Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Want to win a a Kodak EasyShare C613 6.2 MP Digital Camera?

Laugh Out Loud YouTube™ Contest
Oshawa Public Libraries are offering teens an opportunity to join a Teen YouTube™ Video Contest that begins on July 2 (the first day of lol @ ur library summer reading), and will run until September 2. The theme of the video contest is “Laugh Out Loud @ Your Public Library”. To participate, teens must follow the contest rules*:
You must be 13-19 years old to enter. You must obtain Parent or Legal Guardian permission before entering and written Parent or Legal Guardian consent is required before entries are considered.
Upload your YouTube™ video entry to the Library Laughs Group at http://www.youtube.com/OPLTeens

Each Contest Entry must have the following:• Video will be between 1-5 minutes long. • Video will include laughter. • Somewhere in video you will include “Oshawa Public Libraries”• Video must be intended for family audience viewing and contain content that, in the opinion of the Oshawa Public Libraries, is suitable for all persons aged 13 years and older.
Teens are encouraged to contact Oshawa Public Libraries if they have questions about the contest. A Grand Prize Winner will be selected who will win a Kodak EasyShare C613 6.2 MP Digital Camera.

Winners: Judged by Oshawa Public Libraries Librarians, winner will be announced in the first week of September.

Other Stuff to Know
To be considered, your video may not contain content that is inappropriate.
People who are included in your video must have agreed to be filmed.
You must have filled out our application and signed a release form
You may not violate any library policies during the creation of your video.
Winners will be selected on how well they follow the rules and on how informative and entertaining their submission is. Decisions of the judges are final.

*Please contact: Tiffany Balducci, 905-579-6111 ext. 5238, tbalducci@oshawalibrary.on.ca for detailed rules and regulations.

Want to win an iPod Nano or other fun prizes?


lol @ ur library!
Teen Reading Program
July 2 – August 22

This summer teens can laugh out loud at all the fun we are going to have at the Oshawa Public Libraries. Just drop by any of our 4 branches between July 2 and August 22 for your game card. Check out books, CDs, magazines, and DVDs for game points. Gather more points by stopping by some of our awesome programmes, or by writing a review of your favourite book, movie, or music CD. There will be a weekly f2f book chat at each branch. You’ll get some great gifts along the way and have a chance to win an iPod Nano, tickets to Canada’s Wonderland, and more each time you complete a game card. Stop by any branch for more details on how you can join up and laugh out loud all summer.

f2f Book Chat: An open book chat for teens ages 12 – 18
BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) and tell us whether you loved it or hated it! Stay for exciting discussions, snacks, and more! Stop by any branch for more details on how you can join!

Teen Summer Reading Contests
Caption This!
Each library branch will have a photo on display that will need a caption. Submit what you think those pictured should be saying! Keep it clean, of course. The winning caption will be posted on the teen blog and will win a prize.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Summer Reading Club!

lol @ ur library!
Teen Read Club
July 2 – August 22

This summer teens can laugh out loud at all the fun we are going to have at the Oshawa Public Libraries. Just drop by any of our 4 branches between July 2 and August 22 for your game card. Check out books, CDs, magazines, and DVDs for game points. Gather more points by stopping by some of our awesome programmes, or by writing a review of your favourite book, movie, or music CD. There will be a weekly f2f book chat at each branch. You’ll get some great gifts along the way and have a chance to win an iPod Nano, tickets to Canada’s Wonderland, and more each time you complete a game card. Stop by any branch for more details on how you can join up and laugh out loud all summer.

f2f Book Chat: An open book chat for teens ages 12 – 18
BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) and tell us whether you loved it or hated it! Stay for exciting discussions, snacks, and more! Stop by any branch for more details on how you can join!

National Summer Reading Club

As a supplement to the lol teen read club, you can join a national online reading club! Join teens from across Canada to submit book reviews, participate in discussion forums, and take part in librarian-moderated chats. Registration is so easy! Just visit: http://www.teensrc.ca/

Friday, June 6, 2008

Book Reviews!

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
The first twist: gentle, inconspicuous Tyler Miller unleashes his wild side on the school in the form of spray paint. Twist number two, the Millers’ supposedly perfect family is not so. The third twist: the girl of your dreams becomes your worst nightmare. While the rope of Tyler’s life twists tighter each day, he creeps closer to an inescapable outcome.

Devilish by Maureen JohnsonJane is worried about her friend Ally, who is not very popular and has just been humiliated at school. Ally vows to become popular and the next day comes to school with a new look. Over the following few weeks, Ally's wardrobe becomes more and more fabulous while she acts more and more mysterious. Ally finally confesses that she has sold her soul in exchange for popularity. Disbelieving her, Jane boldly offers to swap places with Ally. Unfortunately, Jane soon learns that the deal is no joke. Is it too late to save her soul?

Better Than Blonde by Teresa Toten
Sophie’s life is finally going the way she has always dreamed of: best friends with the Blondes, center of attention in her grade ten class, and no more secrets and lies! But what happens when her Papa – who was supposedly dead – is finally out of prison and back at home? With the help of her eccentric Aunties, Mama, and the fabulous Blondes, Sophie can handle anything –even including her first love. This novel is an excellent addition to the remarkable Blondes series.

Peeps by Scott WesterfeldWhen he goes to New York City to attend college, Cal picks up an unusual parasite. Left untreated it causes an aversion to sunlight and an uncontrollable desire to bite people. Fortunately for Cal, he is naturally resistant to the parasite. He now works for a secret agency that tracks down others who have been infected by the parasite which, regrettably for Cal, includes all of his ex-girlfriends.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Nick is heartbroken from his recent break-up three months, fourteen days, and 22 hours ago and can’t face his ex in a cluttered club alone, so he takes Norah along for the ride. Little does Nick know that Norah is also angst-ridden from her recent break-up! Told in perspective-alternating chapters, this book is a sometimes funny, sometimes sweet, sometimes sexy roller coaster of two teens trying to find themselves while sharing one date over a very long night and discovering who they want to be. Warning: the expletives fly fast and furiously throughout this heart-stopping, insightful, and incredibly funny novel that will leave you wanting to create the soundtrack to your own life. Hollywood is making this book into a movie starring Ontario-born Michael Cera.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Upcoming Programmes

Wizard Rock: The Whomping Willows Live in Concert!
Sunday, June 8 at 2:00 PM
McLaughlin Auditorium
Are you a fan of the Harry Potter series? Love Rock Music? Interested in finding out more about Wizard Rock? Join us in this HUGE event – The Whomping Willows of Wizard Rock fame, live in concert! For teens and tweens ages 11 and up! This is a free concert, but space is limited so visit your branch for a ticket today! Tickets become available on May 12th. Call Tiffany at 905-579-6111 ext. 5238 for more information.


Learn to Draw Comic Art with Blac Ice!
Saturday, June 14 at 1:00 PM
McLaughlin Auditorium
Do you like anime and graphic novels? Ever wanted to meet a real comic book creator? Well, here is your chance! Meet the creators of the comic Blac Ice and learn how to draw your own comics! Space is limited. For teens and tweens ages 10-18. Free registration at any branch.

TAB Presents: Jack and the Magic Stepladder
Saturday, June 28 at 2:30 PM
McLaughlin AuditoriumCome watch the TAB group present a fractured fairytale. This production is entirely run by the Teen Advisory Board group from the script to direction to acting and more!

Get Loud at the Library!


Wizard Rock coming to Oshawa: The Whomping Willows Live in Concert at Oshawa Public Libraries – McLaughlin Auditorium, Sunday, June 8th 2008 at 2:00 PM

Are you a fan of the Harry Potter series? Love Rock Music? Interested in finding out more about Wizard Rock? Join us in this HUGE event – The Whomping Willows of Wizard Rock fame, live in concert! For teens and tweens ages 11 and up! This is a free concert, but space is limited so visit your branch for a ticket today! Tickets become available on May 12th. Call Tiffany at 905-579-6111 ext. 5238 for more information.


The Whomping Willows is a Wizard Rock band from Providence, Rhode Island. In the muggle world however, he is known as Matt Maggiacomo, the front man of the band, The Whomping Willows. Realizing the effect wizard rock had on the world, Matt decided to write and record music based on scenes in the life of the aggressive tree. As a result, he released The Whomping Willow’s self-titled debut album in 2006. His two newest CDs are entitled Welcome to the House of Awesome and III. The Whomping Willows are also featured artists on many Wizard Rock compilation albums.

You can listen to the music at: http://www.myspace.com/thewhompingwillows
http://wizardrock.org/bands/whomping-willows/
http://www.last.fm/music/The+WhOMPING+WILLOWS

For more information, please contact:

Tiffany Balducci
Teen Librarian
Oshawa Public Libraries
65 Bagot Street, Oshawa, ON L1H 1N2

Voice: (905) 579-6111 ext. 5238
Email: tbalducci@oshawalibrary.on.ca
Web: www.oshawalibrary.on.ca


The Whomping Willows has not been prepared, approved, or liscensed by any person or entity that created, published, or produced the Harry Potter books or related properties. Likewise, the band does not own, nor does it claim to own, any portion of the Harry Potter series or any related trademarks, patents, or copyrights.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Twilight Alert!!!

Twilight the movie is scheduled for theatrical release on 12-12-08! Summit Entertainment’s trailer is ready for viewing now on myspacetv.com. MTV.com features movie updates each week on “Twilight Tuesdays”. Check out the trailer reaction video contest, cast interviews and the poster created by Joey Lawrence, exclusively for MTV.com. Stephenie Meyer has been visiting the set and getting to know the cast. Visit her blog for details. We have just ordered more copies of all the books in the Twilight series to fulfill the many requests.