Searching for some Best Practices from library's throughout the state? Look no further! Continue to let other librarians know what worked well in your library! Ideas for use in libraries and classrooms, incentives and plans for teen voting, and other promotional ideas can be sent to Erica: esolomon@piscatawaylibrary.org. Share your thoughts!
Garden State Teen Book Awards Best Practices
Promoting the use of the GSTBA ballot & annotations:
- Create a display of the nominated books and ballots. Talk to readers about the books they’re enjoying – get excited by what excites them and recommend more books you think they’d like from the annotated list.
- Booktalk GSTBA nominees in libraries and in the classroom.
- Include the ballot with teen summer reading program packets and materials.
- Include nominated titles on summer reading lists.
- Recommend nominated titles to teachers to consider using for school reading assignments.
- Use nominated titles as book club reads or suggestions throughout the year.
- In the classroom or as a library program, invite teens to evaluate and vote on the nonfiction ballot titles; illustrate methods of evaluation for nonfiction and highlight how evaluating nonfiction is different from evaluating fiction.
- Write an article for the library newsletter or for your local or school newspaper.
Promoting GSTBA voting:
- Send print copies of the ballot to local schools, or simply compose an email or letter encouraging teachers and librarians to tell students about online voting!
- Make print copies using the reproducible ballot. Place a ballot in each nominated book. Books and votes can be returned to the library at the same time!
- Set up a ballot box or build a “voting booth” where students/readers can drop in their vote for their favorite books.
- Include a link to the online voting on your library’s website, blog, Facebook, or other media networks.
- Include QR code (linking to the online voting) on all promotional materials. [Generate your QR code using this link]
- Host a random prize drawing for which a vote for each ballot category counts as an entry.
Activities to highlight the GSTBA:
- Host a Mock GSTBA discussion/vote and predict your library's three winners!
- Create a scavenger hunt using nominated titles and authors.
- Have teens design book covers for their favorite nominees for a display.
- Build a writing program or start an online review center where teens can write reviews of the books they have read. Make the reviews available for others to read through an online site or bulletin board.
- Place teen-written reviews of nominated titles on other nominated books: “If you liked this, you might like this . . .”
- Hold a contest to see who can read the most nominated titles.
- Arrange for a nominated author to visit your library. (Team up with a local school or another local public library!)
- Throw a party in honor of the winners chosen by your school or library.
Thanks to the Children’s Service Section for their ideas for promoting the Garden State Children’s Book Awards and thanks to NJ Young Adult/Teen Librarians for offering suggestions, ideas, and best practices for the use of the Garden State Teen Book Award in their libraries.
Back to the GSTBA Nominations and Winners page
Back to the Garden State Teen Book Awards main page
Back to the Young Adult Services Section Homepage