If you are a member of YALSA, you may have read the Fall 2006 online edition of YAttitudes. There is a brief article under the heading "Program Possibilities" about last year's YARI Award Winners from Clear Creek ISD.

Brook Book Club: Bringing Students, Books, and Authors Together
By April Aultman Becker and Michelle Buckley

It's a great read if you haven't seen it yet. Congratulations April and Michelle!

Also, if you know of a YART member who should be honored with this year's YARI Award, check out our website for the application.

The Tayshas Committee has done an outstanding job selecting the new Tayshas List. Congratulations and thanks for your hard work.
Jack Strawn

My name is Valerie Jensen and I am the Assistant County Librarian for Chambers County Library System. I have been working with teens in our library for many years and have had great success in getting them involved in their library. Earlier this year I started gathering names and seeing what type of interest we could get for a Teen group within TLA. The response was overwhelming and I received numerous emails and calls of support. Years ago there used to be a Teen Library Association but due to how much time this involved, it slowly faded away. Forming this as an interest group will make it much more efficient and easier to maintain. Our group name will officially be called, Texas Teens 4 Libraries and will be an organization for teenagers to allow them the opportuntiy to discuss, share, and promote ideas to their peers and other members of this group. Currently there is no organization for teenagers within the Texas Library Association and my goal is to allow them an opportunity to make an impact on services offered to this demographic. Ultimately, the goal is to get teens to join TLA and gather together at the state convention and let them have a voice at the state level. What an impact this would have on librarians, teachers and politicians. If you have not signed the petition, or are interested in being more involved please let me know. I will be at TLA with a teen representative who will be gathering signatures for me so we can get this group off and running.
If you want to sign the petition, you can do so a few ways:
1. Email me a statement in support of "Texas Teens 4 Libraries" along with your TLA member number and typed signature.
2. Fax me a statement in support of "Texas Teens 4 Libraries" along with your TLA member number and typed signature.
3. Catch up with us at TLA. There will be a young lady in a "Texas Teens 4 Libraries" t-shirt running around to collect signatures.
Email: vjensen@co.chambers.tx.us
Fax: 409-267-5181

Thanks so much for your support!
Valerie Jensen

Want to start a summer program for teens? Have a summer program that is just limping along?
Texas Teens Read! is the newest summer reading program sponsored by the Texas State Library.

You are all probably aware of the wonderful programs for younger children. Now, it's time to take on the teens in your library. The very first program is being released for the summer of 2008 and it's called Game On! TTR.08. You can read all about it at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/ttr/

Check out the program guide online. The great thing is that you can pick and choose the activities that will work for your library. Start small if you are new to teen programming or just jump right in and try it all! The activities are described in detail along with materials needed and additional links. Everything you need is right there.

Put your order in now for posters, bookmarks, and reading logs. The materials are free to public libraries. School librarians - contact your public library and see how you can help promote the program before the kids are released for the summer.

Let's make 2008 the Summer of the Teen!

Kate DiPronio
TTRC member