Books in the Wild - newspaper article

Teens are in the good books
By RANI TIMOTI - Western Leader | Friday, 20 July 2007

A new scheme aimed at getting more teenagers reading starts in Waitakere city this week.
The Books in the Wild programme is an innovative book-sharing initiative targeting year 9 and 10 students.
Popular teen book titles will be left at locations around the city, including schools and indoor public areas.

Students are being challenged to hunt them down, register online and make comments before leaving the books in similar places for others to pick up.

The 14-week trial programme is being coordinated by the Waitakere library and information service.

Spokeswoman Adrienne Hannan says it's difficult to get younger teenagers into libraries.

She hopes the programme makes the library more appealing to them.

"The modern library is more like the living room of the city, with computers, games, DVDs and CDs in addition to books, magazines, reference material and study guides," she says. "If we can raise that awareness through initiatives like this then we stand to create a new generation of library users."

Library staff have been promoting the scheme around schools with great success.

"About 200 kids at Rutherford College were trying to get into their library first to get the books," she says.

"It was a similar scene at Waitakere College."

The programme features prizes for students and schools. It will be extended to other age groups if it is successful.