CHICAGO — Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart on “The Simpsons,” recorded three public service announcements (PSAs) for Teen Read Week™ 2008, announced the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Teen Read Week will be celebrated Oct. 12–18 in thousands of libraries across the United States, with a theme of Books with Bite @ your library.
Librarians can download the PSAs at www.ilovelibraries.org/teenread and use them to raise awareness in their communities about Teen Read Week. They can be played over school announcements or provided to a local radio station to use. Each PSA is 30 seconds long.
“The PSAs featuring Nancy Cartwright are an asset to any library’s Teen Read Week publicity,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Best of all, they emphasize the multitude of free things to do and get at any library, no matter where it is located. YALSA is thrilled that Nancy Cartwright and Galaxy Press created these PSAs for us and appreciates their support of Teen Read Week and adolescent literacy.”
Cartwright is an Emmy Award–winning actress best known for playing Bart on the long-running Fox series, “The Simpsons.” She’s also voiced characters in Nickelodeon’s “Rugrats” and the Disney Channel’s “Kim Possible.” In addition, Cartwright has narrated a number of audiobooks, including her autobiography “My Life as a Ten-Year-Old Boy”; “Stink,” a series of audiobooks for young people by Megan McDonald; and “If I Were You,” a story by L. Ron Hubbard.
Galaxy Press, a Teen Read Week Promotional Partner, is the publisher of a new line of fiction called Stories from the Golden Age, a line of 80 books and audiobooks by New York Times bestselling author L. Ron Hubbard. Find a variety of stories to captivate young adult readers, whatever their taste in storytelling—ranging from fantasy and science fiction, to mystery and thriller and even western. Each book contains a glossary of cultural and historical terms to increase vocabulary and reading comprehension. Each book is also available as a multicast, unabridged audiobook, with sound effects so real, you’ll think you are really there.
Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators, booksellers and other concerned adults. The purpose of the event is to increase the number of teens who are regular readers and library users. It began in 1998 and is celebrated the third week in October. For more information or to register, visit the Teen Read Week Web site at www.ala.org/teenread.
Mirrorstone Books, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, is the 2008 Corporate Sponsor of Teen Read Week for the second year in a row. Promotional Partners include ALA Graphics, Evanced Solutions, Galaxy Press, Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Random House/Listening Library, Scholastic, School Library Journal and Zest Books. Nonprofit supporting organizations include Adlit.org, the American Association of School Administrators, American Booksellers Association, Cable in the Classroom, International Reading Association, Kidsnet, Kids Care, The N/Noggin, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, SmartGirl.org, Speak Up Press, Swept Away TV/The Rock Star Stories, and TeenInk.
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org. - Contributed by Stephanie Kuenn, Communications Specialist, YALSA
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CHICAGO – As libraries throughout the country are gearing up to celebrate Teen Read Week, October 12 – 18, some library PR professionals may find themselves understaffed and underfunded to launch a media campaign to publicize Teen Read Week activities. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) can help.