06/27/2007 Library extends welcome mat to teens The Ocean Pines branch of the Worcester County Library opened its new Teen Zone with an official ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday June 18. In attendance were library staff, Friends of the Library, and Worcester County Commissioners Judy Boggs and Linda Busick. Nestled in a corner of the library just to the right past the circulation desk is a large red couch and two brightly colored over-sized hassocks. On shelves in front of the seating area is a collection of over 200 books of fiction and biography especially targeted to teen readers. Other non-fiction works originally found in the young adult section have been incorporated in the adult reference material. Some new books have been donated to the young people by community organizations such as the Republican Women of Worcester County. Behind the couch is a bulletin board where items of interest to young readers can be displayed. In order to provide adequate space for the Teen Zone, library staffers reorganized and reassigned book placements. Inviting furniture was needed and the staff turned to the Friends of the Library, who graciously supplied what was needed, the couch and hassocks. According to Beth Hershey, president of the Friends, the organization has given many hours to help support the work of the staff. The Friends have also funded special projects such as the Reflection Garden. They see to the care and ongoing maintenance of the garden located at the left of the library's entrance. More recently, they provided a new circulation desk. According to the library staff, the Teen Zone was a result of a year's worth of brain-storming in general meetings addressing what the library could do to foster and encourage young readers. The kids did not want to sit in the "old folks' chairs" around the big square table that holds all the newspapers. And they did not want to sit in the story-telling area were the little kiddies hung out. So the teens were often times found sitting on the floor in the stacks. It was obvious they needed their own comfortable spot. Dawn Ingrassia, who was appointed youth services manager in February but has been on board since last summer, said, "I want to get more teens aware that the library is not a boring place. That there is an array of things they can do." She added that she would like to see a teen reading area, similar to the Teen Zone in the Ocean Pines library, set in the other branches as well. To garner teen interest Dawn has begun a monthly game program. The first one, an X Box 360 game called "Guitar Hero," was held in June at both the Ocean Pines and Pocomoke libraries and she marveled at the turnout. In her plans to continue the program she is setting aside the third Friday of the month at 4 p.m. for the game players to meet in the Ocean Pines library. The opening week of the Teen Zone was celebrated with a variety of programs specifically geared to teens' interests and presented each day in the afternoon. Topics covered were Banking & Investing for Teens; College Interviewing 101; Getting the Job You Really Want; What to Expect at the Job Interview; and Let's Dress for Success. The largest fundraising event sponsored by the Friends of the Library is the annual book sale. It will be held Friday night (members only but anyone can join or renew that night by paying $5 at the door) July 27 at 6 p.m., and then open to the general public on Saturday July 28 and Monday July 30.
By Dolores E. Pike
Uploaded: 6/27/2007
