AHS Library News

It's Decorative Gourd & Book Fair Season

It's book fair season, y'all. 

The ever popular Boston Book Festival is this Saturday, October 25. Most speakers are free to attend and there are some great authors presenting. 

And then mark your calendars for the Young Adult Author Symposium (YAAS) on November 15. You’ll get the chance to meet authors and illustrators, hear about how they created their books, and learn how you can write or draw your own! Books, pizza, and baked goods will be available to purchase. Registration and all programs are free so sign up today! 

Meet the Winners

Congratulations to the winners of this year's Mass Teen Choice Book Award. 

In first place, THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE, by Holly Jackson. 

In second place, THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. 

In third place, AISLE NINE, by Ian X. Cho. 

Check them all out here at your AHS Library! 

Get (Library) Carded

The Student Library Advisory Committee aka SLAC will be hosting a library card drive with Robbins Library during Club Day on October 16.  

Whether you lost your card or never had one, just bring your school ID or schedule and look for the Robbins Library table! 

Free On-Campus Access to The Atlantic

Exciting news: The Atlantic is providing public high schools with free unlimited on-campus access this school year! 

This includes all articles, full magazine issues, podcasts and audio articles, Atlantic Games, and the complete 168 year archive. No individual accounts are required but you must be on the school WiFi network. (Of course, you can save or print articles to read anywhere you like.) 

Head to www.theatlantic.com to start reading! 

It's Time to Vote

Time to vote for your favorite Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award (MTCBA) nominee!

If you have read even one of these amazing books you are eligible to vote. Take a look at this year's nominees and then vote online for your favorites. 

Welcome to the AHS Library

We just came here to say, it's been awesome to see so many new and returning faces in the AHS Library these past two weeks! 

Summer Reading

Who's ready for the beach? 

If you need help locating books for summer reading, whether assigned or just for fun, your AHS Library has you covered. 

See our guide to Finding Your Summer Reading Books for suggestions on how to get copies, what to read next, and more. 

Not sure whether you have an assignment? See Summer Reading and AP Assignments on the AHS website for all the details. 

Summer Reading at Robbins

It's time to kick off summer reading at Robbins Library! 

The Teen Summer Reading Challenge runs from June 14 until August 22 with fun activities and a chance to win fabulous prizes!

This year’s theme is “Color Our World” and prizes include gift cards to several local Arlington businesses, sponsored by the Arlington Library Foundation.

Stop by the reference desk at Robbins or Fox Branch and ask for a bingo sheet. Earn raffle tickets by completing the activities listed in the bingo squares. Have fun! 

Poetry Open Mic

To celebrate National Poetry Month, the Student Library Advisory Committee and the AHS Poetry Club will be hosting our annual POETRY OPEN MIC @ YOUR LIBRARY after school on Monday, April 14 at 3pm in the AHS Library.

We'll have snacks to tempt the tummy and poems to tempt the heart and mind. Read your own original work, share a favorite, or just come to listen! All students, teachers, and languages are welcome. We hope to see you there!

Spring Into Reading

Mark your calendars for a great SPRING INTO READING fundraising and awareness event with the Reading Buddies on May 30 at 4pm in the AHS Cafeteria. I'm told there will be a variety of activities, including a media station with short films, face painting, a bake sale, a book raffle, book bingo, and more!

If you have younger siblings, babysitting charges, etc, this could be a great time to bring them to visit us! 

A Day in the Life of a Novelist

As part of our annual professional speaker series, the Student Library Advisory Committee cordially invites you to join us in conversation with historical and contemporary mystery writer and Agatha award nominee Jessica Ellicott. Learn what it takes to become a published novelist! 

We will be meeting with Jessica over Zoom on Monday, March 31 at 3:00pm in the Library Teacher Lunch Room. All are welcome and snacks will be provided!

We're Number Two ... in the World!

The Commonwealth eBook Collections, our shared collection on Sora, has soared to new heights! The CEC now ranks #2 in the world for annual circulations!

Along with this new milestone, the collection remains #1 in New England and #2 in the United States.

Thank you to the Massachusetts Library System, the OverDrive (Sora) team, and Arlington Public Schools for continued support of this program.

To learn more about Sora, visit E-Books & Audiobooks on our website.

Arlington Reads Together

We are excited to announce that the public library's annual community read program, Arlington Reads Together (ART), returns in March with REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt. 

This novel is about the unlikely friendship between an older widow, a giant Pacific octopus reluctantly residing at the local aquarium, and a young man trying to find his way. Together, they explore themes of loneliness and what it means to build connections with others. 

In addition to other great ART programming to be announced shortly, we will be discussing the ART selection at the Intergenerational Book Club on March 20. Everyone is welcome! 

Happy Public Domain Day

As of January 1, 2025, copyrighted works from 1929 and sound recordings from 1924 entered the United States public domain, meaning that they are free for all to copy, share, or build upon. Hooray! 

This year's highlights include THE SOUND AND THE FURY by William Faulkner, A FAREWELL TO ARMS by Ernest Hemingway, and A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN by Virginia Woolf.

For more works that are now available to everyone and a great intro to the history and cultural significance of public domain, check out the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School. 

Happy New Year

Goodbye, 2024. We are grateful for an amazing first year in our new AHS Library space, for wonderful students and colleagues, and for the chance to wrap it all up with a visit from therapy alpacas Macintosh and Linus! 

YFA Book of the Month

The YFA’s Book of the Month for January is COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW by Jessica Au. 

Jessica Au’s domestic fiction novel follows an unnamed mother and daughter on their trip to Japan, exploring the complexities in their relationship with each other and the world around them through seemingly mundane interactions. 

Notable quotable: “We were all essentially nothing, just series of sensations and desires, none of it lasting.” 

Brought to you by the Young Feminist Alliance (YFA).  

Bookplate Design Contest

Thank you to everyone who entered our TENTH annual AHS Library Bookplate Design Contest! It is a joy to see how much talent we have in our school community. 

Congratulations to all our winners: Lola Bendezu, Maya Carter, Julien Delmolino, Jasper Fiorina, Ana Gonzalez-Smith, Fiona Imrie, and Jordan Lally. 

A special thanks to Ms. Rebola for her support and the Student Library Advisory Committee for judging the submissions. 

Click on the thumbnail to see all the winning designs. Then read more about how you or your family can Adopt a Book for the AHS Library featuring one of these beautiful bookplates today!  

YFA Book of the Month

The YFA’s Book of the Month for December is EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU by Celeste Ng. 

In 1970s small-town Ohio, the Lee family suffers the loss of their golden child, Lydia. In the aftermath of the event, the story jumps back and forth between timelines, exploring the family dynamic and exposing hidden issues that reveal the truth of what went wrong.

“The things that go unsaid are often the things that eat at you—whether because you didn't get to have your say, or because the other person never got to hear you and really wanted to.”

Brought to you by the Young Feminist Alliance (YFA). 

Get (Library) Carded

The Student Library Advisory Committee aka SLAC will be hosting a library card drive with Robbins Library during Club Day on October 10.  

Whether you lost your card or never had one, just bring your school ID or schedule and look for the Robbins Library table! 

And the Winner Is

The winner of the Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award is (drumroll, please) BLUE LOCK by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura. 

Second place goes to REZ BALL by Byron Graves and third place goes to JUST DO THIS ONE THING FOR ME by Laura Zimmerman. 

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who read and voted for books! 

YFA Book of the Month

The YFA’s Book of the Month for September is BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll. 

Jessica Knoll’s entrancing thriller Bright Young Women is the perfect book to curl up with this Halloween season. The lives of two young women become intertwined together as a serial killer ravages 1970’s America. It is a brilliant work inspired by true crime focusing on the lives of the victims.

“They will call you hysterical no matter how much dignity you have. So you might as well do whatever the hell you want.”

Brought to you by the Young Feminist Alliance (YFA). 

Banned Books Week

Celebrate YOUR freedom to read by exploring information about Banned Books Week, established in 1982 and no less relevant now. 

The American Library Association (ALA) documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, which represents a 65% increase over 2022. These are the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of the previous year and this Censorship by the Numbers graphic shows the who, what, and where of recent challenges. 

Student Library Assistants

The AHS Library is seeking new Student Library Assistants for the current school year!

Our ideal volunteers can commit to working in the library at least once per week at regularly scheduled times during a free block or potentially after school (and we are always flexible when schoolwork needs to take priority). We are especially in need of help with shelving, light cleaning, and book processing, and there may be opportunities to get involved with special projects, book displays, etc. Note: These hours are eligible for NHS service credit. 

Please complete our online application (https://forms.gle/vrxJVubRYbxmdPKHA) if you would like to learn more about becoming a Student Assistant in the AHS Library! 

YFA Book of the Month

The YFA’s Book of the Month for September is GENUINE FRAUD by E. Lockhart. 

E. Lockhart’s gripping psychological mystery novel GENUINE FRAUD is told in reverse chronological order. It follows the story of Jule, a con artist, and heiress Imogen Sokoloff as complex relationships, dark secrets, and layered identities are uncovered. GENUINE FRAUD is inspired by THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY by Patricia Highsmith — another great read. 

“The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”

Brought to you by the Young Feminist Alliance (YFA). 

It's Time to Vote

Time to vote for your favorite Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award (MTCBA) nominee!

If you have read even one of these amazing books you are eligible to vote. Take a look at this year's nominees and then vote online for your favorites. 

Welcome Back

Welcome back, Spyponders! We look forward to seeing you in the AHS Library soon. 

If you need to refresh your memory of summer reading, we have multiple copies of most assigned titles (and can help you find the rest on Sora if ours are checked out already). 

Forget to do the reading or forget what you read? See Summer Reading and AP Assignments for details and our guide to Finding Your Summer Reading Books for more suggestions.