Opinion - Top opinion

POSTED: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008

Eat a scorpion? Anything to motivate teens to read

Aubri Keleman puts her all into her job as teen services and web coordinator for the Whatcom County Library System.

Her intellect. Her energy. Her hair. Her stomach.

Her hair? Two years ago she vowed to dye a chunk of her brown hair blue if local teens made 400 online posts about their summer reading.

"To teenagers, that was a wonderful challenge," said Sher Ross, the librarian at Mount Baker Junior High School. "She thought she was safe, until the last week."

Her stomach? For last summer's teen reading program, Keleman promised to eat a scorpion pop if teens posted a comparable number of comments about what they'd been reading. Once again the teens rose to the challenge, and Keleman dutifully consumed a scorpion encased in a watermelon-flavored lollipop.

"It was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside," she said. "They take the stinger out, because they're poisonous."

That's good, because it's clear that local teens appreciate Keleman's enthusiasm about the value of reading and the benefit of libraries.

"I try to make the library seem a fun and friendly place," she said.

As teen services coordinator, Keleman picks young fiction books for purchase by the county library system, and talks to middle- and high-school classes about new novels that might interest the students. She visited more than 100 classes this year.

"Teenagers are reading a lot," she said. "There is a book out there for everyone that could potentially change their life."

Keleman also talks to students about online information sources, and helped local teachers and librarians seek a state grant to help schools be ready for new social studies learning requirements.

As someone willing to dye her hair and eat a large bug, it's clear that Keleman is gung-ho about what she does.

"She's an extremely enthusiastic reader," Ross said. "She knows how to communicate that with kids."

Keleman grew up in Bellingham an ardent reader of fantasy novels. She earned a degree in creative writing at the University of Victoria, then got her teaching certificate at Western Washington University and taught English-as-a-second-language for two years for Burlington-Edison School District.

She next got her master's degree in librarianship at the University of British Columbia, and joined the county library system two years ago. Thanks to her effort there, youths who participate in the annual Whatcomics program can now see their drawings published in book form.

Keleman also initiated the annual Golden Apple Award to honor people who encourage youths to read and to make use of local libraries.

She wants teens to know that libraries are fun places where they can check out novels and interact with other youths, and also know that libraries offer important services - such as Internet access and online GED practice tests - when it's time to get serious about life.

Ross received this year's Golden Apple for, among other things, encouraging students to visit and use Deming Library, a half-mile from her school. Ross has kids sign up for library cards, escorts classes so students can visit the library in-person, and returns public library books that kids drop off at her school library.

School librarians and teachers talk to students about books, but it's helpful to have Keleman talk to classes, too, so students can hear fresh perspectives from a fresh face, Ross said.

"She's a presenter that the kids really enjoy," Ross said. "She's doing amazingly well."

Still, one question remains. What will Keleman promise next summer to encourage teens to read?

10 days of caring On the last 10 days of 2008, The Bellingham Herald salutes Whatcom County people who make efforts to make our community a great place to live. Dec. 22: Cathy Beaty, youth services Dec. 23: Jori Burnett, local government Dec. 24: John Harmon, housing Dec. 25: Phil Hageman, construction Dec. 26: Jason Karb, law enforcement Dec. 27: Bill VanderPol, health Dec. 28: Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell, recycling Dec. 29: Kirsten Barron, law Today: Aubri Keleman, literacy Dec. 31: arts