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Teens Blog

Unicorn Flower Pots

Yes, I loved My Little Pony in the 80s.  And I did in fact have one that was a unicorn.  Her name was Moondancer.  But I am NOT the type of person drawn to any and all things unicorn.  But, come on, this is adorbs!  And you too can have this rare and magically wonderful planter!  Teens will be making Unicorn Flower Pots on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.  Sign up online or by phone (444-7826) beginning April 12.

National Library Week 2019

National Library Week is April 7- 13, 2019.  It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers.  Libraries of all types serve as change agents that strengthen communities by supporting community engagement and providing services that connect closely with patrons’ needs. That's why the theme for this year is Libraries=Strong Communities.  And it's totally true!  All you have to do is step into Hoover Public Library, take a look around, and you'll see the proof.  The 2019 NLW Honorary Chair is philanthropist and author Melinda Gates.   “In addition to providing communities with access to ideas and information, libraries play an important role in our public life by encouraging creativity, promoting equality, and serving as a source of empowerment,” Gates said.  We want that to always be true here at Hoover Public Library.  If you haven't tapped into our programs and other resources, I encourage you to use National Library Week as an excuse to do just that.  If you know all the ins-and-outs of what we offer and have an idea of how we can offer even more, we want to hear about it.  Have you read our mission?

"The Hoover Public Library seeks to reinvent the way communities view libraries. As the heart and soul of the Hoover community, we are more than just a library. We’re the place you come to meet your friends, experience live theater, peruse art, listen to music, entertain your children, learn about new technology, seek job searching assistance, explore your interests, find good book recommendations and much, much more. We seek to grow our patronage by offering an unparalleled customer experience. When you have a question, we want the library to be the first thing that comes to mind."

BONUS!
Watch the American Library Association's commercial for NLW2019.

Internment

I loved Samira Ahmed's debut novel Love, Hate & Other Filters (2018).  So, naturally, I was excited to hear she had penned a new book.  Once I learned about the subject matter, I was still eager to read it, but I don't want to use the word excited anymore.  That implies enthusiasm.  How can I be enthusiastic about a future, even fictional, that is filled with such hate?  But it's an important book.  Watch Samira talk about it.  Then read it.  Please.

Internment (March 19, 2019)
Layla was a regular American teenager until the new Islamophobic president enacted Exclusion Laws.  Muslims are being rounded up, their books burned, and their bodies encoded with identification numbers. Neighbors are divided, and the government is going after resisters. Layla and her family are interned in the California desert along with thousands of other Muslim Americans, but she refuses to accept the circumstances of her detention, plotting to take down the system. She quickly learns that resistance is no joke: Two hijabi girls are beaten and dragged away screaming after standing up to the camp director. There are rumors of people being sent to black-op sites. Some guards seem sympathetic, but can they be trusted? Taking on Islamophobia and racism in a Trump-like America, Ahmed’s (Love, Hate & Other Filters, 2018) magnetic, gripping narrative, written in a deeply humane and authentic tone, is attentive to the richness and complexity of the social ills at the heart of the book. Layla grows in consciousness as she begins to understand her struggle not as an individual accident of fate, but as part of an experience of oppression she shares with millions. This work asks the question many are too afraid to confront: What will happen if xenophobia and racism are allowed to fester and grow unabated? [from Kirkus Reviews]

Want to learn even more about the book?  Read a conversation with both Samira Ahmed and Monica Hesse.  Hesse's new book, The War Outside, centers around family internment camps in the United States during WWII.  And, since I know you'll be wondering, yes . . . it is definitely on my to-read list.

Spring Break 2019

Hoover City Schools will be on Spring Break March 25-29, 2019, so we're taking a break from our regular programming to host a series of special events.  And we're going retro, taking it old-school, people.

Join us for a Family Movie in the Library Theatre on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.  We'll be showing the recently re-released 1953 Disney animated version of Peter Pan.  Admission and refreshments are free!  Teens can drop by the Youth Program Room for Open Gaming at 4 p.m.  We're featuring video games (of course), but we'll also have board games and card games.

You don't need a magic feather to take flight at Dumbo's Big Top on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.  Simply follow the stars to a circus party inspired by the classic (and current) film.  There will be games, crafts, and tasty treats.

Kids of all ages can bring a blanket and their favorite stuffed animal to a Teddy Bear Picnic on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m.  This storytime will feature two storytellers, classic kid lit and songs, and Teddy Graham crackers.  Older kids (ages 8-12) can sign up to create some crazy delicious food inspired by classic book character friends at Character Chopped! at 4 p.m.   Registration opens 03/21.

Service Saturday with Project Linus

Have you heard of Project Linus?  It's a non-profit organization that provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.  How?  They do it through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”  Since 1995, they have delivered 7,375,351 blankets.  Want to be part of this rewarding and fun service opportunity?  Join us at the Hoover Public Library for Service Saturday this Saturday, March 16, 2019!  From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., teens in grades 8-12 will be making blankets for Project Linus.  This is a great opportunity to lend a helping hand, and participants will receive community service hours.  So it's a win-win!

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Teen Services

Teen Volunteers

Volunteer applications are taken year round, but opportunities are available on a limited basis. During the school year times are available for special programs only. Applications will be held on file until opportunities arise. Volunteers are needed more during the summer to help with the library’s Summer Reading Program.