Thursday, October 29, 2009

What do teens want?


Great article in PW about a survey of teen "uber-readers" from teenreads.com that disseminates what teens want in books and how they relate to literature and the internet in a marketing sense.

"Consistent with our 2005 survey, book copy was the most important factor that would make teens pick up a book. A stunning 91% saw this as the most important influence. The cover was important to 79%. The next most important influence, with 77%, was familiarity with an author's previous work; 74% were looking for the next book in a series. For 73%, the title was important."

It's worth a few moments of your time. Whole article here.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Craft-licious

Crafts (DIY, Altered Objects, whatever you call them) were so popular this summer, that I've begun to offer them monthly. Not being that much of a crafty person, I've really needed all the help I can get.

Yesterday, I found Threadbanger.
They have crafting instructions, and better yet, video tutorials.

Threadbanger is my new best friend.



Also? We're SO DOING THIS:



My teens wanted to make masquerade masks anyway.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Links & Alliances LGBTQA Youth Conference

Here is an upcoming program you may be interested. Please pass on to any LGBTQA youth you might know. They can attend this for free!

Formed in 1998 to provide support to gay and lesbian youth seeking safer environments in school and the community, the 13th annual Links and Alliances LGBTQA Youth Conference will be held on Saturday November 14th from 11am-7:30pm in Everett Community College’s Parks Student Union, 2000 Tower St. The invitational conference is for youth, parents, educators and community members who serve youth, and will cover issues impacting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 14-20.

The cost is $25 for adults; free for youth age 14-20. Meals are included.

The theme of the conference is Telling Our Stories and is sponsored by EvCC’s Diversity and Equity Center. Snohomish Health District, Compass Health and 22 community agencies from Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom Counties join Everett CC as cosponsors and supporters.

For more information about the Links & Alliances conference, call 425-339-5251 or e-mail sgeissler@shd.snohomish.wa.gov or bnewell@shd.snohomish.wa.gov. If you work for a youth service agency and would like to reserve a resource table, please call Kelly at 425.339.5241 by November 11.

Keynote speaker will be one of Washington State's six openly LGBT members of the WA State Legislature. Workshops include: OMG! ISO 411 RE: STDs & HIV; Telling OUT Stories; My Life During GLOBE, My Life After GLOBE; Our Lives in Transition; Inner Journey - Stories from Within; Telling Our Stories Through Altoid Art; Youth Groups & GSAs Setting Sail to Change Our World. Free HIV testing offered. Cookies, fruit, drinks, appetizers, dinner and an evening entertainment featuring DJs and a drag show included.

I'll be out of town, but if anyone can attend this I would love to hear a report. I'm quite curious about the Altoid Art ;)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

YALSA: The Library is NOT a Supermarket

There's a great post on the YALSA blog today about teen perception and needs about/from libraries. It reminds me of a lot of the things we talk about in regards to the Teen Project, so it's worth a read:

What makes a library more than a supermarket for teens? Is it:
  • Hours that go beyond the traditional 9 to 5 or 9 to 9 model? Do successful hangout places for teens open early and stay open late?
  • Staff across library departments that is welcoming, interested, and willing to build relationships?
  • Flexible furniture that is easy to move around and that promotes sitting and talking with friends and peers?
  • Space that actually has space for moving around, standing and talking, and even sitting on the floor?
  • More than a collection of books and what’s in the collection (books, media, technology, etc.) is of interest to teens 2009/2010 and not just favorites of current or past librarians, staff, parents, etc.?
  • A place where teens know their ideas are welcome, supported, and even acted upon?
Some of that sounds pretty similar to the service models we've been talking about, doesn't it?

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Interesting new Pew Report on Hispanic youth

Another interesting report found by Terry:

The Changing Pathways of Hispanic Youths Into Adulthood,
Richard Fry, Senior Research Associate, Pew Hispanic Center

"Young Latino adults in the United States are more likely to be in school or the work force now than their counterparts were in previous generations. In 1970, 77% of Hispanics ages 16 to 251 were either working, going to school or serving in the military; by 2007, 86% of Latinos in this coming-of-age group were taking part in these skill-building endeavors, according to a comprehensive analysis of four decades of Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. The growth over time in the share of youths involved in such market-oriented activities is not limited to Latinos. Similar changes have occurred among black and white youths. But the Latino trends are particularly noteworthy because their share of the young adult population has risen so dramatically during this period—to 18% in 2007, more than triple their 5% share in 1970."

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

World Bank Targets Adolescent Girls

Terry shared this intriguing article with me this week:

The World Bank Group will launch The Adolescent Girls Initiative on October 10 with the participation of President Robert B. Zoellick, Nobel Laureate Michael Spence and Nike CEO Mark Parker. This public-private partnership aims to economically empower girls and young women. Three studies on young women and employment will be released in October prior to the launch.

Basically, the idea is that a great way to fight world poverty, is to break the cycle of poverty for girls. Check out the video:

I wonder if there is any way we could do related programs in our libraries? And why is it we rarely hear talk about breaking the cycle of poverty in our own communities?

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Zombie fun for game days?

One of my teens brought this to one of our recent Teen Gaming programs. Last Night on Earth is a zombie-themed board game where each player takes on the role of a small town archetype in order to survive the zombie hordes now spilling through town. Rules are simple and intuitive, games can last from 20 minutes to an hour or more, and it was really a LOT of fun.

One of my teens, who had brought his XBox 360 and a copy of Left 4 Dead discarded his controller to play the game and on the edge of his seat the entire time. I belive the word "Epic" was used at least a dozen times.


I have offered Monopoly, Apples to Apples, Cranium, and Settlers of Catan at Teen Gaming and never gotten this type of enthusiastic response for a board game. Based on that I purchased a copy for use in both Teen Gaming programs as well as our Zombie Survival program coming up in October.