You have the freedom to read, choose and select the books you want. Sometimes in some places it may be hard to get to books  because censors have tried to remove them from schools and libraries. So celebrate your freedom to read, by checking out one of the books below that was challenged somewhere in the United States last year.

For a complete list of these books and the reasons why they were challenged visit the American Library Association website here.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part‑Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier
Looking for Alaska by Peter Jenkins
It’s perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris
Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
Ttfn by Lauren Myracle
Bling Bling by Minya Oh
Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Now’s the time to enter the Voice of Democracy scholarship program contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. All you have to do is submit an essay for your chance to win $30,000 in scholarship money(high school). See information below for the two separate contests. Prizes are awarded at  local, state and national levels. Entry deadline is November 1.

The library will accept applications and pass them to the local VFW representative up to October 30.

If You’re in High School (9 - 12)

Theme: “Does America Still Have Heroes?”

Submit a 3 to 5 minute audio essay on this topic by November 1. 

If You’re Middle School (6 - 8 grade)

Theme: “When is the Right Time to Honor Our Military Heroes?”

Submit a 300 to 400 word essay based on this theme and be entered to win prizes.

Applications are available in the teenspace, or ask Shawna for more information. You can also find the official application and more information on both these programs at the VFW Voice of Democracy page.

If you’re a junior or senior in a Alameda County school, here’s your chance to learn more about local government and build your college application resume: apply to the Alameda County Youth Leadership Academy!

In this free, five-session course you will learn about County programs and services.  You’ll also meet County officials and staff and develop leadership skills. The Academy begins Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m. to noon in the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chambers.

Applications must be turned in by Wednesday, September 23, 2009. Find the yellow application in the teenspace or download the application from here.

Applications are accepted on a first come first served basis by region, so don’t hesitate. Come see Shawna if you need more information or help with downloading.

Now’s the time to vote for your favorite teen books of the year in YALSA’s Teens’ Top 10. Vote for up to three titles from the list of 25 nominated below. Click here to vote. You have till September 18.

The list of titles is below. Click on the highlighted titles to see if the book is available at the Hayward Library. Happy voting!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Truancy by Isamu Fukui
Truancy: Origins by Isamu Fukui
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Paper Towns by John Green
Runemarks by Joanne Harris
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott
Wake by Lisa McMann
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Bloodline by Katy Moran
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Evermore by Alyson Noel
Geek Charming by Robin Palmer
Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

The summer ended in a splash with the opening of Framing Hayward: Teens Take a Closer Look, a photography and writing exhibit. 

For six weeks starting in July, 12 teens from the Main and Weekes branch libraries documented their neighborhood in digital photography. Their aim: to take a closer look at their environment. Their photos are currently on display in the lobby of the Main library through September 22. The exhibit then moves to the Weekes Branch Library through October 22.

The opening event for the exhibit was a success, with dozens of people on hand to view the photos, read the exquisite writing and schmooze with the budding artists. Everyone showered accolades on the teens.

Last year, the library got a grant from the California Council for the Humanities, which provided for the cameras, a computer, photo printer and seed money to get the project going. Check out some of last year’s photos and photos from the 20 other libraries that participated at  www.calhum.org/myplace.

Congratulations to everyone who completed the project.  A special thank you to the Friends of the Hayward Public Library for sponsoring the project. It also wouldn’t have been possible without the support from the Hayward Area Historical Society, the Photo Phantom Photography Club and photographer mentors: Philip Ringler, Barbara Swan, Nick Colarco and Susan Carnahan.

Ice Cream party today! Come by, play some video games, play some board games, and make an ice cream sunday.

Last week, we had two winners in our summer reading program. Thea picked up a New Moon poster, a coupon for a free burger at Carl’s Jr., and a copy of the book Willow. Congratulations Thea. Eric was a winner too!

The pictures in this post are from last week’s candy sushi event.  You guys are so creative!

Only three more days left to play the game. Get your book reviews in for a chance to win the last weekly prize and a flip video camera. The winner will be announced on Monday, August 24.

Good luck!

Okay, we had a pretty dismal week last week with only three book reviews. But lucky for the two people that turned them in because they’re both going to win. Congratulations Fabiola and Sinthia!

Kelsey was our winner the previous week. Her prizes: a book, a coupon for a burger and a cool pencil case. She reviewed Untamed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. For those who haven’t heard of this series: It’s hot!

There’s still a bit of time to play and plenty of prizes. Turn in your book review now!

Leave a comment on this blog. Win a New Moon poster.

We’re dying to hear what you think about this blog.  We just got the latest New Moon poster and want to give one away. Leave a comment on this post and be entered to win the poster in a random drawing. I’ll choose the winner Friday, August 7 around Noon. So leave a comment before then and maybe you’ll win.

Here’s what the poster looks like:

If you haven’t already noticed, we’re having a bunch of fun here at the library this summer: the latest happening, painting like Jackson Pollock. The canvas’s above and below are what we created at the Main. You can see them up in the teenspace soon.

There’s still plenty to do at the library this summer: Come watch Iron Man next Wednesday, July 29 @ 3 p.m.

And I had to leave you with this one great image from our Henna program earlier this month.

Marisa won this week’s drawing in the summer reading game. She picked up a Death Note scroll and a copy of Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer.

There’s still time to get in on the action. It’s easy. Read a book (manga counts), write a review, turn it in at either the Main or Weekes branch library. We’ve got tons of the prizes and the grand prize is a Flip Video camera.