"Secrets can take many forms -- they can be shocking, or silly, or soulful." Frank Warren, the founder of PostSecret.com, shares some of the half-million secrets that strangers have mailed him on postcards.

The library is planning to expand - big time - and we need your opinions on what our new building should look like, how much space should be given to teens, and what's most important to you. This is your chance to have your voices heard by the people who can do something about it!

• Saturday, April 27 At the Escondido Public Library’s booth at the Día de los Niños festival in Grape Day Park, 321 North Broadway in Escondido, from 11:00 A.M to 4:00 P.M.     
• Tuesday, April 30 At a public meeting at the Escondido Public Library (Turrentine Room), 239 South Kalmia Street in downtown Escondido, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.      
• Wednesday, May 1 At a public meeting at Oak Hill School (Multipurpose Room), 1820 Oak Hill Drive in Escondido, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. This meeting’s agenda will be the same as the April 30 public meeting. Community members are welcome to attend both meetings.

Spread the word (especially with your parents, teachers, neighbors, and friends)!

Learn more here.

Do you want to volunteer to help us run the Summer Reading Clubs this year? If you'll be 14 - 18 by June 17, 2013 then head over to our Summer Reading Club Volunteer page to download the application and get answers to all your questions!

The best part about spring cleaning your closet is filling it back up again! If you're in the market for new stuff, please consider shopping at JC Penney and participating in their JCP Cares program.

During the month of March, if you round up your shopping total to the next dollar, those extra cents will go to support the CRISIS TEXT LINE - a free texting hotline where teens can reach out to trained counselors 24/7.

Find out more about this program.

If you are, then I need your advice. I want to buy more video games for the library's collection. So what should I buy?

They have to be...

- Rated "E" for Everyone or "T" for Teen

- on a Nintendo platform (Wii, DS, Game Cube)

Email your suggestions to me at jaxelrod@escondido.org.

• Contest is open to all high school students
• Entries must be emailed to dmlopez@escondido.org by January 23, 2013 with your name, school, grade, and contact info
• Submit your entry as a scalable vector graphic in EPS format or as a JPEG

Get more information.

Then come check out Teen Crafternoon the 2nd Wednesday of every month in the teen area from 4 - 5 PM. There's no need to sign up, just show up ready to have fun! Here are the projects we'll be making...

• February - Friendship Bracelets
• March - Teen Tech Week computer parts craft
• April - Recycled, reusable shopping bag
• May - Scented Closet Bags (great for Mother's Day gifts)
• June - Duct Tape Wallets (perfect for Father's Day presents)

• Posters
• Bookmarks
• Buttons
• Activity books
• Temporary tattoos

Stop by the media desk near the teen area anytime before Monday, December 31, 2012 to choose an item.

Come make a Thanksgiving craft and pick up a Twilight poster, pen, bracelet, temporary tattoo, or keychain while they last at

Teen Crafternoon
Wednesday, November 14, 2012 
4-5 PM
Teen Area

If you have questions contact Teen Librarian, Joanna Axelrod, at 760-839-4283 or jaxelrod@escondido.org

Celebrate Teen Read Week 2012 with us by playing our Book BINGO game! Pick up your game card in the library at the Media desk (near the teen area) starting October 15, 2012.

• Read any of the books and attend the events on the BINGO card. If you’ve already read a book, that counts too! X them off as you finish them
• When you get 5 ACROSS, DOWN, or DIAGONAL (this can include the free Teen Read Week center square) bring this paper back to the Media Desk by Monday, November 12, 2012 to claim your prize!
• If you have questions, contact Teen Librarian Joanna Axelrod  760-839-4283 or jaxelrod@escondido.org

 Win a fabulous prize when you turn in your completed BINGO card to the Media desk.

Then you can totally relate to the upcoming movie based on the critically acclaimed movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower due out in theaters this month starring Emma Watson (Hermione from Harry Potter) and Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson).

Check out the trailer and find a copy of the book at the library.

Your library has so many things that will help you be successful this school year.

• Online resources for finding magazine articles
• Practices tests
• Online tutoring available 7 days a week
• Staff who can help you locate (and use) research materials

 We also have un-timed computers for homework use with printing capabilities.

School doesn't have to be all work and no play! 

Don't forget to feed your brain with pleasure reading. We have over 11,000 teen books, magazines, graphic novels, manga, and video games not to mention the rest of the library which is filled with other books, magazines, and movies for your entertainment pleasure!

When you need a break from the daily grind of school, come check out our monthy events.

• Crafty C.A.T.S. - the funnest way to earn community service
• Make & Take Crafts - create something awesome to keep or give away as a gift
• Review Crew - earn community service from home by writing book reviews
• In BeT(w)een Book Club - Read something that's not assigned!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Teen Summer Reading Club. More than 270 teens read over 5,650 hours this summer, attended 9 amazing events, and posted great comments on this blog.

Congratulations to the following people who won grand prizes in the Teen Summer Reading Club.

You can pick up your prizes upstairs in the Children's Department. Please bring your school or other photo ID with you.

• Nook – Jennifer Sanchez
• Nintendo 3DS – Brandon Vinzon
• $25 Barnes & Noble gift card – Xena Morataya
• $25 Game Stop gift card – Anjesy Espinoza
• $15 Jamba Juice gift card – Ruben Garza
• $20 Jimbos gift card – Christina Openshaw
• $10 iTunes gift card – Lauren Vida
• $10 iTunes gift card – Raul Castaneda
• $10 iTunes gift card – Amy Singbusch
• 2 Free Domino’s Pizzas and 1 Free small gelato from Esco Gelato - Hector Ramirez
• 2 Free Domino’s Pizzas and 1 Free small gelato from Esco Gelato – Peter McLeod
• 2 Free Domino’s Pizzas and 1 Free small gelato from Esco Gelato – Tristan King
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Hannah Blanscet
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Lilly Dunn
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Katia Gyetvai
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Camila Narino
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Breanne Pancarik
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Claribel Solis
• Creatures of the Night book prize pack – Grace Tick
• Own the Night t-shirt – Scott Weston
• Creature Feature t-shirt – Jeremy Wallace

To earn an additional entry into the Summer Reading Club's Grand Prize raffle, comment on this post and answer this question:

If there were a zombie apocalypse, what is the most important thing you would want to have with you to survive and why? 

TODAY, June 11, 2012
4 - 5 PM
Turrentine Room