The Hank Brothers Rocked LFPL!

Well, we really wished you were there! If you were there...you were the coolest Nerdfighters in town!

Over 300 people listened to John Green talk about his new book Paper Towns and heard hilarious songs by Hank. (Including a song begging for an 8th Harry Potter book!).

Have you read Paper Towns? What did you think about it? Who was your favorite character?

AnimeCon5 rocked!

The fifth annual Anime Convention for teens was held last weekend. Over 500 teens visited the Main Library over the two days that were packed with interesting sessions of Japanese culture, anime films (some oldies but goodies and some neat new films), the largest cosplay competition our library has ever seen, and tons of art, fun and games.

See pictures from AnimeCon5 here!

Did you go? Let us know if you had fun or if you have ideas for making AnimeCon6 next year amazing.

Teens in Louisville ROCK!! Get ready for AnimeCon5!

Thank you so much for participating in the TSR program. Do you have a friend freaking out because they forgot to turn their folder in? Well, lucky for them they can turn in their folder this week too. Plus, teens going to the anime convention (AnimeCon5!) will have an opportunity to finish summer reading if they haven't already.

What is AnimeCon5?? It's a super duper weekend of teen programs surrounding Japanese culture, anime films and manga. Click here for all the details and to register to attend the conference!

The LAST WEEK of TSR!!

OK, we know you REALLY want to win that 32 gig iPod Touch...or maybe you are ACHING to win the 8-week scholarship to RockSchool at Mom's Music!

Well, this is THE LAST WEEK TO FINISH TEEN SUMMER READING and get your name in the drawing for the super-grand prizes!!!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2nd is the last day to turn in your completed TSR folder. So get ROCKIN'!! Read those 2 books, do those 5 activities, fill out the prize drawing form and survey for your chance to WIN!!

By finishing the TSR program, you'll automatically receive a cool drawstring backpack and a bunch of awesome UofL sports tix.

Besides the iPod Touch and Rock School Scholarship...each library will be giving away these grand prizes:

• a Sansa Fuze 4 gig MP3 player
• a signed copy of Janet Tashjian's The Gospel According to Larry
• 2 tickets to a UofL football game
• 4 tickets to a Bats baseball game
• a cool bag from the Hard Rock Cafe
• Tickets to Music Theatre of Louisville's Night of the Living Dead performance
  

What do YOU want to win?? Get those folders turned in and we'll keep our fingers crossed for your good luck!!

Read to a Child : One of the Choose 5 Activities

Oh my goodness!! There is only 2 weeks left to finish summer reading, turn in your folder and get your backpack!

One activity you can do in the Choose 5 categories is to read to a child and help them finish the kids' summer reading program. Reading aloud to kids is one of the single most important things you can do to help jazz kids about reading on their own! So, pick up that old Amelia Bedelia classic you loved as a kid, or was it Where the Side Walk Ends, Where the Wild Things Are, or The Cat in the Hat? Whatever your favorite, ask a younger kid if they've finished summer reading and if they haven't...offer to read them a book to get them one step closer to being a summer reading winner.

What was your favorite book from your younger years? Who read it to you or did you read it by yourself?

A Random Act of Kindness: One of the Choose 5 Activities!

What exactly is a Random Act of Kindness? It's simply something you do for someone else who's not expecting it, and you expect nothing in return for doing it!

Do something nice for someone you know or even a stranger! There are so many options for being kind...Hold open the door to the library for someone who has an armload of books. Ask your dad if you can help him cook supper (and wash the dishes!!) Listen to book your little brother can read to you.

One teen from Iroquois Library gave his mom a foot massage after she worked a long day. Now that's a perfect example of an act of kindness.



Have you done something kind for someone today? What did you do?

Tell us a Joke! One of Choose 5 Activities!

Librarians love to laugh! We've been listening to a lot of funny jokes this summer as part of the TSR program. A popular one is the "Nacho Cheese" joke. Do you know it?

If you know any funny jokes, post them here!

Breaking Dawn Cover Unveiled

The fourth installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga is available. The cover artwork was unveiled last week. Go to the library's online catalog to reserve your copy today!

Writing Book Reviews: One of the Choose 5 Activities!

Did you write a book review for one of your TSR Rocks! Choose 5 activities? We'd love to read it, so post it here!

Have you ever seen a book video trailer? It's kinda like a movie preview, only just for a book. Here's a one on the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgci5Z2ukOU And another great one on A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qPtH4vJregY

Speaking of movie previews, a bunch of teen librarians are GIDDY with excitement awaiting the release of Twilight as a movie on 12/12/08! Bella is being played by Kristen Stewart and Edward is Robert Pattinson (Cedric from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!) See the trailer here: http://twilightthemovie.com/ and watch a scene from the movie here: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=237340

Choose 5 Activities!

Part of TSR is to choose 5 activities to do at home or at the library. One of those activities is to make a soundtrack for your favorite book. Did you do this activity? Please post your soundtrack to the blog, we librarians would love to read them! (So will other teens!)

I heard that one teen from Jeffersontown Branch Library not only made a soundtrack for his favorite book, Eragon, but he made a CD of that soundtrack. Louisville teens ROCK!

You, of course, don't have to make a CD! If you choose this activity, all you need to do is think of songs that would fit with the book you've chosen to create a soundtrack for; then list those songs on the inside of your TSR folder.

Week One is Done!

The first week of summer reading is complete. Only 9 weeks remaining to get your books read and activities completed!

Teens are coming into the library in droves, the TSR folders are flying off the counters, and we know you're in the middle of a great book right now. What are you reading? We want to know!!

New Booklists posted to teen pages today!

The teen services library staff have posted new booklists to the "good reads" link on the teen webpage. Check them out!

Man’s Best Friend (animal stories)
High School Dramarama
Amazing Women
College Bound
Love is in the Air!
Out of this World! (sci-fi)
Coming to America
Play Ball! Sports stories for teens

What books are you reading? Are there any topics you want us to make a booklist on?

TSR Rocks This Summer

Today marked the official start of Teen Summer Reading. So, what are you waiting for? Get to the library, pick up a folder and start reading! Need some incentive? Every teen who completes summer reading will win a super-cool TSR drawstring backpack and a sheet of six passes to UofL athletics. Need more incentive? Every teen who completes the TSR program is entered to win more stuff including an iTouch and an 8-week scholarship at Mom's Music Rock School and more! Stop by your local library branch today and get started!!

It's Coming!

Teen summer reading starts May 22nd! Make sure to stop by your local library to pick up a folder and get started!