What do you picture when you think about teens in a library? … sitting quietly and studying | playing video games | reading poetry | hanging out with their friends | checking their MySpace and Facebook accounts | or listening to music?

“Teen library users are the future of the library, and the new teen center is designed for their needs now.” says LeAnn Sevy, Youth Services supervisor. At last, Topeka teens have a place to experience an interactive library resource in a space newly-renovated just for them (the former media center at the end of the east hall).

Creation of this new area has been teen-driven. Teen focus groups helped reveal what’s important to them. Color zones help define a room that accommodates a multitude of activities—a stage for all kinds of live  performances, gaming areas for the video game-obsessed, and comfy seating areas for casual conversations. Computer stations and laptops let this tech-savvy generation keep connected.

The new room complements David J’s Place, which often reaches capacity when the kids arrive after school and on weekends. It also provides a permanent “meeting spot” for live bands, intense guitar hero competitions, and crazy karaoke. David J’s will likely become a quieter area for those who want to read and study.

Brian, who served on the planning team, describes the new area as “awesome, artistic, and outrageous!” Having a place to hang out where “a kid can be
a kid” at the library is exciting.

“This area is for the teens,” adds Sevy. “It says they are valued
and respected at the library, and are welcome to discover all the services that a library has to offer.”

This article is by Lena Wolf and was originally published in the November 2008 issue of connectnow, the library's monthly magazine and event schedule.