Dasom Ham just might have a future as an artist.
The seventh-grader at Lake Middle School in Woodbury designed the poster that Washington County Libraries will use throughout October to promote activities that encourage teens to read.
The library system held a contest in August and September for 12- to 18-year-olds to create a poster that incorporated the theme of this year's Teen Read initiative, "Books with Beat."
Dasom, 12, didn't think about entering, but "my mom made me do it," she said. "I'm kind of proud of myself" for winning.
She will receive a framed print of the colorful design that was selected from several that were submitted. It features music notes emanating from headphones that surround a stack of books and the words "Books With a Beat."
"We liked that it incorporated books, headphones and music. It was a perfect representation of the theme," said Dawn LaBrosse, the libraries' youth services coordinator. "There were a lot of good entries, but that one stood out. It's amazing what kids can do."
What LaBrosse would like to see is more kids reading books. With its goal to encourage the younger set to read, the library system this month will put on activities and events throughout Washington County to do just that.
Dasom's design will be used on posters, cards and library desks to promote events in the libraries: Board games, games played with Wii-style devices, arts and crafts, movie nights, aerobics classes and other offerings to help teens discover "that a library is more than just a building with books," LaBrosse said.
Libraries have made handouts with suggested titles for teens to read. They include musical titles, but also anything with a "beat," such as books related to a crime beat, the medical profession and music.
"When they are young they like to read, but around sixth grade it starts to go downhill," said LaBrosse. "We want to encourage teens to read."
Dasom said she enjoys reading and completes about 30 books a year. That is well above the national average.
According to a recent study by the National Endowment for the Arts, fewer than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline from 20 years earlier. Among 17-year-olds, the percentage of non-readers doubled over a 20-year period, from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.
With 19,538 teenagers between 11 and 17 holding Washington County library cards, they make up about 11 percent of all card holders in the county, said Joe Manion, the library system's public services division manager.
In 2009, teenagers checked out more than 120,000 items, or about 5 percent of the items loaned system wide. About 1,200 attended library programs, making up about 9 percent of those who did.
Like the librarians, Dasom would like to see more kids get into reading.
"Reading is fun and you get lots of information," she said. "I like encouraging others to read."
Tim Harlow • 651-735-1824
