Teenspace
Try something new, all of our programs are free!
Happy New Year!
Posted on December 30, 2017
Why not try something new in 2018?
The New Year is a perfect time of year to get a fresh start. It's a time to gain perspective, create new goals, or just try something that you've never done before. Are you up for the adventure?
Young Adult Librarians across the county have been conspiring to create a season of opportunity for Teens... you'll be able to have some fun, learn new skills, and get connected. Here are a few highlights of the activities that you can expect during the month of January at various branches of the Sonoma County Library!
Project Linus @ Windsor Regional Library on 1/2:
Project Linus is a nonprofit organization that provides blankets to children in need. This program provides an opportunity for teens to help others as well as learn a new craft. Teens individually or in pairs create knotted fleece blankets for donation to the local Linus Project chapter.
Teen Yoga @ Rohnert Park Library on 1/3, and @ the Sebastopol Regional Library on 1/31:
This class is specifically designed for teens, giving them an opportunity to work on strength and flexibility while relieving the stress of daily life. Classes build positive self awareness and self esteem through active yoga poses, balance work, partner games, breath work, and deep relaxation with music. This is the perfect break in between the busy worlds of school, friends, family, studying and partying. Join us to de-stress and power up! All Teens welcome.
At the Rincon Valley Branch, check out these fabulous opportunities:
Chess Club & Maker Space for Teens (soft electronic circuits anyone?)
What’s happening at the Petaluma Library this month? (Besides LUMACON of course?!)
CoderDojo, Homework Help, SAT Prep, Jam Session with SoCo Music...
Are you getting ready for National History Day? Check this out at the Central Library:
National History Day Project Rx is a research open house.
- Conduct primary and secondary research with the guidance of library staff.
- Get one-on-one help from a History Day staff member.
- Attend a mini-lesson on annotated bibliographies and/or thesis statements.
- View sample projects.
- Get pumped up about History Day!
Here's the number one reason why we loved 2017!
Best (Young Adult) Books of 2017
Posted on December 25, 2017
The holiday season can be an opportunity to celebrate and spend plenty of quality time with family and friends—offering more ‘togetherness’ than you even thought was possible. It can also be an excellent time to hide out (alone!) with an enthralling book. Amidst a year of political, cultural, and economic upheaval... one incredibly positive thing that occurred during 2017 is that truckloads of fantastic new Young Adult fiction titles were published.
Need to find a captivating book to read during winter break? As always, we’ve got your back. Use your library card and try out NovelistPlus. This powerful resource helps readers to search for their next perfect read. It allows you to use a favorite author or title as a guide to locate other authors and titles that you will love. (sonomalibrary.org->research->databases->novelistplus)
Additionally, here are a few lists of the hottest 2017 YA fiction books... you’re welcome!
Best YA Fiction - Goodreads Choice Awards
Best YA Fiction - Seventeen Magazine
Best YA Fiction - Time Magazine
Click here for the link to our Library Catalog where you can find most of these titles for free!
Got Questions? Ask one of our approachable & attentive YA Librarians at your nearest branch of the Sonoma County Library.
Post by Rosalie C. Abbott, Sebastopol Regional Library
The Debate Over Net Neutrality
Can You Be Neutral About ‘Net Neutrality’? (Points of View)
Posted on December 10, 2017
What is Net Neutrality:
“Internet, or "net," neutrality is the idea that Internet users should have equal access to all Internet content and that corporations and government agencies should not restrict access to Internet sites or services. The debate began in the early 2000s, and the term "net neutrality" was first coined by Columbia University law professor Tim Wu in 2003. The net neutrality debate covers both government regulations that censor Internet content and efforts by Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict or reduce access to certain sites and services to increase their profits.” (Isuit)
Why Does it Matter Now?
“The Federal Communications Commission will vote Dec. 14 on a plan to undo the landmark 2015 rules that had placed Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon under the strictest-ever regulatory oversight.” (Selyukh)
Gaining Perspective:
The Sonoma County Library has an excellent online resource where you may read about controversial topics to become more well informed. ‘Points of View’ offers topic overview, critical analysis, as well as both point and counterpoint arguements. Go to: www.sonomalibrary.org -> Research -> Databases -> Points of View (library card & pin)
Not sure where to begin? Ask the Young Adult Librarian at your local branch of the Sonoma County Library.
We’re here for you.
Post By Rosalie C. Abbott / Sebastopol Regional Library
Works Consulted:
-Points of View: Internet Neutrality 9/30/2016, p1-1. 1p.
-FCC Unveils Plan to Repeal Net Neutrality Rules https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/21/565682679/fcc-unveils-plan-to-repeal-net-neutrality-rules
Disaster and Resilience - A Teen Book List
Posted on November 01, 2017
Do you ever wonder what this world is coming to?
One peek at the news or your Instagram feed, and it can feel like you just woke up to the apocalypse. We've seen natural disasters reaching far around the globe and right here in our own backyards. There's violence, terror, and... the list goes on. During these times, when it seems like our reality can't possibly get any worse... it can be incredibly helpful to reach for examples of resilience, survival, strength, and courage. Scroll down for a list of books (fiction and non-fiction) where young adults have been put to the test--mostly by natural disasters--and not only survive... they also thrive in the face of hardship and devastation.
In Darkness Lake, by Nick Lake, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y LAKE) "Shorty" is a Haitian boy trapped in the ruins of a hospital when the earth explodes around him. Surrounded by lifeless bodies and growing desperately weak from lack of food and water, death seems imminent. Yet as Shorty waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, he becomes aware of another presence, one reaching out to him across two hundred years of history.
Dark Water, by Laura McNeal, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y MCNEAL) Living in a cottage on her uncle's southern California avocado ranch since her parent's messy divorce, fifteen-year-old Pearl Dewitt meets and falls in love with an illegal migrant worker, and is trapped with him when wildfires approach his makeshift forest home.
All We Have Left, by Wendy Mills, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y MILLS) In interweaving stories of sixteen-year-olds, modern-day Jesse tries to cope with the ramifications of her brother's death on 9/11, while in 2001, Alia, a Muslim, gets trapped in one of the Twin Towers and meets a boy who changes everything for her as flames rage around them.
The Memory of Things, by Gae Polisner, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y POLISNER) On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down, then while fleeing home to safety, he finds a girl covered in ash who has no memory.
Hurricane Song, by Paul Volponi, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y VOLPONI) Twelve-year-old Miles Shaw goes to live with his father, a jazz musician, in New Orleans, and together they survive the horrors of Hurricane Katrina in the Superdome, learning about each other and growing closer through their painful experiences.
Hold tight, don't let go : a novel of Haiti, by Laura Rose Wagner, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y WAGNER) In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Nadine goes to live with her father in Miami while her cousin Magdalie, raised as her sister, remains behind in a refugee camp, dreaming of joining Nadine but wondering if she must accept that her life and future are in Port-au-Prince.
Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward, Fiction (Library Call Number: WARD) Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, by Don Brown, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 363.34 BROWN) On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage -- and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.
Every falling star : the true story of how I survived and escaped North Korea, by Sungju Lee, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 951.9305 LEE) This is the memoir of a boy named Sungju who grew up in North Korea and, at the age of twelve, was forced to live on the streets and fend for himself after his parents disappeared. Finally, after years of being homeless and living with a gang, Sungju is reunited with his maternal grandparents and, eventually, his father.
The Bite of the Mango, by Mariatu Kamara, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 966.404 KAMARA) When Mariatu set out for a neighborhood village in Sierra Leone, she was kidnapped and tortured, and both of her hands cut off. She turned to begging to survive. This heartrending memoir is a testament to her courage and resilience. Today she is a UNICEF Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
NOTE: This list was thoughtfully compiled for you by our *fabulous* Young Adult Librarian, Lara Mayelian, at the Rincon Valley Regional Library. If you are looking for additional titles or need more recommendations, ask your friendly Teen Librarian at your local branch of the Sonoma County Library.
We are here for you!
Post by Rosalie Abbott, Sebastopol Regional Library
Imagine if Teens Could Vote!
Posted on October 25, 2017
In today’s society, often times it might seem like teenagers don’t have a lot of control over their world. Most teens have to keep their parent(s) and their teachers happy--tasks which basically add up to the equivalent of a full-time job. Until they turn 18, voting in local & national elections isn’t possible. So, where can young adults express their opinions and let their voices be heard?
Here’s a little secret. Young Adult Librarians across the country and all around the globe care about teens, and we always want to know what you think. Here’s just one example. We’ve listened to teenagers from around the world who recently voted on the top 10 young adult books from 2016… and we are happy to share the results here, check them out!
YALSA Official 2017 Teens’ Top Ten titles announced:
If you haven’t already read these titles, they just might be worth adding to your TBR list… at least, that’s what teens around the globe are telling us! Meanwhile, keep reading those 2017 books so that you’ll be ready to submit your own nominations when the time is right.
Got Questions?
Ask your friendly Young Adult Librarian at your local branch of the Sonoma County Library!
We are here for you.
Lost in the Library? We’ve got an App for that!
Posted on October 24, 2017
Teens, have you ever walked into the Library… looking for an interesting book to read, only to be completely overwhelmed by endless shelves of books?!
The “Teen Book Finder” is a free app that helps teens find nearly 4,000 award-winning young adult titles (from YALSA). Download it today!
NOTE: This also works for voracious readers who need to search high and low for their next great read… we’ve got you.
Need help? Ask the friendly Teen Librarian at your local Sonoma County Library branch.
Happy Reading! ;)
Do You Like a Good Challenge?
Posted on October 03, 2017
This past summer, the Sonoma County Library found out that yes indeed--teens do thrive when offered the pressure and perspective of a decent challenge! Studies show that students who read at least six books over the summer beat the “summer slide” and start school in the fall ready to learn--so we decided to offer a little bit of motivation to help make that happen.
Teens across Sonoma County read book after book, and received prize after prize all summer long... including free books, treats, earbuds, book bags, gift cards, and of course a raffle ticket for the GRAND PRIZE: a Chromebook!
Now that students are back in school, you might be wondering who managed to escape the “summer slide”... AND, who won those fabulous Chromebooks from the various branches of the Library?
More teens than ever participated in the TeenRead program. Many played, most had fun, and a few lucky souls were the winners of the 6 Book Challenge raffle tickets. If you didn't win, we hope you at least had a great summer full of incredible and fantastic books. Curious about the lucky winners? Scroll down for the photo gallery.
Congrats to our TEEN READ 2017 GRAND PRIZE WINNERS!
These lucky teens who participated in the teen summer reading program won a CHROMEBOOK!!
Central - Congratulations Phineas!
Cloverdale - Congratulations (name not published by request)!
Guerneville - Congratulations Riley!
Healdsburg - Congratulations Maggie!
Northwest -Congratulations Mateo!
Petaluma - Congratulations Will!
Rincon Valley - Congratulations Zannet!
Rohnert Park / Cotati - Congratulations Adeline!
Roseland - Congratulations Naomi!
Sebastopol- Congratulations Claire!
Sonoma Valley - Congratulations Y. Valezquez!
Windsor - Congratulations Eliana!
![image of Sather Tower with text [A Path to College Sonoma County Library]](https://sonomalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/flexslider_full/public/images/PathtoCollege.Wide__0.jpg?itok=0BFODYwK)
More Path to College Workshops Announced
Posted on September 27, 2017
The Sonoma County Library is continuing our popular Path to College workshops supporting college-bound high school students and their families. With these workshops the Library seeks to meet the needs of students through all stages of the college preparation and application process.
“Preparing for college can be a stressful time for high school students and their families. We’re proud to support these students and give them the information they need to achieve their higher education goals. Best yet, all our workshops are free!” said Petaluma Library Teen Services Librarian Diana Spaulding.
The Library will be providing workshops this fall on writing compelling college application essays and answers to the UC prompts; approaching the college application process with confidence and a plan; paying for college and completing the online FAFSA; and planning ahead for the transfer from a Junior College to a 4-year University. All workshops are led by qualified local experts and are free and open to high school students and their families.
Path to College Fall 2017 Workshops include:
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How to Tackle the Essay & UC Prompts (pre-registration required)*:
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Wednesday 10/4 from 6:30-8:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Monday 10/9 from 6:30-8:0pm – Petaluma Regional Library
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Saturday 10/14 from 11:00am-12:30pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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Demystifying & Simplifying the College Application Process
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Saturday 10/7 from 11:00am-12:30pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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Wednesday 10/11 from 6:30-8:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Paying for College
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Saturday 11/4 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Petaluma Regional Library
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Monday 11/20 from 6:30-8:00pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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The JC Transfer Option
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Saturday 11/4 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Saturday 12/2 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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*How to Tackle the Essay and UC prompts workshops require pre-registration due to limited space because it is a hands-on class for students rather than families. It will be taught in English only. All other workshops have bilingual staff and support for Spanish speaking attendees.
For more information, contact Teen & Adult Services Librarian Diana Spaulding at 763-9801 ext. 0731 or dspaulding@sonoma.lib.ca.us.
Vote for the 2017 Teens' Top Ten!
Posted on August 16, 2017
FOR TEENS ONLY!
Did you read any phenomenal books last year? Did you have favorites? If so, your vote is wanted! (And if not, check out the list below--you just might find some really great reads.)
The time is now to choose your favorite three books from this past year. Voting is open from August 15th through October 14th (10/8 to 10/14 = Teen Read Week). The Top Ten winning titles will be announced the week of October 18, 2017
Check out the 26 nominated titles and vote for up to 3 Books –
THIS VOTING IS FOR TEENS ONLY: https://www.dogobooks.com/voting/2017-teens-top-reads
Check out this Video to See the Top 26 Nominees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLqTlHyzsDU&feature=youtu.be
Or, just take a peek at the list here:
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Black, Jenna. Nightstruck. Tor Teen.
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Bosworth, Jennifer. The Killing Jar. Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux.
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Bracken, Alexandra. Passenger. Disney-Hyperion.
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Braswell, Liz. Once Upon a Dream. Disney Press.
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Buxbaum, Julie. Tell Me Three Things. Random House.
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Clare, Cassandra. Lady Midnight. Margaret K. McElderry.
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Dennard, Susan. Truthwitch. Tor Teen.
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Dinan, Kurt. Don’t Get Caught. Sourcebooks Fire.
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Federle, Tim. The Great American Whatever. Simon & Schuster.
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Freedman, Russell. We Will Not Be Silent. Clarion Books.
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Glasgow, Kathleen. Girl in Pieces. Delacorte Press.
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Gout, Leopoldo. Genius: The Game. Feiwel & Friends.
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Hamilton, Alwyn. Rebel of the Sands. Viking Books.
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Kincaid, S. J. The Diabolic. Simon & Schuster.
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Landers, Melissa. Starflight. Disney-Hyperion.
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Martin, Emily. The Year We Fell Apart. Simon & Schuster.
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McIntosh, Will. Burning Midnight. Random House.
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Meyer, Marissa. Heartless. Feiwel & Friends.
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Mills, Wendy. All We Have Left. Bloomsbury.
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Nijkamp, Marieke. This is Where It Ends. Sourcebooks Fire.
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Russo, Meredith. If I Was Your Girl. Flatiron Books.
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Shusterman, Neal. Scythe. Simon & Schuster.
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Welch, Jenna Evans. Love & Gelato. Simon & Schuster.
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West, Kasie. P.S. I Like You. Scholastic.
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Williamson, Lisa. The Art of Being Normal. Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux.
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Yoon, Nicola. The Sun is Also a Star. Delacorte Press.
Contact the Teen Librarian at your Local Branch of the Sonoma County Library for more information!
Women’s History through "Timeless"
Posted on March 06, 2017
One of my recent “guilty pleasures” is the new NBC series Timeless. This TV series mixes history with time travel as a present-day team chases bad guys through time using a prototype time machine. Each episode visits a different era of history, and features famous historical figures who unwittingly assist the narrative in different ways.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we're using the time travel in this TV series to explore more about their featured women from history, including Nonhelema, Katherine Johnson, Bonnie Parker, and Josephine Baker.
Nonhelema
The Timeless team meets up with the Shawnee peace chief Nonhelema in 1754, near the beginning of the French and Indian War. The adult book Warrior Woman tells the fictionalized story of this tough, no-nonsense chief of the Shawnee tribe as she leads her people’s resistance against the Virginians.
Katherine Johnson
Johnson is more well-known today, thanks to the recent film Hidden Figures. The film shares the account of African-American women mathematicians at NASA who helped put men on the moon in 1969, and Hidden Figures: the American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians who Helped Win the Space Race is the book it is based upon.
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World includes Johnson among its subjects.
Bonnie Parker
Not all historical women are heroines – Bonnie Parker is definitely more infamous than heroic, for she and her partner Clyde Barrow ran a gang of outlaws that terrorized the central United States in the 1930s. Read more about Bonnie’s tragic story in Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, for adults, or Bonnie and Clyde: A Biography, for teens.
Josephine Baker
A singer and dancer, Baker is compared to Beyoncé on the show, giving an indication of her stardom and talent. In addition to being an entertainer, she also helped the French Resistance as a spy during World War II.
Josephine: the dazzling life of Josephine Baker is a children's biography of Baker's life. The Many Faces of Josephine Baker: Dancer, Singer, Activist, Spy gives an account of Baker's life and the many roles she played in her professional and personal life. This title is intended for teens and adults.
