Areas teens are invited to "Joust Read" this summer by participating in the Columbus Public Library's teen summer library program from June 1-July 31.  Teens are invited to come to the library and read for prizes as well as to take part in special events offered on four dates this summer.

The theme centers on dragons, medieval castles, and jousting.  On Sunday, June 11, at 2 p.m. the "Magic" begins.  At our first meeting we will establish our format.  Hopefully, a consensus will be reached and it will fit the needs of our target audience--middle school through high school students.

Plans include letting the young people have a 'page" on our Web site---www.columbuslibary.info.  They may use it for book lists, poems, pictures, whatever they feel will represent the teen population in Columbus.

My hope is that the interest and enthusiasm will carry past the summer and possibly making it a permanent "page" on the Columbus Public Library's Web site.

The other dates for "Joust Read" activities will be June 25, July 9, and July 23.  For sure, there will be many individual conflicts, such as work schedules, summer camps, summer Bible camps.  The list is endless when it comes to possible conflicts.  Saturdays might pose the least amount of scheduling hassles.

On June 25 will be the online scavenger hunt.  Donna Thiem, our computer techie, has that under control.  Anyone who knows me very well realizes that the computer is not my forte.

For those of you wondering where the reading comes in, do not fear.  I have a list of at least 30 or 40 young adult titles.  Some of the more promising entries are:

"Pirates!" The True and Remarkable Adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington, Female Pirates! by Celia Rees is both a teen and an adult book.  In 1722, after arriving with her brother at the family's Jamaican plantation where she is to be married off, 16-year-old Nancy Kington escapes with her slave friend Minerva Sharpe.  Together they become pirates traveling the world in search of treasure.

"The Se of Trolls" by Nancy Farmer is about a young man named Jack.  He becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard; he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers. 

I'm excited about the Teen Summer Reading Program.  We'll be having prizes, and online scavenger hunt, and computer fund and the most important aspect--encouraging the love of reading.

The key way that summer library programs for teens are different from those for children is that teens are given the opportunity to take chare of their own library program.  This ownership translates into pride in the program and pride in the library.  This pride has a direct influence on teen usage of the library and teen behavior in the library.

While all teen activiteis will be on the first floor, don't miss the flame-throwing dragon on the second floor.