The Tween Scene

Brianne Wilkins-BesterTiffany Pahman

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Meet the Team• Brianne Wilkins-Bester

– Children’s Librarian, Oshawa Public Libraries, began Feb. 2008– Works with children of all ages, but particularly enjoys ages 8-12– Secret dream of becoming a children’s entertainer

• Tiffany Pahman– Teen Librarian, Oshawa Public Libraries, began February 2008– Worked in both Public and Academic libraries since 1999– MLIS with a concentration in Youth Services– Currently a member of the White Pine Selection Committee– Obsessed with Pop Culture including, but not limited to: Perez

Hilton, MTV, Degrassi, 90210, Gossip Magazines, and reality television

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Who are “Tweens”?

• “The time between childhood and adolescence”

• Consistently 8-14 years old

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Why Serve “Tweens?”

• KAGOY (kids are getting older younger)

• They are powerful!• To create life-long Library users

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Oshawa Public Library Tween Programs

• For ages 10-15• Average age: 12• Monday nights 6:30-7:30• Advertising via posters, newsletters,

newspapers, online events listings• Budget• Prizes

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Oshawa Public Library Tween Programs

• 2008: 2 programs• 40 participants

• 2009: 12 programs• 165 participants

• Average attendance 2009: 14 participants

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Where to Begin• Ask the Tweens• Pop Culture• Look online• Practice what you know• It’s nice if you can relate it to reading. . But

you don’t have to!• If you feed them, they will come• Break the ice• Swag

A Year of Tween

Programs!

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January: The Amazing Race

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February: Anti-Valentines Day Party

11Toronto Star

Oshawa This Week

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March: Iron Chef

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April: Mythbusters

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May: Manga Mania

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June: Harry Potter Potions

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Evidence Hunter

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August: Relic Hunter

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September: Chocolate, Chocolate Everywhere

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October: Urban Legends

Urban LegendsCan you tell Fact from Fiction?

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Poppy Seed Problem THE LEGEND:

Eating poppy seeds plain or on bagels can cause you to fail a drug test.

THE VERDICT? TRUEThe opium contained in poppy seeds is enough to cause a reading in some sensitive tests, though not enough to affect the person who eats them.

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The Tooth about Coca Cola THE LEGEND:

A tooth left in a glass of Coke over night will be mostly dissolved by morning.

THE VERDICT? FALSE A tooth will NOT dissolve overnight, though it would

eventually given enough time. This is true of many drinks we consume such as orange juice, and in all cases the acid concentration are low enough that our bodies can deal with them.

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The Great Molasses Flood THE LEGEND:

A great wave of molasses once swept through Boston killing and injuring citizens.

THE VERDICT? TRUE The event occurred on January 15, 1919. Unusually warm temperatures added more stress to an already dangerously full molasses tank and caused it to burst. The molasses was as deadly as a flood and caused twenty one deaths. It also made rescue efforts far more difficult than water would have due to the stickiness of the substance which many became stuck in.

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November: Is the Price Right?

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SWITCH?

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SWITCH?

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SQUEEZE PLAY

$3489

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SQUEEZE PLAY

$349

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PICK –A-NUMBER

$17_

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PICK –A-NUMBER

$179

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SHOW CASE #2

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$ 16 723

Showcase #2

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December: CSI

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For more information. . .

• Visit our web site! http://sites.google.com/site/thetweenscene/

• Faris, Crystal. "Betwixt and Between: Tweens in the Library". Children and Libraries Spring 2009:

43-45

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Coming up…

• A Wee Bit of Fun• Poetry Pwnage• Bling a Birdhouse!• Journey to Japan• Jungle Boogie Rock Band Tournament• Treasure Hunt in the Jungle