In 2012 PFL’s strategic plan made a commitment to better serve teens. At that time there was little teen presence in the library. Since then we have worked tirelessly to meet the objectives outlined in that plan. We created a full-time outreach and instruction librarian position who coordinates teen and tween services, programming and instruction. Now there are after-school programs, summer reading activities, and in-house and off-site instruction courses. We even created a Teen Library Council that has been actively creating an annual cycle of events for teens, including an annual writing contest, student art show, a Halloween “Haunted Patten” event, and even Library Laser Tag.
Our current “teen space” is an open nook in the non-fiction stacks. This space hardly fits the needs of our growing teen patrons and they often spill out into the rest of the library, like the weekly Magic Cards group. There’s no technology, the furniture is sparse and inadequate, and there is no room for instruction or programs. Often they have to compete with the use of the library’s Community Room, like our newly formed (and VERY popular) Robotics Club.
The new Teen Space will be located in the corner of the non-fiction stacks. In the images below you can see where the new location is and the work that will be done on the reference area.
For more information or to make a donation contact the Library Director, Lesley Dolinger or the Development Director, Samantha Ricker at 207-443-5141.
