Library Idea of the Week
Cathy Belben, Librarian, Burlington-Edison High School
February 22, 2005

Does this ever happen in YOUR library—the same kid shows up several periods a day, several times a week? Teachers often don’t realize when they grant permission for students to go to the library that the student has already visited the library that day.  I had this problem—and I had the problem of not being able to remember which day and which period I’d seen a kid.  My assistant and I started keeping the library passes in a file by students’ names, so we could track certain kids who were apparently abusing the system.  Don’t get me wrong—I don’t want to discourage library use—but there are some squirrely students out there who aren’t really using the library—they’re using us.

Book of the Week—Some Favorite YA Reads as of Late

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to acquire copies of the latest in the “Traveling Pants” series by Ann Brashares. The third book, Girls in Pants, chronicles the experiences of the four best friends—Tibby, Bee, Carmen, and Lena—during the summer after their senior year. It picks up where the second book left off, and left me with the distinct impression that a fourth book is on the way.  I recommend Brashares’ books to fans of Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen, and other teen “chick lit” authors.

I also read the new Joyce Carol Oates book, Sexy, over the four-day weekend, with a mixed response. I think Oates might be better off sticking with adult fiction, as I sometimes feel like her YA stuff (Freaky Green Eyes in particular) ends up sounding like an adult telling a teen’s story.  Sexy, despite its provocative cover and title, doesn’t have content to match. It is the story of a group of boys who decide to get even with a teacher by making accusations against him, and the one boy who knows the truth, but it never gets graphic. I liked it more than Freaky Green Eyes, and I think teens will like the suspense.

Also this weekend, I read the very fun 24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley. It’s a fun, light one for boys interested in relationship reads (I’m thinking of fans of Son of the Mob and Diary of a Teenage Stud). In 24 Girls, Jack Grammar’s two best friends place a personal ad in the school’s online newspaper, advertising Jack’s need for a prom date. Despite his reluctance, he finds himself dating various girls who responded to the ad. Lots of fun!