HomeScholastic to give away books to YALSA members who register for

Contact: Nichole Gilbert

Program Officer

312-280-4387

ngilbert@ala.org

For Immediate Release

August 6, 2004

Scholastic to give away books to YALSA members
who register for Teen Read Week

CHICAGO - For the sixth year, Scholastic, Inc. will donate two new books to librarians who are members of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and who are planning to celebrate Teen Read Week, October 17 - 23, 2004.   Librarians who want to receive books from Scholastic must register for Teen Read Week on the Web at www.ala.org/teenread.   Those who are currently YALSA/ALA members may indicate their membership on the registration form; those who wish to join will find membership information at: http://www.ala.org/yalsa.  Librarians must register and must have a current YALSA/ALA membership by September 30 to be eligible to receive books from Scholastic.

Scholastic, Inc. is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books.  A global children's publishing and media company serving the needs of parents, teachers, and children, Scholastic provides proprietary book and software distribution through school book clubs, school book fairs and to classrooms and libraries through the retail trade. Their Web site is http://www.scholastic.com.

"As in past years, we're happy once again to donate two new paperback young adult books to each YALSA librarian who signs up to participate in Teen Read Week," said John Mason, Scholastic's Library and Educational Marketing Director.   "Librarians who step up to the plate and support this annual event, as part of their mission to motivate teens to read and keep them reading, certainly deserve encouragement from the leading publishers of young adult books.   Our goal is to help librarians build more excitement and visibility for Teen Read Week by contributing new high-interest titles that will catch teens' attention and provide yet another opportunity for them to experience reading as fun and rewarding."
 

"YALSA is delighted to have Scholastic, Inc. as a loyal supporter of Teen Read Week," said YALSA President David Mowery.   "Thanks to Scholastic's generous support, more librarians are encouraged to register for, and celebrate, Teen Read Week, which helps to promote literacy for teens nationwide."

Teen Read Week supporting organizations include: American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, Cable in the Classroom, International Reading Association, Kids Care, KIDSNET, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council of Teachers of English, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, SmartGirl.org, The N/Noggin, Speak Up Press and TeenInk.

HarperCollins is a corporate sponsor, and corporate friends of Teen Read Week are Houghton Mifflin and Scholastic, Inc.   Pamela Spencer Holley is an individual friend of Teen Read Week.

Now in its seventh year, Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association. The theme for Teen Read Week 2004, "IT'S ALIVE! @ your library®," encourages teens to explore programs, Web sites and books about mysteries, forensics, science fiction, horror and the world around them.

For information and ideas about Teen Read Week and about teen reading click on www.ala.org/teenread.

For more information about YALSA, contact the YALSA office by e-mail at yalsa@ala.org or by phone at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4387.