Read Beyond Reality @ your library®

Contact: Stephanie Kuenn


YALSA Communications Specialist


312-280-2428

skuenn@ala.org

NEWS


For Immediate Release


October 21, 2008


CHICAGO — Nearly 1,000 teens across the United States chose Read Beyond Reality @ your library® as the 2009 Teen Read Week theme, announced the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The theme was chosen in an online vote at
www.ala.org/teenread during Teen Read Week 2008.

“YALSA's Teen Read Week 2009 is bound to be out of this world with the teen-chosen theme, Read Beyond Reality @ your library,” said YALSA President Sarah Cornish Debraski. “Science fiction and fantasy continue to be hugely popular genres with teens, and this theme offers librarians many possibilities for celebrating at their library.”

Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators, booksellers and other concerned adults. The purpose of the event is to increase the number of teens who are regular readers and library users. It began in 1998 and is celebrated the third week in October. Teen Read Week 2009 will be Oct. 18–24. For more information, visit the Teen Read Week Web site at
www.ala.org/teenread.

Mirrorstone, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, is the 2008 Corporate Sponsor of Teen Read Week for the second year in a row. Promotional Partners include ALA Graphics, Evanced Solutions, Galaxy Press, Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Listening Library/Random House, Scholastic, School Library Journal and Zest Books. Nonprofit supporting organizations include AdLit.org, American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, Cable in the Classroom, International Reading Association, Kidsnet, Kids Care, The N/Noggin, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, SmartGirl.org, Speak Up Press, Swept Away TV/The Rock Star Stories, and TeenInk.

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 e-mail,
yalsa@ala.org.