Registration opens for YALSA’s Teen Read Week™
Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
YALSA Communications Specialist
(312) 280-2128
NEWS
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2009
2009 theme is Read Beyond Reality @ your library®
CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), launched its Teen Read Week 2009 Web site on April 16 (Support Teen Literature Day), opening registration and offering resources for the annual celebration of teen reading, including activity ideas and more. More information, including registration benefits, can be found at
www.ala.org/teenread.Teen Read Week is Oct. 18-24, with a theme of Read Beyond Reality @ your library, encouraging teens to read something out of this world, just for the fun of it.
“With so many things vying for teens’ attention and limited time, it can be easy for them to forget to take a little time to read not for school, but just for fun. Teen Read Week reminds everyone to pick up or plug in a book for no other reason than enjoyment,’” said YALSA President Sarah Cornish Debraski. “With the theme of Read Beyond Reality there are many options for library programming, ranging from science fiction displays, writing contests, gaming, and more.”
Teen Read Week Promotional Partners include ALA Graphics, Evanced Solutions, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Galaxy Press, Henry Holt, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Random House/Listening Library and Walden Media. Nonprofit supporting organizations include AdLit.org, the American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, Cable in the Classroom, DoSomething.org, International Reading Association, Kidsnet, Kids Care, Los Angeles Young Adult Authors, The N/Noggin, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, readergirlz, SmartGirl.org, Speak Up Press, Swept Away TV/The Rock Star Stories, and TeenInk.
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. For more information, contact the YALSA office by e-mail at
yalsa@ala.org, or by phone at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390.
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.
