The Pima County Public Library invites Tucson-area tweens and teens to kick off its annual Summer Reading Program with MangaMania!! on Saturday, May 19, 6-10 p.m., at the Murphy-Wilmot Branch Library, 530 N. Wilmot. The free event drew 500 attendees last year.

Manga, a form of comics that originated in Japan, is wildly popular with teens and young adults in the United States. Tweens and teens ages 11-18 who love everything manga – including “cosplay” (costuming), gaming, crafts and origami, watching anime, or writing and drawing manga – will want to get there early. Party-goers can earn manga money to buy merchandise and food, make costumes on-site or come wearing their own, and exchange manga at the  Bookmans booth. Teens who bring two cans of food for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona will earn extra manga money.

Jennifer Caldwell, Electronic Resources Librarian for Pima County Public Library and one of the event organizers, said that close to 1,000 teens are expected to attend this year. “Our goal is to have something fun for everyone, including parents,” Caldwell said. “MangaMania!! will have workshops, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and opportunities to meet and talk with other fans, as well as professional writers and artists. We’ll have it all!”

Event Highlights

• Costume contest at 8:15 p.m.
• Be the first to check out brand new manga.
• Sign up for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournament sponsored by Showtime Cards.
• Talk one-on-one with artist Aaron Ancheta of Scott Pilgrim fame at the Heroes & Villains table, and then attend his comic writing workshop
• Enjoy demonstrations in martial arts, sushi-making, and Japanese writing.
• Parents: Learn all about manga and comics at the “Manga 101” panel discussion.

Visit  http://www.library.pima.gov for the full schedule of events.

About Pima County Public Library

The Pima County Public Library (PCPL) enriches lives and builds community through opportunities to learn, know, interact, and grow. With 27 branches and one affiliate library serving diverse communities across Pima County in southern Arizona, PCPL provides a wide range of free services that contribute to the economic development of the community and provide individuals with educational and recreational opportunities to improve their lives. For more information, visit www.library.pima.gov or call 791-4010.

If you’re an aspiring romance writer, you’ll want to attend these free workshops with sessions at Mission Branch, Murphy-Wilmot Branch and Nanini Branch libraries.  Registration is not required.

Breaking In: Connecting With Romance Publishers/Editors

Bring your questions and join working writers Amy Bright, Roz Denny Fox, and Cynthia Garner for a discussion about breaking into the business.

• 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4
• Mission Branch Library, 3770 S. Mission Road

Publishing in the Digital Age

Romance writers Elaine Charton, Mary Tate Engels, and Frankie Robertson will discuss how technology is changing publishing.

• 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11
• Murphy-Wilmot Branch Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road

Top Three Books on Writing

Romance writers Kathleen Kirkwood, Patricia Knoll, and Vicki Lewis Thompson will share their personal picks for the best three books on writing.

• 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18
• Nanini Branch Library, 7300 N. Shannon Road

For more information about the workshops or Pima County Public Library, including branch locations, schedules, news and events, go to http://www.library.pima.gov/.