The 2012 Project: January 12th update

The 2012 Project began because I had read yet another article bemoaning the death of libraries, sure that soon we will have no need for them whatsoever.  And as a Teen Services Librarian in a public or school library, you know that we face funding challenges, staffing challenges, and sometimes – well, people just don’t seem to like teenagers.  (I don’t know why, teens are pretty amazing.)  So I thought, let’s change their mind and remind them that libraries rock and so do teens! The charge is simple: we want to collect 2,012 pictures of teens reading and using their libraries to make a visual statement – teens still read, libraries are thriving, and teen librarians everywhere are providing amazing programming and services that help our teens and our communities.  If you would like to participate, simply upload your pictures of teens reading or in your library.  You can share them on Twitter (@TLT16, #the2012project) or share them on the TLT Facebook wall.  They are completely anonymous to preserve privacy issues, no names or locations are given unless you choose to do so.  And periodically I collect them and share them to help make that strong visual statement.  In just 12 days we have collected a little over 40 pictures.  This is what a library in 2012 looks like.  It’s not dying, it’s not irrelevant . . . In fact, libraries today are thriving and teens are walking through our doors every day to read and learn and play and use computers and study and so much more.

This week The Fault in Our Stars by John Green came out and teens rushed to the library to get their copy.

Inspired by the popularity of Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry and zombie love everywhere – many libraries are having zombie themed programs.  Even mine.

Filed under: The 2012 Project