Teen Read Week Is October 16 - 22

What is Teen Read Week? It is the initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Teen Read Week started in 1998. This year's theme is Picture It @ Your Library, which encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials. During this week librarians are encouraging teens to seek out creative books, or imagine the world through literature, just for the fun of it. Libraries across the world celebrate Teen Read Week with a variety of events and programs aimed at encouraging teens to read for pleasure and to visit their libraries for free reading materials.

Why is it important to celebrate Teen Read week? There are many reasons! Teens have so many options for entertainment that it's important to remind them of the simple pleasures of falling into a good book and spend some time just reading for the pure pleasure of it; it's free, fun, and can be done anywhere. Research has shown that teens with strong reading skills have better test scores in school and are more likely to suceed in the workforce. Teen Read Week also provides opportunities for both the school and public libraries to get the local community involved and see the importance of teen services. It also allows teens to see the possibilities that exist within the library as well as in the pages of our books.

The teen librarian has been busy working on program ideas for the week long celebration. Check out the Armstrong Library Teen Zone Facebook page or the Teen page on our website for upcoming details about our plans for Teen Read Week!