Press Kit

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Larra Clark
312-280-5043
lclark@ala.org

Macey Morales
312-280-4393
mmorales@ala.org

PRESS
MATERIALS

Tips to Encourage Teens to Read

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Fact Sheet

American Library Association Fact Sheet

WEB SITE LINKS

American Library Association

Young Adult Library Services Association

Get Active @ your library® during Teen Read Week^TM 2006

Area teens will be reading for the fun of it as schools, libraries and bookstores celebrate the ninth annual Teen Read Week^TM, October 15 – 21, 2006. They join thousands across the country who are encouraging teens to celebrate this year’s theme, "Get Active @ your library®." Teen Read Week is the national adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association. This year’s theme encourages teens to use the resources in their library to lead active lives.

Judy Nelson, YALSA’s president, feels that "today’s teens seem to have less and less free time, and there are increasingly more activities to for them to take part in during what little leisure time they have. That is why it’s important to encourage teens to set aside some time to read." Literacy is a topic of both local and national concern, and falling test scores and lower graduation rates among teens today are a serious issue.

Studies show a regular reading habit increases reading proficiency. Being around adults who are avid readers can counteract the latest statistics from The Nation’s Report Card(http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard), which indicate that in homes across America the number of different types of reading materials has decreased, and a smaller percentage of seventeen-year-olds saw adults reading in their homes.

Teen Read Week is held annually during the third week of October.