YALSA announces Teens’ Top Ten Nominations

Contact: Nichole Gilbert
Program Officer, YALSA
(312)280-4387

nglibert@ala.org

For Immediate Release,
April 29, 2008

YALSA announces Teens’ Top Ten Nominations<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />


<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />

CHICAGO ¾ Nominations for the annual Teens’ Top Ten are now available at www.ala.org/teenstopten, announced the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). YALSA encourages teens to read the 26 nominees before the national TTT vote, which will take place during Teen Read WeekÔ Oct. 12 –18.

Nominated titles were published between January 2007 and March 15, 2008 and chosen by the 15 teen book groups in YALSA’s YA Galley Project, in which publishers of young adult books provide copies of their recent titles to teen book discussion groups in libraries. In exchange, teen readers evaluate books for the publishers.

“The final titles on the list should provide teens across the country with a wide range of reading options over the summer in preparation for this fall’s national vote for the best of the best during Teen Read Week,” said YA Galley Chair Mary Long. “Our hope is that school library media specialists and public librarians alike will incorporate the 2008 TTT titles into their summer reading programs and encourage the teens in their area to read the books on the nominated list.”

YALSA is currently accepting applications for 15 new YA Galley groups. The application forms, which must be submitted by a book group advisor who is a current YALSA member, are posted on YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten site, www.ala.org/teenstopten. The YA Galley committee will select 15 groups during the ALA’s Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., this June. Each selected group will serve a two-year term beginning in August 2008.

For more than 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 by e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.