Book News: Philadelphia libraries closing, great article on YA lit

Do you want the bad news first or the good news?

I'm too impatient to wait. We're starting with the bad news. (We like to leave you upbeat at the FNC!)

You may or may not know that the FNC is based in Philadelphia, and the City of Brotherly Love will soon be without libraries. Yes, you read that correctly. Libraries closed -- all of them -- as of October 2nd, because the State Senate was unable to pass budget legislation. According to ABC News, Philadelphia's library system is the sixth largest in the country, and (thanks to Benjamin Franklin) the city had the first public library in the nation.

There is a chance that somehow over the next two weeks the state will pass the funding legislation, but no one knows for sure. Until that happens, not only will the city's residents be without free books and educational materials, but also:
- low-income residents will have no Internet access
- after school programs, programs for the elderly, etc will be canceled
- GED, ESL, and adult basic educational programs will be discontinued

For more information:
Huffington Post article
Free Library of Philadelphia website
NBC10 article
FLP Call to Action for Philadelphia Residents

*** 9/18 UPDATE -- Yayyyyy budget was passed, libraries not closing! ***

And in other (much more upbeat) news...
YA author Mary Pearson wrote a great article about YA novels ("What YA lit is and isn't") -- seriously, I wanted to hug her when I finished reading it. You will too!




Lastly... Sneak Peek Week is halfway over! If you haven't already, check out Sara's and Frankie's posts, and stay tuned for mine (posting at midnight EST!) and Janine's (Saturday).