One of the biggest decisions you will make as a teenager is "where, oh where will I go to college" Many students start asking that question early , I know a few who have been taking PSAT, SAT, ACT tests since they were freshmen. The pressure is on, in-state or out of state,  private or public, small or large, business or arts, the list goes on and on.

I took the ACT in high school (SAT was not required for my state schools). I studied and studied and got a pretty decent score, enough to get me into my family Alma Mater, University of Oklahoma. I had been a dream of mine to go to OU since I was a wee little tot, but once I got there I quickly realized the school was too big for me. Don't get me wrong I loved being away from my family for the first time and I absolutely loved the football team (still do) but coming from a high school graduating class of 280ish, having a math class with at least 200 was not my idea of fun. After this setback I got my degree at a different school and in a TOTALLY different state (Alaska). Even though my first dream didn't turn out as I had planned, I ended up traveling to some beautiful places (I have been dog sledding, skydiving, seen Mt. Everest, moose outside my dorm room window, glaciers, the Northern Lights, ...)

Here is my challenge to you, research, research, research schools and make the BEST choice for you. To help guide you in the right direction, the Worthington Libraries offer a wide range of databases and books to assist in your journey.

Through our Research option on our Worthingtonlibraries.org website you can click on.....

Colleges and universities research guide

You can get access many databases including the examples below.

• OhioMentor
• Princeton Review
• My College Guide
• CollegeNet

• To get to Fiction Connection (or any of our other databases that have information on books and literature):
• Go to www.worthingtonlibraries.org.
• Click on Research and select Research Databases by Topic
• Click on Books, Reading and Literature
• An alphabetical list of our electronic resources is there- just scroll to Fiction Connection and click.

Emergency call to action!  Save Ohio Libraries!

On Friday, June 19, the Governor proposed a cut to state funding for public libraries. This will mean an almost 50% cut in state funding for Ohio's public libraries! YIKES! This cut could result in libraries around Ohio closing or significantly reducing hours and services. We definitely do not want that.

We know how much you use and love the library, but now its time to tell your state representatives EXACTLY what the library means to you and why he or she should oppose these budget cuts!

To find out more about how YOU can help, click here! YOU can help get the word out. Please spread the word to your families and friends. Tell everyone you know because we only have DAYS to make a difference.

This is interesting, sad, and surprising ...

A study from Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine shows that health websites that have sexual health information for teens are often "riddled with errors and omissions."

About half of the Web sites, including such highly trafficked destinations as Wikipedia and Mayoclinic.com, failed to provide accurate and complete information.

So where can teens go to find accurate sexual health info? The research team found that the most reliable sites are Go Ask Alice, the Center for Young Women's Health, TeensHealth, and Planned Parenthood's Teen Wire.

We know you IM your friends and family but did you know the library offers IM? Yep, we are keeping up with the technology. Need to ask us a reference question or about a book you need for your assignment due tomorrow? Well we can help.

Try Ask Us: IM, Worthington Libraries' new instant messaging reference service to get answers and information without leaving your computer.

Ask Us: IM breaks new ground by allowing teens to communicate with knowledgeable library staff online, in real time during library hours. Whether it's a book suggestion or homework help, staff members are experts at answering questions and advising readers.

To take advantage of Ask Us: IM, you can add us to your buddy list in your favorite IM program, including America Online Instant Messenger (AIM), GoogleTalk, Windows Messenger (MSN), and Yahoo! Messenger.

You can also type a question directly into the chat window on the Ask Us: IM page to talk to a library staff person without having to download any instant messaging software.

Ask Us: IM is only available during library hours but if you need help with your homework at 2am in the morning head to the Know it Now link for 24/7 assistance.

Well, since summer is almost over, I know not many of you are probably looking for summer jobs anymore. You're probably gearing up for the schoolyear, to be filled with school-related activities and homework (ugh).

BUT I found this website which is pretty neat. You should bookmark it for down-the-road, when you might really WANT to look for a summertime job. It's a job search website that was created just for teens. MyFirstPaycheck.com is a national website, but it even has some positions in and around Columbus. It was even created by a teen and her brother! Pretty cool.

But since you're probably just buying school supplies, staying up late and taking advantage of the last FEW DAYS of summer before school starts, I thought I'd address the "Homework Thing".

If you don't know already, Worthington Park Library (the new branch that opened in April) has a special Homework Help Center. From Monday through Thursday during the school year, from 3pm to 6pm, computers in the HHC are reserved for Kids and Teens working on homework.  We also have dedicated staff (a Homework Help Center Coordinator as well as volunteers) who are there specifically to help you with your homework assignments. Homework help is on a first-come, first-serve basis. There's also FREE PRINTING for homework assignments during HHC hours!

So if you need face-to-face help on homework this fall, come on over to Worthington Park Library!

And also, don't forget about our online tutoring and HomeworkNow sites for help on homework! You can access these tools through the Teen Section of the Worthington Libraries website, or even from the Teen blog! (Look to the left of this post, in the green section under Library Sites)

So bookmark these websites and keep checking back to the blog for more information on upcoming fun-stuff at the Library!

All week long high school students have been coming into the library asking for SAT and ACT study guides. Unfortunately most of the books are checked out. But never fear, the library is here and we’ve got your back!

Check out the LearningExpress (Learn A Test) database. This is an online database that includes both ACT and SAT practice tests and online courses. You can log in anytime to (24/7/365.)  You can even save your tests before you are finished and go back to them when you have more time. You can also get scoring and explanations of both right and wrong answers. Other tests include: High School Skills Improvement, AP exams and more.

To get to LearningExpress Library (Learn A Test), All you have to do is click the Virtual Reference Room link on the left side of this blog and type in "Learn A Test" in the search box.

Need to know how much time you have to practice until the next test date?

Click here for future SAT Test Dates

Click here for future ACT Test Dates

Not long ago, I was asked to write a brief history of my life and when I thought of the places I grew up, I realized why my favorite subject in school was always geography. I LOVE the sound of my one brief sentence. My name is Ann P. (for those who know me just place my last name in this spot) : I was born in Muskogee, grew up in Tahlequah and my first school was Sequoyah Elementary. Muskogee, Tahlequah, Sequoyah: don't y'all love the sound? Due to this fascination with place names, I have a few favorite dream destinations and my goal is to visit each and every one.

• Zimbabwe
• Edinburgh
• Uruguay
• Oslo
• Luxembourg
• Budapest

My advice to all you teens out there: TRAVEL! Pick a place that intrigues you and find a way to get there. I have been to one of two of my favorites, Anchorage and Prague.

There is a great database to check out to help you find your dream destination.

All you have to do is click the Virtual Reference Room link on the left side of this blog and type in CultureGrams World Edition in the search box.

• CultureGrams World Edition
  CultureGrams electronic library provides cultural and historical information for more than 182 countries of the world. Look up photos, recipes, and basic country information, print tables comparing population, area, and development data for different countries, and learn about each country's history, customs, lifestyle, notable people, and government.