"I'm Looking for a History Book..."

It's that time of the year when you, Schenley High School students, are asked to read a book featuring American history. You can read fiction or non-fiction, and you can read about any aspect of American history you choose. There are just two considerations to make when choosing your book:

1. it has to be 150 pages


2. ideally, it's going to be about something you're interested in!

Sound like a difficult assignment? When hundreds of your classmates are all searching for the same thing, it definitely can be. Thankfully, we offer a few ways to uncover the books that will be fun and informative.


Non-fiction

You can find many books on history through our LibraryThing catalog, where we've been inputting new books for the last year and a half (please make sure you click on the link to our suggested style). Through a few searches, you'll get a good feel for what we have available. Searches such as American history, United States history, and US History will give you a good idea of what's available, though if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, try a search for just plain history, where you might find a book that's slipped through the cracks (you might also want to take a look at often-overlooked memoirs). If you find a book you like, click on the link that says, "Find this in the catalog!" That will tell you what libraries have it, and whether you should expect to see it on the shelves.

If you're looking to expand your selection, you can browse around our catalog for all subjects starting with United States -- History. This will connect you to the whole gamut of literature the library has to offer (from the most academic to the very basic) and help you focus on a specific time period.


Fiction

Searching our LibraryThing catalog for historical will show you the latest fiction taking place in history (though keep in mind they aren't limited to America). We also offer a service called Novelist, which is one of the best tools available for you to search out fiction.

Browsing through historical fiction is as easy as checking the box marked "Teens" and searching for "historical fiction."



Since that includes historical fiction from all over the world, you might want to try a couple of other searches, including "historical fiction and america" or "historical fiction and united states." However, to get the full range of what Novelist offers, try searching for historical fiction and a specific event.



Other libraries may have already done the work for you, including great suggestions from the Plymouth District Library, the Beaverton City Library, and the Madison Public Library.

All that's left is going back to our catalog and making sure we have the book you're looking for.

150 Pages?

When you are looking at an item in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's online catalog, pay careful attention. You'll be able to see how many pages the book contains, so that you don't waste time searching for anything less than your minimum. For example, the record for Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, you'll notice that's 309 pages full of Vietnam War fiction.



When you're searching Novelist, you can use the "Advanced Search" link to only search for books that will meet your requirements.



Good luck, Schenley, and happy searching. Remember, you can always stop by the library and get help from any of our librarians.

~Joseph
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main - Teen

Free Comic Book Day

"Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their stores."

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From manga to horror, superhero comics to those wacky teens from Riverdale, Free Comic Book Day has what you need! What a great way to get into comics, or -- if you've fallen off the wagon -- what a great time to get back in the habit! Check out these local comic shops this Saturday to see what it's all about:

Phantom of the Attic @ 406 South Craig St. in Oakland. Open 10 AM to 7 PM on Saturday.

The Copacetic Comics Company @ 1505 Asbury Pl. in Sq. Hill. Open 11 AM to 5 PM on Saturday.

Eide's Entertainment @ 1121 Penn Avenue, Downtown. Open 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM on Saturday.

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And remember, comics are always free at the library! We've got thousands of graphic novels, manga and zines to choose from. Stop by the teen desk and we'll recommend something great.

- Corey W.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main - Teen

But what exactly do you do?

I get this question quite often as a librarian, so I thought I'd share some of my activities from today.

1. Created weekly schedules for the staff.
2. Tried to problem-solve existing scheduling glitches.
3. Helped someone who was doing a research project on Muhammad's views regarding violence.
4. Added tags to previous blog entries, since I always forget to do so when posting.
5. Looked at the bestselling teen fiction books at Barnes and Noble and Amazon, and crossreferenced titles with our catalog, to be sure we have them at the library.
6. Shelved manga and graphic novels like Genshiken and Persepolis.
7. Helped the Tell-a-tale Theater teens suprise Karen with a birthday cake.
8. Sent emails regarding Teen Summer Reading visits to local Pittsburgh Schools.
9. Worked on the schedule again.
10. Discussed volunteering with an interested teen.
11. Read reviews of upcoming teen fiction books, to decide which to buy for the Teen collection.
12. Renewed computer time for teens... a lot.
13. Set up paint and supplies for a teen who wanted to paint our meeting room doors.
14. Worked with teens to help get their library cards renewed.
15. Did I mention scheduling?

It's Saturday, so it's a slow day. :) See you at the library!

Holly

Happy Day of Silence 2008!

When it comes to silence, you might think the library has the market cornered. But for every "Shh!" from a mean librarian is a middle or high schooler who doesn't feel like they can express who they are because they don't want to be harassed about their sexuality or gender.

That's why GLSEN is now promoting the Day of Silence, an opportunity for teens to work together to create a silence that is impossible to ignore (for more info, visit the Day of Silence webpage). This year's Day of Silence was today, April 25th.

In honor of the Day of Silence, I'd like to share with you some of the books featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, allied, and altogether awesome characters that I'd read recently.

Touching Snow, by M. Sindy Felin
When Karina's brutal stepfather almost beats her half-sister to death, Karina needs to make a choice between what's easy and what's right.



Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend, by Carrie Jones
Belle and Dylan were the perfect couple. But one night, Dylan utters the words Belle never expected to hear: "I'm gay." Now Belle gives herself seven days to redefine what love means and move on with her life.



Tale of Two Summers, by Brian Sloan
Hal and Chuck are best friends who've never been apart--that is, until Chuck gets into a prestigious summer theater camp at a university on the other side of Maryland. How will Hal and Chuck pass the time? By discovering sex, love, and friendship in unexpected places--and blogging about it all.



Parrotfish, by Ellen Wittlinger
This funny and heartwarming book features Grady, a transgender teen who navigates family, friends, and budding romance upon coming out.



Happy Day of Silence!

~Joseph
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main - Teen

CLP Librarians heart blogs

A very ambitious group of Adult Librarians at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main have collaborated to create a fun and informative blog called Eleventh Stack. Here you can learn about everything from alternative forms of transportation to Life on Mars to Blogging for Equality. This blog is updated daily, so be sure to check in often!

Another very ambitious group of librarians - this time Teen Librarians from across the entire city - have collaborated to create yet another fun and informative blog called CLPTeensburgh. Interested in library programs for teens at neighborhood locations like the Hill District? Or would you like to read a good book review? Perhaps you are more in the mood to learn about writing contests. Check out this blog for a look at library service to teens across the entire city.

Think you've had enough of fun and informative blogs? Think again! If you are a parent of a young child, know a parent of a young child, or are an older sibling, than this blog is for you. Storypockets is a blog created by the Children's Department at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main. Did you know that the Nandanik Indian Dance troupe just visited the Main Library? Would you like to recommend a book to youngsters you know? Have a good look at this Children's Librarian blog.

Fare Thee Well

Hi everybody, I just wanted to say so long and farewell to you all. My time as an intern here at the Carnegie has come to an end. It has been a great experience and far, far too short. I’ve learned a lot, and had a blast doing it. You all have a great space here, wonderful programs, and the best library staff a teen could hope for. I’m envious. I wish I had had such a great place to go as a teenager, and I hope my hometown of Denver gets as great a teen space as this. I wish you all the best, and thanks for helping me learn. I especially want to thank those of you who came to my program! Look me up on Facebook, and I’ll keep on checking up on what’s going on here through Facebook and the blog.
Slan Agaibh, Chris Lovejoy

Operation Teen Book Drop - the books were dropped today!

Just in time for Support Teen Literature Day, the 650 books donated by the Young Adult Library Association and readergirlz were dropped off at UPMC Children's Hospital.

These books had an eventful month. They started in Chicago, jumped into some boxes and shipped themselves to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main-Teen. When they got here, 5 fabulous teen volunteers took them from their cozy boxes and placed donation stickers on all 650 title pages. The volunteers also placed 650 pretty purple bookmarks inside these books. The books then went back home to their boxes. On Tuesday morning, they were loaded into a shipping van and taken to UMPC Children's - their final destination. Soon these books will find their way to patients and patient's families, and their final purpose will be realized: being a welcome escape to members of our community who could certainly use it.

From Deadpool!!!

Hello blogger this is Deadpool the “merc with the mouth.” My interview with Entertainment weekly went so well they dropped the lawsuit. Today I have appeared in the D.C universe and I will battle Deathstroke in Gotham City. Before I fight him I’ll answer some questions that Jose from Mexico has sent to me. Here are some of the questions he sent me.

Question 1: How do you get a girls attention?

Be yourself, tell the truth about yourself.

Question 2: Cyclops vs you who would win?

Me because he is too nice and I got healing factor and better combat skills or wear the old marvel girl costume and make him die laughing.

Welcome to the CLP Manga Reading Room, Live from Tekko '08!

Hey all you anime and manga maniacs! The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is pleased to once again at Tekkoshocon, offering a manga reading room stocked with over 300 titles from Naruto to Chibi Vampire.

If you want a place to get away from the con hustle and bustle (or just think the library is cooler than a shinigami), please come visit us on the 5th floor of the Radisson Hotel, in Green Tree.

Believe it!

~Joseph
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main - Teen

Record a Song about YOUR Favorite Book/Author and Get a Chance to win $5000!

Calling all readers and music fans!

Have you ever read a book and thought, "I sure would love to turn this into a song"? We just received word of an interesting new contest being sponsored by the people at Gale (one of the companies who make those research databases we keep trying to get you to use). Here's the info:

...we invite you and your patrons to compose a song about your favorite book or author, record a video of its performance and submit it for a chance to win $5,000 — $2,500 for you and $2,500 for your favorite library. Post the contest on your community board to encourage even more entries and have a better chance at winning a share of the prize money! Visit www.gale.com for complete rules beginning April 13, 2008.

If you're bursting with song but don't have a chance to record it, you can contact me at the Teen department at the Main library (412-622-3121). I may be able to help.

~Joseph
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main - Teen

Teen Power! the political process, voting and you

Hi everyone. This year, as you know, is an election year. So we wanted to have a program to talk about some of the issues that will be discussed during the election, and more importantly, talk about the issues that are important to you. Some of you will be old enough to vote this November, but even if you won't be voting this year, politics is something that still effects you--funding for your schools and education, public transportation and the price of gas, even the air you breath and the water you drink. If you have an interest in politics, or are just curious to find out what those people on cable news shows are shouting about, join us for Teen Power! Sunday, April 13th @ 3pm. There'll be a trivia contest w/ prizes, followed by a discussion. Soda and snacks will be provided. Find out how you can make a difference!

Geek Teen Alert: Guitar Hero on the Commodore 64

Hey teens! Have you caught the 8-bit retro madness of the chiptune craze, the people at SyntheticDreams have managed to make your dreams come true: Guitar Hero on the Commodore 64.

The FREE Shredz64 project lets you hook up your guitar controller and play along with a huge user repository of .sid files, which are music files designed to be played on the Commodore 64 system. These range anywhere from NES games to cheesy 80s hits.

If your parents still have one of these dinosaurs lying around the office (and I know some of you do), then you and some adventurous friends can breathe new life into the old system. If you don't, here's your chance to delve into the wonderful world of emulation. Here's what you need:

• A downloaded copy of Shredz64.
  


• Commodore 64 emulator. Your computer can simulate the C64 environment, opening up your computers to a whole host of fun, independently-designed games. PC users can check out CCS64, while Macs have Power64. For Shredz64, what matters is that your emulator can emulate paddles. Commodore 64 emulation can occasionally be tricky, so make sure you read the documentation.
  


• Playstation to USB adapter. This will let you hook up your Guitar Hero controller to the computer. The Stepmania site currently has a great guide to finding the one that will work for you.

After a couple of mouse clicks and text commands, you'll be all set. Have fun, and be sure to check out the demo on Youtube!

Perks of Being a Teen Volunteer...

Well, there's many, my friend.

Teen Volunteers at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh:

• get a first look at what CD's, books, graphic novels, and video games are freshly returned,
• get a chance to put their library service on their resume/school applications,
• get a CLP badge, which allows free entry and discounts at many local museums, and
• get to do things like SLEEP OVER at the library!
  

Recently, we had our first every Teen Overnight at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main. 30 Teens who have volunteered in the past 6 months were invited. They were treated to trivia, pizza, snacks, the world premiere of ROCK BAND at the library, a midnight book discussion, movie watching, Apples to Apples, all capped off with a bagel breakfast.

If any of these perks sound appealing to you, contact us to volunteer!

Found Object!

Secret note found in the stacks:

Dear Stalker,
How is your mother doing? I understand she has come down with a bout of measels [sic] and weasels and is feeling rather poor. Bake her some crumpets for me, okay?

Toodle-oo pip pip,
Roger

*SIGH*
Never a shortage of love at the library.

Just for fun, help us come up with a random story of what would lead someone to write a note like this. The crazier, the better!

Special Art Club Meeting: Ohanami!

Whoa, everyone watch out! April is on its way and it's not kidding around.

April in Pittsburgh can be a bit of an indecisive flirt. Just when you think it's going to stay warm and sunny, it flip flops back to the cold and the gray. Boo. Well, April in mainland Japan is quite different. It is the time for new beginnings: new school year, new friendships, and definitely blooming cherry blossoms (sakura). During this time, people hang around under trees, stuffing themselves with food and drink, being merry with friends and family.

So to celebrate this fabulous time of year, we are doing a special Art Club meeting that is going to be, to quote one special patron, made of awesome.

We are going to

• draw Japanese flowery landscapes
• make origami
• drink delicious green tea in adorable little Japanese cups

Ohanami is going on at Teen on Wednesday, April 16, at 3pm. Pick up a loud pink bookmark when you drop by to remind you!

And just because I'm a sucker for pictures, here's one of me (Violeta) in front of sakura in Japan.

Two Amazing Reviews by the Illustrious Katie D.!

Runaways
by Brian K. Vaughn

How many times in your life have you thought your parents were evil? I’m guessing that would be a lot, especially if you’re a teenager. But what if they actually were? And I don’t mean confining you to your room, grounding you for life, or taking away TV priviledges. We’re talking secret-society, super-powers, blowing-up-Los-Angeles evil.

This is what a group of teenagers discover in the graphic novel Runaways, written by Brian K. Vaughn and illustrated by Adrian Alphona. It’s not your average superhero comic, and that’s what makes it interesting: instead of muscled-up, costumed heroes punching eachother out on top of the Empire State Building, you have normal teenagers faced with the fact that their families have been lying to them for years.

In the first volume of this entertaining series, at a yearly “get together,” the main characters, while exploring a passageway in Alex Wilder’s house, overhear a meeting where their parents, in full super-villain costumes, commit a yearly sacrifice for some unknown reason. Disturbed by this encounter and completely sure that something is very wrong, four of the five teenagers run away from home to try and find the body of the sacrifice. They end up not only finding a psychic velociraptor and some sort of ancient book, but having to save the fifth from all of their parents—something that’s easier said than done, as it turns out.

This graphic novel is a great new angle on the tired superhero genre, and totally fun to read. The dialogue is fresh and not too overdramatic (HA HA! I SHALL KILL YOU, et cetera…) and all of the characters, as you see later, have their own personalities. It’s the perfect blend of a little sci-fi, a little action, a little fantasy, and a whole lot of humor. Don’t worry if you can’t find the second book in the series—I couldn’t, either, but I managed to continue on to volume three and only miss a little.

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As a student at Rogers CAPA middle school, I have had to suffer through weeks of teacher hysteria, spontaneous group craft projects, and people constantly being called out of class for costume fittings.

The source of all of this chaos was the one act plays by three Rogers 8th grade writers being performed, a whole-school activity that (un)fortunately, I wasn’t involved in. The scripts of these plays are available online at CafePress. Since I’ve been reading these plays since the earliest drafts, I thought I might review them here are prove that you should SO TOTALLY order the book, now.

The first of the plays presented in the book is “Entanglement” by Juliana Collins. The play, to sum it up in a sentence, is about the relationship of a couple from opposite sides of the class and race divide. The dialogue is spot-on, of course, and the idea was good, but (oh dear god Juliana will kill me for saying this) it ends up being a leetle bit *pinches fingers to show how leetle* unresolved at the end. Still, it’s a really interesting story.

The second play is my personal favorite. Entitled “My Blood Is Still Red” and written by Claire Matway, a hugely talented poet and writer, it’s about what happens to an average middle-class family when their teenaged son reveals a huge secret. What’s the secret? You really think I’m going to tell you?! Go read it and find out for yourself, already! There’s nothing I can say about this play except, IT’S. AMAZING.

DeeDee Reaves, the author of the play “Twists of Heaven and Earth” had better look out, because her play is going to be a little bit critically challenged in this review. Her dialogue is fast and funny and full of great pop culture references (the SpongeBob line is particularly great) but it just… falls apart into a scene that’s a little bit soppy and tries a little too hard to make the end seem very much like an after-school special. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy the plays, though *wink*

You can find the plays here.

Deadpool's Blog

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Devin, a hiliarious regular here at the teen space, wrote this imagined interview with Marvel Comics fan favorite Deadpool - the infamous "Merc with the mouth." Hope you enjoy!


Deadpool’s Blog


Hello my friends and fans of my comic book. This is Deadpool the merc with the mouth. Entertainment Weekly interviewed me, which is weird because I force fed chimichangas to the staff and writers while they were duct taped to their chairs. Come on at least I didn’t kill them. They would drop the law suit if I agreed to do an interview with them.

Question: How did you get your powers?
Answer: Cancer, weapon x, insanity.
Question: What do you do for a living?
Answer: Merc for hire you stupid magazine creators.
Question: How many girlfriends have you had?
Answer: Outlaw, Psylocke, Siren.
Question: What is the craziest mission you ever did?
Answer: The time Cable hired me to steal a force field thingy. I had
to kill undead clowns - and I hate clowns.
Question: Which hero team would you join?
Answer: The New Avengers because they need comic relief and a guys guy.

Christian Fiction and Religious Books at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main

Inspired by a recent email question about teen Christian fiction titles, here are some resources the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main-Teen provides.

We carry a few series here that are considered contempary classics in Teen Christian fiction.
Melody Carlson , series titles: "Diary of a Teenage Girl" and TrueColors
Stephanie Perry Moore, series title: "Payton Skyy"
Tim F. LaHaye , series title: "Left Behind: The Kids"


If you are looking for books about Christianity and other religions, we have books lists on our own Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Teen website. Our religious fiction booklist, Believers and Doubters, has books that explore the many ways in which religion affects our lives. Are you more of a fact-focused religion researcher? A Non-fiction book list will bring you happiness.

New Opportunities for Pittsburgh Teens

Pulse Blogfest!

March 14-17 | pluseblogfest.com

Who is participating in Pulse Blogfest?

It’s a veritable who’s who of teen fiction. More than 110 teen authors have committed to participating, including such bestsellers as Scott Westerfeld (Uglies), Ellen Hopkins (Glass), D.J. MacHale (Pendragon), Holly Black (Ironside, Spiderwick), Kate Brian (Private), Cassandra Clare (City of Bones), Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising), James A. Owen (Here, There Be Dragons) and many, many more. See the end of this email for a complete list of confirmed authors.

How will it work?

Each day of the blogfest will be devoted to one question submitted by a teen ahead of time. The questions will be general and will provide a range of subjects, some writing-related, some not. The questions have been chosen from those submitted by our Pulse It Board, which is Simon & Schuster’s teen advisory board that currently has more than 700 members. More information on the Pulse It Board (and how teens can join) can be found at http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?tab=23&feature_id=5712 . The questions will not be made public until the Blogfest begins.

How often will authors post?

The participation of every author will vary depending on their schedule. Every author will answer at least one question, while many authors have committed to participate on at least five different days.

Will teens be able to post during the Blogfest?

Teens won’t be able to start their own brand-new blog entries. However, anyone will be free to submit comments to any particular blog entry, which will appear below the relevant entry once the comment has been approved. (To make sure that no confidential information is given out, or any spam or obscenity creeps in, every comment will be carefully screened before going up.) Some authors will be coming on to the blog to address those comments, and others may not have the time to. Text on the blog will make it clear that teens should not expect every author to necessarily be able to respond to all comments, and that some authors, due to time constraints and touring schedules, may not even be able to see the comments until after the Blogfest is over. However, all authors that participate will receive a transcript after the Blogfest is over that contains all the comments that teens made to their posts.

AUTHORS CONFIRMED TO APPEAR:

Malin Alegria • Kim Antieau • Marc Aronson • Avi • Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Lisa Barham • Lauren Barnholdt • Hilari Bell • Phil Bildner
Franny Billingsley • Holly Black • Judy Blume • Jennifer Bradbury
Kate Brian • Robin Brickman • Teri Brown • Linda Buckley-Archer
Marina Budhos • Christian Burch • Melvin Burgess • Niki Burnham
Nancy Butcher • Deb Caletti • Janet Lee Carey • Patrick Cave
Cassandra Clare • Rachel Cohn • Rhody Cohon • Susan Cooper
Melissa de la Cruz • Kavita Daswani • Stacia Deutsch • Cheryl Diamond
Allison van Diepen • Cameron Dokey • Frances Dowell • Erin Downing
Sharon M. Draper • Kathleen Benner Duble • Kathleen Duey • Clare B. Dunkle
Kelly Easton • Jennifer Echols • Thomas Fahy • Terri Farley
Susan Fletcher • E.R. Frank • Diana Gonzalez • Lorie Ann Grover
Randi Hacker • Margaret Peterson Haddix • Cathy Hapka • Pete Hautman
Julie Hearn • Karol Ann Hoeffner • Nancy Holder • Ellen Hopkins
James Howe • Jeffry W. Johnston • Cynthia Kadohata • P.G. Kain
Ronald Kidd • Annette Curtis Klause • Chris Krovatin • Nancy Krulik
Evan Kuhlman • Dakota Lane • Hope Larson • Richard Lewis
Julie Linker • Greg Logsted • D. Anne Love • Whitney Lyles
Chris Lynch • D.J. MacHale • Eric Marcus • Amanda Marrone
Kelly McClymer • Lisa McMann • Nico Medina • Kai Meyer
Sarah Miller • Annabel Monaghan • Kate Morgenroth • Taylor Morris
Sarah Mussi • Donna Jo Napoli • Phyllis Reynolds Naylor • J. Adams Oaks
Ken Oppel • James A. Owen • Bronwen Pardes • Jamie Ponti
Staton Rabin • Deborah Reber • Randi Reisfeld • Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Paul Ruditis • Alex Sanchez • Robyn Schneider • Lisa Schroeder
Elizabeth Scott • Gloria Skurzynski • Brian Sloan • Thomas E. Sniegoski
Sonya Sones • Todd Strasser • Wendy Toliver • Roderick Townley
Kristen Tracy • Adrienne Maria Vrettos • Judy Waite • Robin Wasserman
Scott Westerfeld • Suzanne Weyn • Matt Whyman • Ellen Wittlinger
Elisabeth Wolfe • Bil Wright • Janet Ruth Young

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The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion
Announces Our Annual STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

The deadline for essay submissions is Friday, March 21, 2008

The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion (formerly the Center for Race Relations) is pleased to announce that our annual Student Essay Contest will take place in the Spring of 2008. The Racial Justice Student Essay Contest supports anti-racism efforts by raising awareness among young people and acknowledging their own search for racial harmony and equality. This year we are asking middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8 to respond to the following question:

If you were elected into a public office, what would you do to eliminate racism? Describe your plan of action. (300 words or less)


Here is a link to the complete contest rules and an entry form. Each student essay must have a completed form, including parent/guardian signature. We encourage you to participate by advertising the contest throughout your school/organization and distributing directly to your young people. We have found it helpful to assign a specific individual as a coordinator for the Student Essay Contest to generate interest, provide technical writing assistance and advice where needed, and assume responsibility for submitting the essays.

The deadline for essay submissions is Friday, March 21, 2008.

A panel of judges from the greater Pittsburgh educational community will select the essay contest finalists, who will be notified by Friday, April 4, 2007. Students selected as first, second, and third place finalists will be honored with at a recognition ceremony on Thursday, April 24, 2008 at the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh.

Thank you for your assistance in promoting the contest and best of luck to your participants!

Sincerely,
Debra Mason
Director of Racial Diversity and Inclusion

Questions? Email rja@ywcapgh.org or call 412-255-1466.
Entries must be received by Friday, March 21, 2008.

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From Poet to Playwright: August Wilson Poetry and Spoken Word Contest

Sponsored by the August Wilson Center for African American Culture

Open to high school students (grades 9-12) in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties
$1,000 prize for one winner from each county
Submissions due: April 9, 2008

Before he became an award-winning playwright, August Wilson was first a poet. In 1965, Wilson purchased his first typewriter for $20 and began to write poetry. In the late 1960s, he became part of a group of poets, educators and artists who formed the Centre Avenue Poets Theater Workshop in Pittsburgh. High school poets and spoken word artists are invited to submit a poem inspired by August Wilson’s life and work. Whether you’ve seen or read one of Wilson’s plays, or read a biography of him, this is your opportunity to honor his words with your words.

Judging
Poems will go through a blind judging process, and will be judged on four criteria: style, grammar, creativity and content. Winning poems will demonstrate an outstanding understanding of August Wilson’s life and/or work, and a high level of creative expression. Entries will be judged by staff of the August Wilson Center, community volunteers, members of the poetry community, and relatives/former colleagues of August Wilson.

Eligibility
Eligible participants include all high school students (grades 9-12) in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Employees of the August Wilson Center, its Board of Directors, and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in this contest. All entries become the property of the August Wilson Center and will not be returned.

Rules
Each participant may submit only one poem. A poem must be no longer than two pages, and must be typed in a legible, 11- to 12-point font. A submission must also include a maximum one-paragraph statement explaining how the poem draws upon themes in August Wilson’s life and work. No identifying information (name, school, etc.) should appear on the poem or the explanatory statement. Participants must submit five (5) copies of both the poem and the statement.

A submitted poem must be accompanied by a stapled cover sheet with the following information: name, complete address, phone number, e-mail (if available), county of residence, name and address of high school, and if applicable: name of the teacher, librarian or other adult who assigned the poem, and the name of their organization (school, library, community organization, etc.). Participants should submit only one (1) copy of the cover sheet.

Entries must be received in the August Wilson Center offices by 5 pm on Wednesday, April 9, 2008. Entries may be mailed or dropped off in person. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. Semi-finalists and winners will be notified via mail/e-mail/phone before or by April 18, 2008. Entries that do not follow ALL contest requirements WILL NOT be considered.

Prizes
A prize of $1,000 will be awarded to one winner from each of the five counties. Winners will also be invited to read their poems at the Second Annual August Wilson Birthday Celebration, starring Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Please send all entries to:

August Wilson Center for African American Culture
Attn: Sarah Williams
Regional Enterprise Tower
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1750
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Call 412.258.2664 or e-mail SWilliams@AugustWilsonCenter.org for further information.

Enter: New library assistant Violeta

Hi all!

My name is Violeta (pronounced "vee-oh-LETT-a," more or less). I just started working at CLP Teen a little over a week ago and I *definitely* want to get to know you guys.

To introduce myself, here's some random Violeta trivia.

• Even though Spanish is my first language, I can't roll my "R"s to save my life.
• I lived in Japan for three years. Just about the coolest thing I did there was play several koto (Japanese harp) concerts at a zazen temple on a hill. I don't know, I might never top that one.
• I'm happiest when eating sushi or breakfast tacos with a creamy cilantro salsa. Yumminess! See this? I had just about everything edible on this table-- and more-- during one of my soba outings.
• My favorite anime is Azumanga Daioh. We have it at the library so check it out if you haven't already! I can't wait for the new season of Code Geass. And can someone explain FLCL to me? I enjoyed it and I loved the music, but I was at a complete loss...

I'm a bit of a camera fiend so it was tough finding one picture that truly captured my essence. I think this one is at least interesting. It was taken in Osaka, Japan, with a friend and a trio of Japanese fashionistas rocking the yamanba style. I'm the one making the really weird peace sign. I don't know what I was thinking.

Anyway, if you ever want to practice your mad Spanish, French, or Japanese skills-- or if you just want to talk about your favorite book or manga-- come on over and let's chat.

CLP Teens <3s David Levithan 4ever

It's official: David Levithan has been to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and has left a trail of broken hearts and empty ice cream containers in the wake.

Last Thursday was the third and penultimate event into our Behind the Books: Authors Talk to Teens series, and it was quite the experience. After reading from the new short story collection How They Met, and Other Stories and answering questions from the audience, David Levithan joined us for one awesome afterparty, sponsored by our Teen Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance (check us out on Facebook).

Needless to say, it was a great time. I could go on for hours about what it's like to meet one of your absolutely all-time favorite authors and be left melted on the floor like an ice cream cone in August, but instead I'll leave it to the teens.

Tim said:

I really enjoyed how down to earth he was, and that we had the opportunity to talk one-on-one during the after party. He was very personable, and will most likely make me anticipate far too much for the times that I meet someone in my top 3 favorite authors in the future.

Sam said:

Ah! David Levithan is awesome fantastic times a million and two! The party was a lot of fun. You know how awesome it was? John from Canada came all the way down from Ontario to come to it. Yeah, beat that!

We've got lots of pictures (via Tim) on the Flickr page, and you can even relive the moments on Youtube (again thanks to Tim).

Finding Books in Multiple Voices

Finding books based on what they're written about is easy, but finding books based on how they're written can be tough. Just today, a teen was asking about books from multiple points of view. I knew a few off the top of my head, such as Alex Sanchez's Rainbow Boys, Brian Sloan's Tale of Two Summers, and David Levithan's The Realm of Possibility, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and Naomi & Ely's No Kiss List (the latter two co-written by Rachel Cohn), and Alex Flinn's Fade to Black. After that, I was stumped. So here's what we did:

A Google search for teen books multiple perspectives got me a Great Booklist from the Brookline Library and an excellent livejournal post.

The website LibraryThing (we even have an account for our new books) lets you search by "tags," which are descriptive words and phrases. Putting together "tag mashes" of multiple narrators, teen and multiple perspectives,teen gave me a couple of nice lists.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also provides access to a great way to find fiction, called Novelist (have your library card ready). Try this "boolean search" in the "Search Our Database" tab:

Teen Advisory Council Meetin on Sunday, February 17th, 2008.

The Shaler North Hills Library's Teen Librarian brought 3 members of their Teen Advisory Group on Sunday.

They met 7 members of our Teen Advisory Council for some pizza, idea swapping, and a lively game of Apples to Apples. Thanks to everyone who participated! You never know who will show at a Teen Advisory Council Meeting... Find out next month on Sunday, March 16th, at 2:00 PM.

Comics Come to Life @ Art Club

Last Wednesday in Art Club we made our own COMICS. Be sure to check out Art Club, every Wednesday at 3:00pm to see what creative projects we're cooking up next.

Teen Book Discussion

Teen Book Discussion

Sunday, February 17, 2008
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

"Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl" by Barry Lyga

A fifteen-year-old "geek" who keeps a list of the high school jocks and others who torment him, and pours his energy into creating a great graphic novel, encounters Kyra, Goth Girl, who helps change his outlook on almost everything, including himself.


Sunday, March 16, 2008
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

"Hero" by Perry Moore

Thom Creed, the gay son of a disowned superhero, finds that he, too, has special powers and is asked to join the very League that rejected his father, and it is there that Thom finds other misfits whom he can finally trust.


Sunday, April 20, 2008
3:00 PM- 4:00 PM

"Un lun dun" by China Mieville

Stumbling into an alternate funhouse version of her home city, twelve-year-old Londoner Deeba finds herself trapped in a world of killer giraffes, animated umbrellas, ghost children, and flying double-decker buses and menaced by a choking black smog, and is forced to take on the role of unlikely savior to prevent utter destruction.

Music Quiz - Win Prizes!

Below are playlists created by staff members Connie, Corey, Holly, and Joseph. They represent the music we loved as teens. Figure out which high school playlist matches which staff member, and tell us your guess at the teen reference desk. If you are right, you win a prize!



A
Low Red Moon - Belly
Being Around - Lemonheads
Outshined - Soundgarden
Kool Thing - Sonic Youth
Seal My Fate - Belly
Little Amsterdam - Tori Amos
Late at Night - Buffalo Tom
Every Word - Belly
Get It Together - Beastie Boys
Rain King - Counting Crows
On a Plain - Nirvana
Full Moon Empty Heart - Belly
Roots Radicals - Rancid
Daisy Dead Petals - Tori Amos
Add It Up - Violent Femmes
Say It Ain't So - Weezer
Blank Expression - The Specials
White Man (In Hammersmith Palais) - The Clash
Fantasy - Mariah Carey

B
Jump Right In - The Urge
Tear Drop - Massive Attack
Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Award Tour - A Tribe Called Quest
My Name Is Jonas - Weezer
Bro Hymn Tribute - Pennywise
Sour Girl - Stone Temple Pilots
Waking Up - Elastica
Deborah - Beck
Wax Ecstatic - Sponge
Disengage the Simulator - CKY
Breed - Nirvana
Naked Eye - Luscious Jackson
Lights Out - Angry Samoans
Scarlet Begonias - Sublime
Bottles to the Ground - NOFX
Fast as You Can - Fiona Apple
Song 2 - Blur
Lucas with the Lid Off - Lucas
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
Keasbey Nights - Catch 22
The Wretched - Nine Inch Nails
Old Friend - Rancid
Radiation Vibe - Fountains of Wayne
Novacaine for the Soul - The Eels
Generator - Bad Religion
Over the Rainbow - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Welcome to Paradise - Green Day
Sell Out - Reel Big Fish

C
All My Best Friends Are Metalheads - Less Than Jake
Party Up - DMX
Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine
We Like to Party - Vengaboys
Party, My House, Be There - MxPx
Not Your Savior - No Use for a Name
Block Is Hot - Lil Wayne
Like This - Crucial Conflict
Ex-Factor - Lauryn Hill
Crossroads - Bone Thugs ‘N Harmony
Did Ever We Meet - The Promise Ring
Blue - Eiffel 65
Changes - 2pac
Simon Says - Pharoahe Monch
Road Rash - Mad Caddies
My Name Is - Eminem
Around The World - Daft Punk
Anti-Manifesto - Propagandhi
Definition - Mos Def & Talib Kweli
Waiting Room - Fugazi
Nose Over Tail - Alkaline Trio
Barbie Girl - Aqua
Ten Minutes - The Get Up Kids
Get That Paper - Do Or Die
Little League - Cap’n Jazz
Sober - Tool
One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men

D
Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space – Spiritualized
What Difference Does It Make (Peel Sessions) – The Smiths
The Boy with the Arab Strap – Belle & Sebastian
I Know that You Love Me – The Smoking Popes
Never Let Me Down Again – Depeche Mode
Sexx Laws – Beck
Brimful of Asha – Cornershop
Our Love is Heavenly – Heavenly
Fire – U2
The Love I’m Searching For – The Rentals
A Chicken with Its Head Cut Off – The Magnetic Fields
So Wat'cha Want – The Beastie Boys
Young Americans – David Bowie
Sometimes Always – Jesus & Mary Chain
Dark Star – Suede
Emma’s House – The Field Mice
A Forest – The Cure
Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
Lover, You Should’ve Come Over - Jeff Buckley
Waltz # 2 – Elliott Smith
My Love Life (KROQ Session) – Morrissey
Set Adrift on Memory Bliss – PM Dawn
End of a Century - Blur

Meeting Minutes from CLP, Teen-Main Teen Advisory Council

By the request of Teen Advisory Council members - The meeting notes from 1/20/08:


1. Pittsburgh 250th: We are going to video record library customers discussing their teen years in the 'Burgh. We'll then edit this and catalog it as an oral history of teens. We'll spend the summer visiting every branch, with teen volunteers doing the interviewing and the recording. We would like to contact alumni of Media Arts and Literacy workshops, among others. It was also suggested that we set up a booth at Extravaganza that will be for these interviews.

2. "Super TAC" Sometime this year, Karen would like to gather all TACs in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh system. What could we do when we get together:
a) Picnic.
b) Separate out into Interest groups (art, music, etc) and brainstorm programming ideas.
c) Promote the library with a video.

3. Let's make ourselves known! At the February or March meeting, we are going to create a Facebook and a Myspace profile for CLP, Main Teen Advisory Council.

4. Extravaganza Ideas! On Sunday, June 8th, CLP Main will have its Extravaganza on the lawn. Last year we had three tents for teens. The TAC suggests adding a 4th. Here is what the tents will be:
a) Teen Summer Reading: Get your free book here!
b) Gaming: Play Guitar Hero or Rock Band
c) Crafts: Make a button or deconstruct a T-Shirt
d) Programs: (NEW!) - Learn about all that the library offers in programs for Teens. Real teens will staff this tent and share their experiences in Art Club, Media Arts and Literacy, SAGDA, and more!

Thanks for a great meeting, everyone!

Volunteer @ Your Library

Hi everyone! CLP Teen at the Main Library is looking for volunteers in 2008. Being a Teen volunteer means you get endless gratitude from staff, and a chance to get to know out collection of books, magazines, CD's, video games, zines, graphic novels, Playaways, and manga - even better than you already do! Please stop by the Teen Reference Desk if you are interested in this opportunity

What do volunteers to:

*help us "shelf read" (make sure the materials are in the proper order)
*help us shelve the materials
*help us set up and run programs
*have an experience to list on those college and/or job applications
*and much, much more!

We love it when you give us art to post.

One of our very talented Teen space regulars shared this work on a manga-inspired comic he created. Thanks to Adebo for allowing us to post his work here.

30 Below - Great Teen Artists!!!

Head Downtown on New Years Eve for First Night to check out 30 Below, a fantastic art exhibit featuring work by some great teen artists, including a mural by Ben Pyles.

Happy Holidays,

Corey

SAGDA Meeting Minutes - 12/15/07

I'm proud to announce that the David Levithan afterparty is ON! David Levithan is speaking on Thursday, February 21st @ 7:00 PM. Our party will kick off around 8:00 PM and continue to 10:00 PM. Please plan on coming to both, and inviting all of your friends! Here's what we have in store so far (message me with additional info):

* LOTS OF ICE CREAM, both dairy and soy
* karaoke, via Singstar POP edition
* "gender deconstruction" crafts
* music, maybe?

What are your thoughts? What can we do to make this a night to remember?

We had our last meeting last Saturday, December 15th. In addition to playing an intense game of Apples to Apples, we met with representatives from Closing the Gap, a new initiative from the Persad Center. Closing the Gap is a peer counseling program that is looking for paid counselors between the ages of 14-18. If you want more information, or to obtain an application, you can download all the files here

We hope to see you at the next meeting (first of 2008), on Saturday, January 5th. As always, it will be at 2:00 PM and on the second floor of Kiva Han (420 S. Craig St.). Have a great day, and a wonderful 2008!

Best wishes,
Joseph

The Purple Carpet: CLP Teen Awards Results!

The results are in from the CLP Teen Awards! Here's who Pittsburgh teens chose as their favorites in a variety of categories:

Teen Fiction Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling
Teen Fiction Author: Terry Pratchett
Manga/Manga Series: Fruits Basket, by Natsuki Takaya
Teen Non-Fiction Book: Magical Thinking, by Augusten Burroughs
Graphic Novel: Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Music CD: Icky Thump, by The White Stripes
Video Game: Guitar Hero II

Take a look below for all the glitz, glamour, and drama that unfolded at the CLP Teen Awards. And let us know what your suggestions are for next year!



IMG_0301
Originally uploaded by clpteens

Tell us what to do.

Tell us what you think.

Click Here to take survey

Hi. It's the end of the year, and we're thinking about programs for 2008. How can we top this past year at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main-Teen? Please take this survey and share your thoughts with us.

Minutes from the Teen Sexual and Gender Diversity Alliance (11/3/2007)

Not too much to report. Only two people came. Please come! We need your support to help keep up the group alive. So if you think the idea is cool but haven't made it out, we beg, plead, and urge you to come!

Next meeting is November 17th, 2:00 PM, at Kiva Han (420 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213)

But onto the discussion:

• Programs: we need something exciting to get people excited about the group... but what? We thought about a party featuring ice cream, movies, face painting, crazy gender-freaking dress-up fun, and more. How does that sound?


• Posters: let's think of poster ideas we can put around the community. We propose Keith Haring-style drawing with a snappy, positive line that gets people thinking. We would then use one corner to suggest some books, and the other to promote the program. What LGBTQ-related books are you interested in featuring? What should our poster slogan be?

Please share your thoughts!

Thanks for making the Teen Halloween Party a huge success!

Number of people: 80
Minutes it took for 6 dozen cupcakes to be eaten: 20
Minutes it took for one gallon of cider and 10 liters of pop to be guzzled: 20
Minutes it took for about 25 pounds of candy to be decimated: 110
Seeing an awesome bunch of Pittsburgh teens rock out to video games, scary movies, and generally enjoy themselves: priceless

See the Flickr set by clicking on the picture below. Boo-yah!


IMG_0259
Originally uploaded by clpteens

Alana’s Horror Movie Survival Tips

In honor of our awesome Halloween party on the 27th, which will feature costume, candy, scary movies, video games, and more, I hereby present to you Alana's Horror Movie Survival Tips. If you ever find yourself pursued by an unstoppable killing machine, possessed by an evil demon, or facing hordes of brain-sucking zombies, please do make sure you consult these notes. So now, without further ado...

Alana’s Horror Movie Survival Tips

1. If there is something suspicious sitting in a chair or dark corner, do not approach it
2. Ignore anything that says “come closer.”
3. Do not investigate any disembodied voices. If they sound sing-song, run
4. If a family member or friend is acting possessed, do not try to reason with them. It doesn’t work.
5. Always hire a backup exorcist
6. Avoid unstable surfaces, especially when you’re high up above the ground
7. I cannot stress this enough: always check behind the door!!
8. When going to investigate something, do not leave your weapon behind
9. If the old nursery rhyme or poem says not to do something, don’t do it!
10. Avoid reading anything out loud from strange books with weird symbols on the cover. Better yet, don’t read anything out loud at all
11. If there is a human-shaped shadow behind a curtain, chances are there’s a human there
12. If you manage to defeat your attacker, make absolutely sure he/she/it is completely, permanently dead before leaving
13. If you find a safe hiding place where nothing can get you, stay there
14. If a creepy noise repeats more than 3 times, it’s not just the wind
15. When going to another room to investigate, take the kids with you
16. Anyone holding a sharp weapon is probably past the “let’s talk this over” point
17. Be the comic relief character, they are far less likely to be killed
18. Don’t trust anyone who seems incapable of moving properly, as they are usually insane, dead, hypnotized, or drunk
19. The sweetest looking child is usually the evil one
20. Never ask a killer “why are you doing this,” as it just wastes precious time
21. Dummies, dolls, and clowns are evil. Period.
22. Make sure you are informed of any possible family curses

To be continued…

Are we scared yet?

I know this is a little early and all, but I wanted to get the word out ASAP.

We are having a wicked-cool HALLOWEEN PARTY for teens on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27th from 2:00PM until about 5:00PM. All activities will be in the Teen Department, Main Library.

Of course it is totally free.

This year I am giving a prize to ANYONE and EVERYONE who shows up in costume.

We will be watching a scary movie that I haven't decided on yet. Any suggestions? Please send them along! Remember, as long as it is rated PG-13 we can probably watch it.

We'll play some games, and I'll make sure that there are plenty of freshments.

I am also thinking we could do some Halloween button-making. Buttons are always a hit.

So, please come and join us that afternoon for the festivities.



Did I mention that there is going to a ton of candy?



There is going a ton of candy.



Cheers,
Connie



P.S.

CLP Teen Radio at Pandora.com

Listen up - CLP Teen now has its very own internet radio station run by and for you! Listen to CLP Teen Radio at home or in the library by visiting Pandora.com:

Login: teensmain@carnegielibrary.org
Password: teens

That's all you need to get started, but WE NEED YOU to be a part of this to make it work. Add your favorite music to CLP Teen Radio or create a brand new station full of your music! If you have any questions make sure to ask the Teen staff.

Pandora is a great resource and a fantastic way to find new music. Here's a little more about what they do to get you started.

***

The Music Genome Project©

On January 6, 2000 a group of musicians and music-loving technologists came together with the idea of creating the most comprehensive analysis of music ever.

Together we set out to capture the essence of music at the most fundamental level. We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome. Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony. It's not about what a band looks like, or what genre they supposedly belong to, or about who buys their records - it's about what each individual song sounds like.

Since we started back in 2000, we've carefully listened to the songs of tens of thousands of different artists - ranging from popular to obscure - and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time. This work continues each and every day as we endeavor to include all the great new stuff coming out of studios, clubs and garages around the world.

It has been quite an adventure, you could say a little crazy - but now that we've created this extraordinary collection of music analysis, we think we can help be your guide as you explore your favorite parts of the music universe.

We hope you enjoy the journey.

Tim Westergren
Founder
The Music Genome Project

PinkTentacle.com - Dig It!

I grabbed this clip of guerilla artist Shuetsu Sato's colorful duct tape designs from the Japanophile blog Pinktentacle. Manga and Anime fans should definitely love this blog, but it's got enough quirk for everyone. Check it out!



- corey

Minutes from the Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance - Saturday, August 18 2007

Don't forget that we're tabling the Warhol event this Friday! It's from 5-10:00 PM. We'll have books, flyers for the group, podcasting, and more. Here's the flyer, so you can print it and give it to your friends:

We're also working on a poster series for LGBT History Month, which is October. The theme is "LGBT History Is a Living History." Here are who we chose so far (you should be able to remember who you chose out of these):

Jefferee Star
John Waters

Eleanor Roosevelt
Alexander the Great

Rufus Wainwright
Andy Warhol

Make sure you have your information for the upcoming meeting. You can find biographical information in our research databases (I recommend the Biography Resource Center and Biography Reference Bank).

Thanks for coming, everyone! We're gearing up for the next meeting, which is Saturday, September 15th, 2:00 PM @ the second floor of Crazy Mocha (420 S. Craig St. Pittsburg, PA 15213)

Harry and the Potters videos are NOW UP!

Voldemort couldn't stop the rock, and neither could the rain. Close to 400 children, teens, and imaginative adults braved the weather to see Harry and the Potters (and their evil guests, Draco and the Malfoys) give Pittsburgh a night to remember. Check out the clips!

I'm Corey and I'm new here.

Hi everyone, my name's Corey and this is my first week in Teen. I'm super-excited to be here and I look forward to meeting you all. Please feel free to track me down and introduce yourself. My interests include: soul music, dancing, comics (Marvel, Paul Pope, Grant Morrison, etc.), stationery and trees. I'm always good for a recommendation when it comes to music or graphic novels, but I'd be just as happy to shoot the breeze. See you soon!

The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg

Looking for a great graphic novel about friendship and radical art? Try the Plain Janes! Listen to a booktalk here:


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Date announced for CLP Teen Awards

December 14th, 2007.
5:30-7:30 pm.

Drop by for the coolest library awards ceremony in town.


Click Here to take survey

Minutes from Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance - Saturday, August 18,2007

Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance Saturday, August 18,2007

Andy Warhol Museum

Event: GLBTQ Night
When: Friday, September 14, 2007 (6:00 p.m.)
Where: 117 Sandusky St Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (412) 237-8310

What we’ll be doing:
· Rainbow bracelets
· GLBTQ buttons
· Showing short video on GLBTQ teen books & movies

Podcasting Ideas

GLBTQ Hotspots (hang outs)
GLCC Tour
Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance Meeting

GLBTQ History Month

When: October (February in the UK)

What we’ll be doing:
Buttons of well-known GLBTQ people (both past & present), and Gay pride!
Posters & Flyers – of GLBTQ people (both past & present). Including small bullet points of their general contributions, and orientation.

Here is a tiny sample list of GLBTQ People: (more coming!)
Deborah Wilson (MAD Tv)
Lance Bass (Musician)
Glen Burk (Professional baseball player)
Ms. Jay (America’s Next Top Model)
Tyra Banks (Model, Tv host)
Jeffery Star (Transgender singer and performer)
John Waters (Movie director)
Elton John (Musician)
Eleanor Roosevelt (First Lady)
Frieda Kahlo (Artist)
Alexander the Great (Macedonian ruler)



Publications:
Monthly compilation of interviews with local GLBTQ people

Miscellaneous:

Books recommended (so far) for Andy Warhol film:
Hello, Groin
The Geography Club Series
Rainbow Boys Series
The Center of the World (Die Mitte Der Welt)
Luna
Hard Love
The Full Spectrum
GLBTQ* Survival Guide for Queer & Questioning Teens

Movies recommended (so far) for Andy Warhol film:
But, I’m a Cheerleader
D.E.B.S.
Adam & Steve
Fire
Kinky Boots
Brokeback Mountain
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything

World Map
Color in every country/state that has legalized Same Sex Marriage.

Next Meeting: Saturday, September 1st, 2007 (2:00 p.m.) @ Kiva Han Cafe

First Annual CLP Teen Awards

We're having our first ever CLP Teen Awards in 2007. You can now enter your nominations in the following categories:


1. Teen Fiction Book
2. Teen Non-Fiction Book
3. Manga or Manga Series
4. Graphic Novel or Graphic Novel Series
5. Music CD
6. Video Game*


Enter your nominations now. Happy Voting!

Click Here to take survey


You have until the end of September to nominate titles. Our next round of voting will feature the top results in every category. Then, we'll reveal the winners at an Awards party in December. We'll be releasing the date soon!

*Just added!

Eli Reviews Stan Lee’s Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating the DC Universe Book 2

Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonderwoman, The Flash, Robin, and Shazam are all your favorite DC heroes. Now put them in the hands of the greatest comic book dude in the world and you’ve got yourself one SSSSSSUUUUUUUHHHH-WWWWWWWEEEEEEETTTT comic. Now in the last book Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonderwoman all were warped by Lee and the marvel team, so just add the flash (also featured in this book) and bam you got yourself the first Marvel JLA issue. Loaded with explanation and villains, JLA is a fun read.

But don’t stop there. What about the ever loved, ever cool side kick of Batman, Robin. I won’t give it all away but here’s the gist of the comic, Robin is controlled by the big baddie of all the Stan Lee DC comics. Fallowing Robins fateful (or not as much of one as they have in DC) turn to the to good, Shazam steals the spotlight for the final comic of this book. In well I think its in the middle east (because of all the sand), A young man, Rob, finds Merlan and the story launches. The drawing of Shazam is pretty sweet so check it out.

After all the comics are said and done, Stan Lee adds in goodies and bios that explain a lot. If you’re a DC/Marvel fan you enjoy checking this book out. Don’t forget this is book 2, so read book one first.

Zoe, an art club regular, created this lovely drawing for your viewing pleasure, and for her own fine forgiveness pleasure! Ask us how we can help you reduce your fines.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is still reeling from the wizard rock

Now that the 7th book's over, the party's just begun. I hereby give you The Remus Lupins, who strummed, drummed, sang, and saxed on July 31st:





Don't forget to check out Harry and the Potters, on Sunday, August 19th @ 5:00 PM

Zoë reviews Leepike Ridge, by N.D. Wilson

Tom Hammond, 11 years old, but he feels older, due to the fact that his father has been gone for three years. Elizabeth Hammond, Tom’s mom, who is finding the strain of being a single mother difficult. Tom runs away from home when his hated Elementary School teacher proposes marriage to Elizabeth. He gets swept up by a creek and winds up deep under Leepike Ridge. I thought the book was well written, and that it was captivating. I was intrigued. I can’t wait to read more!

Guitar Hero Rocks! Guitar Hero II Tournament Ruled!

Scientists unleash a new & exciting task for robots... playing Guitar Hero 2

If the Terminator could headbang, it would probably be a direct descendent of the Guitar Heronoid, a robot created for the purpose of, well, SHREDDING ON GUITAR HERO. It uses image processing code to "follow" the path of the little nodes on-screen and responds accordingly. Check it out in action.



Thinking of your own robotics projects? Check out our over a hundred books on the subject.

Oh, by the way, we are still having the Guitar Hero 2 tournament on Monday. It starts at 12:00 PM. Even if you aren't registered, we have door prizes for just showing up. Yes, that ties in with my new library theme: "Our giveaways. Let me show you them."

Today at Art Club we made duct tape wallets. As you can see below, we had lots of fun.




We will be doing this event again some time soon. You can keep a look out for it and other fun stuff going on at the Teen Department by checking the events manager.

Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance IS ON!

After a few issues trying to get a space, we are ON for the Teen Sexual & Gender Diversity Alliance! Here's the scoop:

• Dates 'n times: 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, starting August 4th. It officially runs from 2:00 - 3:00 PM but can keep going if people are into it!


• The place to be: We're meeting on the second floor of Kiva Han (420 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213)


• What we're up to:podcasting (making our own downloadable radio show), publishing a newsletter, political action, watching movies, making videos for Youtube, mutual support, develop special library programs (in celebration of LGBT history month, Day of Remembrance, or just generally fun stuff), book clubs, just generally fun & awesome things to do in the summer, and more!

Please come out, hang out, and help us get it started!

Volunteering: It's Hot Stuff

Our volunteers are hard at work scanning the shelves for out-of-place books (aka shelf-reading). From front to back, here's what they have to say

“It’s mind-numbing. ‘It makes my heart sore’ to see all the books. And I didn’t get a paper-cut, so I’m proud of myself.”

~Megan H.

“Sweetest thing ever!”

~Kevin L.

“It’s freakin’ awesome!”

~Chen Z.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Teen department thanks them for blood, sweat, and tears. If this looks good to you, fill out a volunteer application

.

Eclipse is coming out soon!

Karen and I saw this poster while at the American Library Association Conference in DC. As you can see, it was plastered over some R. Kelly ads. Interesting! This is the first time I have seen this type of advertising for a young adult book (but I don't get out much).

Holly

Books on Bikes!

Books on Bikes, our charity bike ride for teens, by teens went underway this past Saturday. As of now, we raised a total of $200.00 to buy books for youth shelters and community organizations in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, we'll have more info soon about how you can help put books in the hands of people who could really use them. For now, check out these pictures.

Riders Alana, Aaron, and Ben get pumped on pedaling.

Patrick and Ian bow to the machine.

Patrick wonders, "Hey, you just rode 8 miles! Why the heck aren't you eating all this food I bought?!"

Patrick rocks the party, cake style.

Patrick bows to Ben, winner of our impromptu "Civil War" scavenger hunt.

Thanks to everyone who came--and those who couldn't but still raised money for the cause! Thanks also to Bike Pittsburgh for supporting us.