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Did you Know?
- Approximately 14 million middle and high school students are on their own after school.
- 8 in 10 Americans want all children and teens to have some type of organized activity or safe place to go after school.
- The hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
- There are more public libraries in the U.S. than McDonald’s restaurants or Starbucks.
- Students make 1.3 billion visits to school libraries in a given year, about the same as nationwide attendance at movie theaters.
- Research shows that as an age group, teens (ages 12 – 18) receive the least financial support. Government, philanthropic and non-profit spending directed at teens lags far behind what is invested in children (birth through 11 years) and young adults (19 and up)
sources: Afterschool Alliance’s “Afterschool Essentials: Research & Polling” (.pdf) & ALA’s Quotable Facts
Libraries Provide Key Services to Teens
Libraries have a strong track record of providing a variety of key services that meet the unique needs of teens. Make sure your teen has a library card.
Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of two Young Adult books, “The Anchor Clankers,” and “Anchored Together.” She is President of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.
Renee Writes Now! 