2013 Teens' Top Ten titles announced

The official 2013 Teens' Top Ten titles are as follows:

1. "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
2. "The False Prince" by Jennifer Nielsen
3. "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
4. "Pushing the Limits" by Katie McGarry
5. "Poison Princess" by Kresley Cole
6. "The Raven Boys" by Maggie Stiefvater
7. "Crewel" by Gennifer Albin
8. "Every Day" by David Levithan
9. "Kill Me Softly" by Sarah Cross
10. "Butter" by Erin Jade Lange

Minecraft at the Library

I've been to a few workshops on Minecraft recently and learned what others are doing around this very popular topic. Here are some ideas:

• Sometime all that is needed is a place for them to play. Provide computers and let them have at it!
• Partner with a local organization, or someone that has a dedicated minecraft server. For example, Kelly at Wood was approached by a family in town who runs their own Minecraft server called "Canandaigua Minecrafters." Or find a tech saavy parent who can help with this.
• Have a teen lead the Minecraft program. Melissa at Clifton has a teen run her program and hosts Minecraft parties
• An idea for programming, pick a passage from a book and have kids create the space on Minecraft. Can make this a competition (or not)
• Have a Minecraft party. Make Minecraft crafts (i.e. foam ax) or make a "creeper." Have "minecraft" food. Pinterest has ideas. Here's link http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=minecraft%20party&rs=ac&len=9
• Show Minecraft YouTube videos. Interestingly enough, kids like to watch other kids playing Minecraft
• Put elements on a maker board (turn it into a scavenger hunt)

Please post ideas you have here as well!

Here's article from Voya Magazine on more Minecraft ideas.

http://www.voyamagazine.com/2014/01/31/tag-team-tech-wrestling-with-teens-and-technology-february-2014/

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SYNC YA Literature Into Your Earphones

For those of you who are familiar with the SYNC YA audiobook program the 2014 summer list has just been announced! It looks like a great line up. 

For those of you who may not be familiar with SYNC, it's a program offered by Audiofile magazine in cooperation with several major publishers to offer FREE audiobook downloads during the summer. Each week two books are made available to download one young adult and one classic audiobook.

Twenty six audiobooks will be availible to download between May 15th and August 17th. Coming in April 2014 the SYNC website will have posters, bookmarks and other promotional materials available for librarians and teachers to download. I had hoped to have materials available at the summer reading workshop but it looks like they won't be ready in time.

If you have any questions check out the SYNC website:  http://www.audiobooksync.com/

Summer Reading Planning Workshop!

Sign up TODAY on the Pioneer Library System Calendar of Events!

Join the Teen Training Initiative!

Take Your Child to the Library Day at Lyons

Take Your Child to the Library Day Photos

Statistics:

We had 6 people sign up for library cards. 

 8 patron cards were updated. 

127 items circulated which is not typical

 for us on a winter Saturday.

We had 23 kids and at least that many adults. 

Children were able to enter two drawings - 

one for guessing how many candy hearts in a jar 

and then a basket of Valentine's Day goodies.

We conducted a scavenger hunt around the library. 

 There were coloring sheets in the children's area, 

there were bookmarks to be colored in local history,

 computer games to be played, 

Valentine's Day cards created for the elderly in the Community Room

 along with books on display whose

 authors or illustrators had birthdays in February.  

And that is what the birthday cake was for.

Ellison dies

How many of you plan on using Ellison dies for different Summer Reading  programs in your library?
I thought this set was fun....... Just wanted to share!

http://www.ellisoneducation.com/product/A10789/ellison-allstar-die-beaker-thermometer-flask

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Take Your Child to the Library Day

Hello Youth Blog!


Here in Avon we had a small, but very excited crowd for Take Your Child to the Library Day.

How did everyone else's events go?

Jessica