Unleash Your Story

by Hope Loman  Rowan Public Library

Each year in October, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) sponsors Teen Read Week, a national literacy initiative that encourages teenagers to be regular readers and library users.  This year, the Teen Read Week theme is “Unleash Your Story,” and all participating libraries are encouraged to share stories in their collection and help teens write and tell their own stories.  Starting Monday, October 9th, Rowan Public Library will offer passive and active programs for each day of Teen Read Week at all three branches, culminating in a final Young Adult Reader’s Advisory Event on Saturday, October 14th at the RPL Headquarters. 

On Monday at 6:30 pm, the East Branch  in Rockwell will host an evening of YA Book Trivia, quizzing teens on categories such as young adult dystopian novels and famous love triangles in popular YA series.  Teens are encouraged to bring their own smartphone, tablet, or any device that can access the Internet; the library will also have a limited number of iPads on hand for patrons to borrow.  Winners will receive gift card prizes.

Tuesday, October 10th, the Rowan Public Library Headquarters in Salisbury will have a YA Book-to-Movie Marathon, featuring three movies that have been adapted from young adult books.  Beginning at 3:00 pm, there will be a viewing of Everything, Everything, based on Nicola Yoon’s book;  at 4:45 pm, there will be a showing of Before I Fall, originally a story by Lauren Oliver; and finally, at 6:30 pm there will be a screening of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, based on Ransom Riggs’s popular series.

Wednesday, October 11th will be the first passive program, which will allow teens to drop by RPL HQ at any point during the day and enter the bookmark contest, with the official entry form and all art supplies needed to draw their bookmark idea available in the young adult area.  Some entries will be chosen to be turned into actual bookmarks, which will be available for other patrons to use and featured in a future display in the YA section. 

Thursday, October 12th, the South Branch in China Grove will host a live stream event in partnership with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the first in their Teen Science Café series.  This Teen Science Café will focus on rescuing rare butterflies and the efforts that are underway to restore high quality butterfly habitats, especially the St. Francis’ satyr, a butterfly only found in North Carolina.  There is no registration required, and refreshments will be provided during the event, which will begin at 4:00 pm.

On Friday, October 13th, the East branch will have its own all-day passive program with a book cover contest.  Similar to the bookmark contest, entry forms and materials will be provided in the young adult area. Contestants are encouraged to think creatively, either by drawing their own interpretation of a novel that they have read, or a book cover inspired by the Teen Read Week theme. Entries will be featured in a future display in the young adult area.

Finally, on Saturday, October 14th, both the RPL Headquarters and South Branch will have their own programs.  At 2:00 pm, RPL HQ will host a YA Reader’s Advisory Event, which will allow patrons to socialize with fellow readers, enjoy refreshments, and have a chance at winning various prizes.  The South Branch will host a read-in for its teens during its Saturday operating hours, and some teens that “get caught” reading will be awarded gift card prizes.

For more information, please contact Hope at hope.loman@rowancountync.gov, and be prepared to “unleash your story” this October!