over $35,000 in grants and awards that YALSA administers each year.
Teen Read Week's nonprofit supporting organizations include:
American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, Cable in the Classroom, KIDSNET, Kids Care, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council of Teachers of English, SmartGirl.org, National Education Association, National School Board Association, PBS, Speak Up Press, International Reading Association,
TeenInk and The N/Noggin.
Corporate friends of Teen Read Week are Orca Book Publishers, Harcourt, Scholastic, Inc., and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Now in its ninth year, Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association.
The theme for Teen Read Week 2006, "Get Active! @ your library®," encourage teens to read for the fun of it and use the resources at their libraries to help them lead active lives and find books on sports, fitness, volunteerism, activism, college preparation career direction, and more.
For information and ideas about Teen Read Week and about teen reading click on
www.ala.org/teenread.
For nearly 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens.
For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to
www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail:
yalsa@ala.org.
