Teen Talent 2012: Coming Soon

Like to sing, dance, do stand-up comedy or have a unique talent? Want to perform in front of people for a chance to win cash? Teen Talent 2012 is coming to Hillsborough County this March and April. Starting in February, you will be able to register solo or as a group for a chance at stardom. Registration forms will be available soon at the information desk of participating libraries.

Check out the talent from the competition last year at the SouthShore Regional Library and see if your talent stacks up!



Did I mention that first place is $100?

More information coming soon........

Teen Art on Display!

It looks Great! It looks Grand!

Benito Middle School Students have enriched the New Tampa Regional Library's children's area with ARTWORK! Group portraiture, Escher patterns, and still life sketchings. People of all ages have been observed walking through this colorful wall exhibit, appreciating the creative output of BENITO Middle School.

submitted by Elisa

Jan Platt Library Teen Book Club :: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Do you love reading? Looking for something new? Join us for our monthly Teen Book Club. We read and talk about books selected by teens like you!

On Thursday, December 1st at 5:30pm we will be discussing Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card at Jan Platt Library. Come join the discussion and help select future books for the group to read. Copies of the book are available at the Jan Platt Library for check out.

Come an hour earlier at 4:30 and join our Teen Advisory Board. Have a voice in creating library programs and recommending materials like graphic novels, manga, young adult fiction, and music. Help promote the library to other teens. T.A.B. members earn community service hours toward graduation, scholarships and more!

"Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin isn't just playing games at Battle School; he and the other children are being tested and trained in Earth's attempt to find the military genius that the planet needs in its all-out war with an alien enemy. Ender Wiggins is six years old when his training begins. He will grow up fast."

Ender's Game won the Nebula Award and Hugo Award (the two most prestigious awards in science fiction). It was also honored with a spot on American Library Association's "100 Best Books for Teens". In 2008, the novel, along with Ender's Shadow, won the Margaret A. Edwards Award, which honors an author and specific works by that author for lifetime contribution to young adult literature.

See what books our Book Club has read by checking out our bookshelf on Goodreads.

Hispanic Heritage Poster Winners

Are you curious who won the 2012 2nd Annual Teen Hispanic Heritage Poster Contest? Visit Studio 813 and find out if your poster was the winner?

Do you want to see all of the posters including the honorable mentions? We have setup displays of the posters at the Tampa Bay History Center (part of display shown above) and the SouthShore Regional Library. The displays will stay up through the end of November.

Congratulations to the winners!!!

National Gaming Day @ The Library

What a DAY !

Several contestants came to compete in National Gaming Day in the Tampa-Hillsborough County Libraries! This saga starts at the West Tampa Branch Library. After a lot of "Hey Man", "Awww's" and "Yeah's!", two remained. Those two went online to battle against the C. Blythe Andrews Library. Christian and D'Andre made it to the SEMI-FINALS! (We weren't sure we were going to make it). They had tough competitors!

The John F. Germany Library, Sulphur Springs Partnership Library, and the C. Blythe Andrews Library were ready to "BRAWL!" They set the rules but West Tampa Reigned Supreme!

Congratulations to D'Andre, National Library Gaming Day Champ in Hillsborough County!

Library Debuts Facebook Page!

There’s a new Facebook page in town! Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System went live with its first Facebook page last week!

We are excited to interact with you in this new way and hope you will check us out and ”like” our page! This is a great way to get breaking news from the library, as well as finding out about upcoming teen contests including Teenz Ink and the Teen Talent Shows in March and April where you can win CASH!

Click on the image below to get started, we look forward to your feedback!

The Return of Shadocon!

Yeppers, Shadocon is back! Same place and all- at the Crowne Plaza Hotel right here in Tampa. Meet some of your favorite voice actors. Dance the night away at the Final Fantasy Ball! Enjoy .hack//SIGN the Musical. Play video games, sing along with anime music videos, participate in the panels, and gaze at the costumes in the cosplay contest- and much more! Right here, this weekend- at Shadocon!

Shadocon

Walking Ghost Tour a Success: Picture It @ Your Library!

Teens at the John F. Germany Public Library wrapped up Teen Read Week in style, by participating in a walking ghost tour in Downtown Tampa. Click here to check out some of the raw footage from the tour. Look closely, you never know what they have been caught in film.

Free Downloadable Music

Are you looking for a free option for downloading music? Freegal is a downloadable music service offering hundreds of thousands of DRM-free songs, over 100 genres of music, and more than 50 record labels from the Sony Music Entertainment catalog. The artists available on Freegal include Ke$ha, Kelly Clarkson, and Britany Spears. You will find many of your favorites through this service. The only catch is that you are limited to 3 downloads per week and that you need a library card.

Want to give it a shot? You can visit Freegal through our Arts and Entertainment page on the library website.

Open Stage for Teens @ Jan K. Platt Regional Library [Wednesday, November 30th]

Open Stage for Teens

@ Jan K. Platt Regional Library

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Teens : Come check out our Open Stage event! Enjoy the café atmosphere with tea, coffee, and snacks while you watch your friends perform their favorite talent. Those that want to go on stage can sign up in advance, at the library information desk or by calling 813-273-3652, or at the door for a three minute time slot to perform a song, poem, dance, magic trick, or any other talent you want to share.

This event is hosted by the Jan K. Platt Regional Library Teen Advisory Board and funded by the Friends of the Jan Platt Library.

College Financial Workshop @ John F. Germany Public Library

Dealing with all the steps it takes to go to college can be scary -- and confusing. Especially finding a way to pay for it. Come to the John F. Germany Library on Thursday, October 20 at 6 pm for a college financial workshop for students and their parents and get the answers to some of your biggest questions. "What are the due dates for financial aid forms?" "What scholarships am I eligible for?" "What are the application deadlines for UT and HCC?" Representatives from the University of Tampa and Hillsborough County Community College will be on hand with answers to these questions and more. Plus, you'll have a chance to win SAT tutor books. And the best part? It's all free! Can't make it on October 20? Surf over to Hillsborough County Library's "College Prep 101" website for more tips on paying for college.

Get closer to college @ your library!

Giving Tree Music - Drumming @ Jan Platt Library

Hi !

We are having a very special event at Jan Platt Library : a Giving Tree Music Drumming event on Tuesday, October 18, from 4:30 - 5:30

Connect our Global Community through Music! Drumming in a group can spark joy in an individual. We provide the drums; all you need to bring is yourself. Sing, drum, dance and laugh as we explore the magic of community and teamwork. We will learn traditional songs and stories, and how to "talk" to each other with our drums.

Son of Neptune Just Released

The book many of us have been waiting on has finally arrived. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan has just been released this week. We will add the book to our catalog soon, but you can always read the first book of the series. The Heros of Olympus is the second series for Percy Jackson and his gang of demigods and Son of Neptune is the 2nd book in that series.

The first series was called Percy Jackson and the Olympians and started with the Lightning Thief. Some of us have only seen the movie version of the Lightning Thief, but the book is a huge improvement from the movie. If you have not read any of his books, you should check out the Lightning Thief.

The John F. Germany Public Library will also celebrate the arrival of Rick Riordan's new book with an Octoga Party for teens under the age of 15. Come dressed as your favorite Greek God or Goddess and enjoy an afternoon of Percy Jackson themed games and contests.

Jan Platt Library Teen Book Club :: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

Do you love reading? Looking for something new? Join us for our monthly Teen Book Club. We read and talk about books selected by teens like you!

On Thursday, October 27th at 5:30pm we will be discussing The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey at Jan Platt Library. Come join the discussion and help select future books for the group to read. Copies of the book are available at the Jan Platt Library for check out.

Come an hour earlier at 4:30 and join our Teen Advisory Board. Have a voice in creating library programs and recommending materials like graphic novels, manga, young adult fiction, and music. Help promote the library to other teens. TAB members earn community service hours toward graduation, scholarships and more!

"Alfred Kropp was just trying to survive high school when his guardian uncle gets him roped into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme that changes his life forever: stealing Excalibur—the legendary sword of King Arthur. But after Alfred unwittingly delivers the sword into the hands of a man with enormously evil intentions, he sets off on an unlikely quest to try to right his wrong and save the world from imminent destruction. This gripping, fast-paced, hilarious novel is both a thrilling adventure story and an engaging account of one boy’s coming of age."




See what books our Book Club has read by checking out our bookshelf on Goodreads.

It's all fun and games... @ the library!

Come play with us at the many Game Zones offered at libraries around the county. We bring the video games; you bring the fun! Some branches also offer online PC gaming or other activities, too. Check the event schedule or talk to your librarian to find out when the fun is coming to a branch near you!

Need Community Service Hours?

Love to read? Devour the latest book by your favorite author and review it on our teen blog. Enjoy socializing with your friends? Plan an after-hours party for teens in the library. Many libraries throughout the county have Teen Advisory Boards (TABs) where you can earn community service hours while having a say about how libraries serve teens in the community. This is your chance to help increase literacy among your peers and make a difference in their lives. You might even have some fun on the way and learn new skills such as video editing and other cool technology tools.

Looking for your closest TAB? Checkout our TAB page for more information or if you’re interested in chartering a completely new TAB, we’ve just added a Teen Advisory Board at the John F. Germany Public Library in Downtown Tampa.

Blow me down - September 19 is “Talk like a Pirate” day!


Now you too, can sound like a real pirate. Mango Languages offers “Pirate” as one of its over 30 language offerings. You too can learn how to say “Oh my gosh the ship isn’t moving” (Blow me down, the ship’s becalmed) and “Holy cow!” (Shiver me timbers) in Pirate using Mango’s free language course.

Head on over to the Homework Help section of the Library's Teen Central website for a link to Mango Languages.
Just remember that a pirate’s favorite letter is ARRR!

Lauren L. @ John F. Germany Public Library

Teen Jam 2011 - Stix of Fire Rocked the Auditorium

Teen Tuesday Nights started with a bang at the John F. Germany Public Library on Tuesday, September 13th. Stix of Fire rocked the auditorium with some great tunes, while the rest of us chowed down on pizza and soda. This is the start of a series of programs including a Teen Advisory Board and Game Zone on Tuesday Nights.

Teen Advisory Boards allow you to gain community service hours needed for college scholarships while giving teens a voice about library programs. Help steer us old folks to some fun and educational programs that you want to see in the library. You might even be voted in as an officer, which will look great on your college resume.

Game Zone gives you the opportunity to play a Wii on a big screen with an exceptional sound system. The games include Smash Brothers Brawl and Mario Kart. An Xbox 360 provides even more of your favorite games.

Food and soda will be served to help keep your energy up while hanging out at the library. So don’t forget, Tuesday Nights are for teens at the John F. Germany Public Library.

Annual Teenage Battle Of The Bands Now Accepting Registration

What: 14th Annual Teenage Battle of the Bands
When: Saturday, Oct. 15 from Noon - 11 p.m.
Where: Hillsborough County Fair, 4810 E. State Road 60 in Dover
Registration: $50 Entry Fee per Band by Oct. 7

The 14th Annual Teenage Battle of the Bands, hosted by the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, will be held Saturday, Oct. 15. The event is scheduled from Noon – 11 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 4810 E. State Road 60 in Dover, five miles east of Brandon at the intersection of Sidney-Washer Road and Highway 60.

Bands can apply now for the competition that provides free studio time to the top two winners. The entry fee is $50 dollars per band and members must be between 13 and 20 years of age. Only one band member can be age 20. Styx of Fire was the winner of Battle of the Bands last year.

Contact Joe Soletti, Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, for registration information at (813) 376-5778.

Middle School the Worst Years of My Life

James Patterson has done it again. His new book "Middle School : The worst years of my life" already has people talking.

Visit the Website at middleschoolbook.com

It is full of interactive enjoyment.

Read the first 20 chapters for free.

Download it to your iphone for more fun.

I haven't even read it yet, but I'm already excited.

It's an app

It's an eBook

It's an Audio Book

It's a comic.

So many choices...

First Annual Teen Film Festival: Did you Win?

And the winner is .... Magic Chalk!! With a grand prize of a $200 gift card from Best Buy, Magic Chalk took home the gold at the first annual Teen Film Festival. The nominees include a film about a first date, a nerd, and many other creative adventures.

At the award show, the filmmakers, their friends, and family walked the red carpet, took celebrity photos, and enjoyed refreshments. A screen of the films followed with awards handed out for the best film in each category. None of this would have been possible without the generous support of the Friends of the John F. Germany Public Library.

Teens had two months to create, film, and edit their films, which were then judged by a committee of librarians. Start brainstorming ideas for next year's festival and you may be the next Teen Film Festival winner!

Check out the photos in our Flickr Photostream and the Videos on Studio 813.