Teen Tech Week is a time to celebrate, learn more about and use tech resources in your  library!  Take a look at the different techie programs you can participate in this week.

It’s also a time for teen librarians to hear from teens about their current tech interests– anything from books about technology to video games you like to learning skills to be creative with technology. So, come talk to us– we really want to hear from you! Feel free to leave some suggestions in the comment section below, too.

And… if you want to beef up on tech history during the week, check out the blog  This Day in Tech History, which gives you brief information on a significant piece of tech history for each day. Today, in 2008 (a really long time ago, right?) Hulu, the online video streaming website, was first launched.  If you’ve got some other interesting tech facts, post them in the comments.

Enjoy the week!

The survey will be available from Monday, February 25, 2013 to Sunday, March 17, 2013. 

Thank you for your time!

The Central Library Teen Room is hosting the Boston Youth Fund(BYF) on Saturday, February 16th. From 11:30am-2pm we will be having a job fair where Boston resident teens, age 15-17, will be able to register for a summer job through BYF and check out the various organizations that BYF works with.

As the City of Boston’s teen employment program, the Boston Youth Fund provides thousands of Boston teens between the ages of 15 and 17 with job opportunities during the summer months. The Boston Youth Fund participants work in a variety of jobs within community, faith-based, and government agencies. Positions include administrative assistants, mural painters, peer leaders and many more!

At the job fair:

•  More than 100 organizations will be present to talk to about summer job opportunities for Boston resident teens.
• Bringing a resume with you is recommended, but not required.
• Some organizations will either conduct a short onsite interview or will schedule one for another date.
• Computers will be available in the Teen Room for filling out job applications via the Hopeline, and BYF staff will be able to help with the process.

 Boston Youth Fund • Mayor Thomas M. Menino

Below, are two projects that were made that day, a colorful necktie, that really is knotted around Edward Cullen’s neck like a real tie, and a messanger bag that works just as good as anything you can buy in a store! Check them out! And if you’re interested in making anything with duct tape because you missed the exciting workshop, all you need are three basic things: duct tape in colors you love, a pair of tough scissors, and a ruler. Here are two books with fantastic design ideas for everyone:

Ductigami: The Art of the Tape by Joe Wilson

Got Tape by Ellie Schiedermayer

Today kumihimo braiding can also be done on a nice foam disk. Other types of looms or disks are used as well. Kumihimo braiding  is so simple and you can see results rather quickly if you aren’t gabbing with everyone. The following YouTube page has a great tutorial showing how to braid on a Kumihimo foam disk – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suUcFpj4OsA&feature=related.

Why am I telling you all of this… well for Pride Month, on June 20, 2012, the Copley Teen Room Teen/Tween Craft Hour made rainbow braids using a kumihimo disk. We actually ended up making a pretty advanced mode due to the number of strands we used (18 strands). Usually beginners start with 8 strands. And I have to tell you, we did an amazing job. The following are a few pictures of what we made at various stages. It maybe be hard to notice the braids in the pictures but they were there. Also everyone ended up with a slightly different variation than what we started with and really made the braids their own creation.

1. Still on the disk:

2. Finished project

 You can make bracelets, necklaces keychains, fobs for your backpacks and more. You can get even more creative as you continue braiding on the kumihimo disk like using glow in the dark thread/floss or adding beads.  Kumihimo braiding is such a relaxing craft and you can do just about anywhere, even on the bus.  The hardest part is chosing your colors and placement of the strands. I suggest as a beginner to prepare that part at home.

Go to our Events for Teens  tab on the BPL Summer Reading page to find out where and when Nimmi will be doing henna tattoos.

The art of making henna tattoos, called mendhi, goes way back, at least 5,000 years. If you want to know more about it AND learn how to make your own designs, here’s a good place to start. 

If you need some ideas for what you’d like drawn on you, the Henna Page Symbol Index  has some suggestions.   

Here are two pictures showing 4 masks that were made:

Our next craft hour will be on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. For information, please contact the Copley Teen Room.

“Revolution” by M.

Only we will

kiss the fire

one heart blazes war

but near the sun

comes absolute light

“Friends” by M.

Friends are something

special,

friends are something

you have to hold on to,

make each day last,

keep your friends

close some might say,

but keep your heart

closer.

“The End Of The World As We Know It” by Mary Devine, Teen Librarian

Skyscrapers tipping

Broken windows

the Earth reclaims with Nature

Green lucious trees and plants

Vines winding floor to floor

Animals reclaim their kingdom

Cars and metal become rust

Humanity eliminated

Piles of Dust

All we are is dust in the wind,

Dude!

“I Dance” by Brianna

I dance

dance to the rhythm you left me in

the rhythm that you used when my mom

has your pleasurable shelter.

The type of rhythm that the savages

used when their freedom was about to

come.

I dance to that rhythm. That rhythm

of life.

I see you when I dance

I see the eyes that capture me when

I was born.

The two hands that held me in your

strong arms

the hands that went through dirt and

pulled out the struggles of what you

went through.

But I can’t feel you when I stop

moving.

So I take each step so I can see you

as my father.

I take each step to feel you

but every time I lose my way

try to find music to help me breathe

Sometimes I don’t know who you are

cause when I stop dancing

the building around me shut down

the people turn around and face each other

and the love for each other on the

inside fades away

the bruises on my mom’s arm

appears.

And the happiness you once felt turns to be anger

I wonder why you are like this

cause God stopped playing the music

I wonder why you are not listening

cause the grooviness of your step lost

its way

I wonder why you don’t see me anymore

cause the music in our lives stop showing

a happy image.

I can’t take it when everything stops

cause I stomp my feet to hear singing

and I stomp my feet to the beat to breathe

in life.

I stomp my feet to end the fighting

that’s going on

I tap my feet to bring back your

heart from hell.

I try to bee the reason of the

had autotune violent music in our

house.

But I breathe in the soulness of

the 60′s, 80′s, and 90′s.

To get a trace of what a family

of music should be like.

So I dance, dance to the stress of the beat

I dance, dance to the anger it its

tone.

I swing my hair in the air of

madness

and shake myself up and down

to get the happiness flowing

I sweat cause I need to survive

so I can get a happy home in this

house we call saintairs home.

I dance cause it’s the only freedom

I call my mother.

“DEATH”

THE CRIME,

IN FULL BLOOM,

HERE,

ON A SLOPE DESCENDING,

LUCIEN CARR

BURIED A KNIFE

IN THE HEART

OF HIS BESOTTED STALKER.

CHARACTERIZED AS MUSE,

BUT MORE THAN THAT.

CAPTIVATED BY CARR’S PROFANE RANTS

ABOUT THE PATH TO TRANSCENDENCE

THROUGH PURE CREATIVE EXPRESSION

HIS “NEW VISION”.