Wii U Family Game Time

Compete for the gold cup in “Mario Kart 8” or chase spooks in “Luigi’s Ghost Mansion.” A variety of games will be available for group play. Snacks provided. Ages 10 and older. Parents welcome. Registration required. To sign-up, please call (573) 443-3161.

Originally published at Wii U Family Game Night.

The Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominators are members of teen book groups in sixteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted on the Thursday of National Library Week and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year.

Teens aged 12-18 can nominate their favorite titles to be considered as a 2017 Teens’ Top Ten nominee via the public nomination form. Teens can submit a book title now through December 31, 2016 to be included in the pool of the 2017 nominee candidates. For books to be eligible for consideration, they must be published between January 1– December 31, 2016.

“Alive” by Chandler Baker
Stella Cross has received a heart transplant, but it has not stopped her emotional suffering.
Then a mysterious boy named Levi Zin comes into her life. Stella’s pain goes away whenever she’s around Levi. However, Stella finds out a terrible secret about Levi. Can it be true?

“Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo
Young criminal genius Kaz Brekker is offered the chance to pull off a dangerous theft that can make him rich. He recruits a gang of six dangerous misfits to help him with the heist. The book follows the crew’s crazy adventure and features plot twists, betrayals, and schemes aplenty.

“Illuminae” by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Kady and Ezra have just broken up, and then their planet is bombed by a megacorporation. The pair escapes to a government ship, but must put their differences aside in order to survive and stop a plague that has resulted from the use of a bioweapon.

“When” by Victoria Laurie
High school junior Maddie Fynn has special powers that allow her to see numbers above a person’s forehead, which she soon discovers are death dates. She identifies the death date of a young boy, but is unable to prevent his disappearance. Then, Maddie becomes a suspect in a homicide investigation.

“The Novice”  by Taran Matharu
A blacksmith’s apprentice named Fletcher discovers he can summon demons from another world. He soon gets chased out of his village for a crime he did not commit, ending up at an academy for adepts, where he is trained to serve as a Battlemage in the Empire’s war against the savage Orcs. Eventually, Fletcher discovers the fate of the Empire is in his hands.

“All the Bright Places” by Jennifer Niven
Death plays a big role in the lives of high schoolers Theodore Finch and Violet Markey. He is constantly on the verge of suicide, and she is battling grief after her sister’s death. The Indiana teens come together to work on a project and soon develop a bond, showing each other what it’s like to live.

“Every Last Word” by Tamara Ireland Stone
Samantha McAllister seems to have it all: she is beautiful, bright and part of the popular crowd in high school. But looks can be deceiving, and she is hiding the fact she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Samantha’s life changes after she visits a place at school called Poet’s Corner and she begins hanging out with new friends like Caroline and AJ.

“Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls” by Lynn Weingarten
June and Delia were best friends who grew apart. Then, Delia commits suicide. Or, at least that’s what others have been told. June believes her former best friend has been murdered, and she goes on a quest to find the truth . . . which, it turns out, is very complicated.

“Everything, Everything” by Nicola Yoon
Maddy is a teenager with a serious autoimmune disease that prevents her from leaving the house. Yet, she seems content to stay home and read books. That is until a boy named Olly moves in next door. The two meet, and their quirky relationship is chronicled through emails, journal entries, IMs and old notes.

“The Game of Love and Death” by Martha Brockenbrough
Set in Seattle in the 1920s, a romance develops between Flora, who is African American, and Henry, who is white. Despite some differences, the pair has much in common, including a shared love of jazz music. However, it turns out that Flora and Henry actually are pawns in a game played by two other characters – Love and Death. This book is full of intrigue and is, at times, heartbreaking, and will have the reader racing to the final pages.

Originally published at 2016 “Teens’ Top Ten” Winners Announced.

Originally published at Beta Test the Library’s New Website.

Our most popular resource for test-takers, though, is LearningExpress Library. Through this website, you may take free online practice tests for the ACT or SAT exam. To access LearningExpress Library, you will need to login using your DBRL library card number. Your PIN is your birthdate (MMDDYYYY).  If you have questions or encounter difficulties logging in, please call  (800) 324-4806.

Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog updates for regular reminders of upcoming test registration deadlines!

Originally published at November 4 Deadline for December ACT Exam.

Blacklight Art

Originally published at Program Preview: Blacklight Art.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education has an assistance program called FAFSA Frenzy to help you and your family successfully complete this online application form. They will be hosting several free events at mid-Missouri high schools. If you are planning to attend college in the fall, mark your calendars now for one of these four sessions.

Best all, FAFSA Frenzy attendees are entered for a chance to win a scholarship to a Missouri post-secondary institution for the Fall 2017 semester!

Where are FAFSA Frenzy events being held in Boone & Callaway counties?

What to bring:

• Student and parent FSA ID information.
• List of schools to which the student has applied, been accepted, or is interested in attending.
• Student and parent 2015 W-2 forms and/or tax return copies. Parental information is required for most undergraduate students under the age of 24.

Originally published at FAFSA Frenzy Sessions Begin Soon!.

Originally published at Teen Photo Contest: #Bookface.

How does Safe Place work?

Youth can stop by one of 20 Safe Place sites, including the Columbia Public Library. Then, they simply find the first available employee and let them know they are in need of a safe place. Young adults will be connected to emergency shelter and other supportive resources available through Rainbow House.

If you’re in trouble and can’t make it to a Safe Place site, you can call (573) 818-8288, or text “SAFE” and your current location (address/city/state) to 69866.

Where are Columbia’s Safe Place sites?

Columbia Fire Stations No. 1-9; Blind Boone Community Center; Columbia Housing Authority; Columbia Public Library; Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services; Activity & Recreation Center; Stephens Lake Activity Center; The Armory; Family Counseling Center; Rainbow House; Voluntary Action Center; Youth Empowerment Zone; and, QuikTrip Gas Station.

View Columbia Safe Place Sites in a larger map

Originally published at Safe Place: A Resource for Teens in Need.

Ticket to Ride

Gamer Eve
Columbia Public Library
Monday, October 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Bring your table top games and your Magic: The Gathering cards for an evening of gaming! Play Gloom, Pandemic, Small World or something new. Snacks provided. Ages 10 and older.

Wii U Family Game Time
Columbia Public Library
Wednesday, October 19, 6-7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 18, 4-5:30 p.m.
Compete for the gold cup in “Mario Kart 8” or chase spooks in “Luigi’s Ghost Mansion.” A variety of games will be available for group play. Snacks provided. Ages 10 and older. Parents welcome. Registration begins two weeks before each program. To sign-up, please call (573) 443-3161.

Photo by Flickr User Rob Bertholf. Used under Creative Commons license.

Originally published at Gaming Events at Your Library.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. All prospective college students looking to qualify for federal grants or loans must complete this online application. Most colleges also require this application so that they can award institutional scholarships based on financial need.

Once you are admitted and attending college, you will have to complete this form every year until you graduate. Students may submit their FAFSA as early as October 1 to apply for financial aid for the following academic year. Submission deadlines vary by state, so be sure check in with your guidance counselor.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education has an assistance program called FAFSA Frenzy to help you and your family successfully complete this online application form. They will be hosting several free events at mid-Missouri high schools. If you are planning to attend college in the fall, mark your calendars now for one of these four sessions.

Best all, FAFSA Frenzy attendees are entered for a chance to win a scholarship to a Missouri postsecondary institution for the Fall 2017 semester!

Where are FAFSA Frenzy events being held in Boone & Callaway counties?

What to bring:

• Student and parent FSA ID information.
• List of schools to which the student has applied, been accepted, or is interested in attending.
• Student and parent 2015 W-2 forms and/or tax return copies. Parental information is required for most undergraduate students under the age of 24.

Originally published at Free Assistance Completing FAFSA Form.