This is the fourth year of Teen Services at the Shawano City-County Library, a program for ages 12 to 18.
The library’s young adult librarian, Cathy Pescinski, tries to show the teens the benefits of going to the library.
“We want them to come to think of the library as a cool place,” Pescinski said.
She hosts the teens from 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays on the main floor of the library.
They usually do crafts on the first Tuesday of the month, or sometimes they play ping pong or with Legos.
The next Tuesday they play the “Minute to Win It” game.
On the third Tuesday, the Shawano Public Library Advisory Teens provide their input on ordering books, displays and programming.
One of the things they might do on the fourth Tuesday is utilize the electronic bulletin board at pinterest.com. Pescinski said the website is a popular with the kids who can post items of interest to find them quickly. It is also helpful to Pescinski.
“I follow a lot of other teen librarians,” she said.
Pescinski was hired two years ago for the teen program. Libraries have been creating more programs for teens in the past four to five years, she said, after realizing they offered many programs for children and adults but few for the age group in between those two.
“That’s part of our challenge,” she said.
The Young Adults area of the library features young adult fiction books but also includes some crossover books from the library’s other areas.
“I do all the ordering for the YA fiction,” Pescinski said.
Pescinski said teens are busy with other responsibilities, such as school, jobs and sports, so she said teens can show up when they want. She tries to show them they can read for enjoyment, not just for a class in school, and that reading can be creative and constructive.
“I’m trying to offer them more recreational opportunities,” Pescinski said. “My goal is to offer different programs and see a cool book and get them into the library. … They forget that they can read just for fun. It’s fun to sit down and get lost in a book.”
The library offers a summer reading program for teens, and there will be a “Not so Summer Reading Program” during the Christmas break during which teens can read books and win prizes.
Pescinski manages a Facebook page, sends emails and distributes fliers to advertise the teens program.
For more information, call the library at 715-526-3829.
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