Special teen rooms at Long Island libraries
Ryan Aebly, 12, from Ronkonkoma plays a car racing game on Xbox with his friend Abdur Mohamed, 11, from Lake Ronkonkoma, in the new DesTEENation Teen room in the Sachem Public Library in Holbrook. (May 22, 2012) Credit: Daniel Brennan
Older tweens and teens lined up for a sneak peek at the new "DesTEENation" space at the Sachem Public Library one recent weekday -- "we were all waiting anxiously at the door," says Julia Gill, 12, of Ronkonkoma.
The new, wide-open space officially opens for sixth- to 12th-graders Friday, with a ribbon-cutting celebration from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Kids will be able to check out iPads for use in the room, sit on comfy chairs grouped around a circle of four screens for Xbox and, of course, read.
A number of libraries on Long Island have expanded their teen areas, giving kids not just spots to study but also to congregate, enjoy movies and use advanced technology they might not have available at home.
Here is a sampling of some teen spaces:
DesTEENation
Sachem Library, 150 Holbrook Rd., Holbrook, 631-588-5024; sachemlibrary.org
HOURS 2-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays; in the summer, open during library hours
John Sonnenfroh, 17, a Sachem North High School senior, is thrilled that he will be able to play the "Magic: The Gathering" trading-card game with buddies at tables in the new room -- they used to hope for an empty table someplace in the main library. "We used to get yelled at all the time for being loud," Sonnenfroh says. Friend John Sullivan, 17, a junior, admired the room's columns, which alternate lighting up neon green, red and other colors. "That's fancy," he says. "I want to get some of those and put them in my house."
The Underground
Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach, 631-585-9393; mcpl.lib.ny.us
HOURS 1-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays; during July and August: 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays through Labor Day
A neon-blue sign announces "Underground," the teen space for eighth- to 12th-graders. Walls can be opened and closed to block off areas for events. The furniture has a coffeehouse feel -- benches and chairs against a wall, other chairs set in a circle. Four Mac computers, a docking station with Wi-Fi, and a PlayStation 3 videogame system are some of the technological improvements. "We wanted a brand-new space for teens to congregate and hang out and use new technology," says Kristine Tanzi, youth services librarian.
The Teen Center
Port Jefferson Free Library, 150 E. Main St., Port Jefferson, 631-509-5707; pjteen.org
HOURS 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays through June, closed Sundays in July and August
A handmade signpost points visitors toward Panem, Middle-Earth, Forks and Hogwarts, locales teens know well from hit book series "The Hunger Games," "The Lord of the Rings," "Twilight" and "Harry Potter," respectively. The teen space in Port Jefferson is in its own house, across the street from the main library, and the space looks like a cozy living room, with couches and hardwood floors, video-game chairs and a big-screen TV.
Young Adult Room
Merrick Library, 2279 Merrick Ave., Merrick, 516-377-6112; merricklibrary.org
HOURS 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays; summer hours: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays
Daniel Monsen, 17, a senior at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, tutored Will Golub, 15, a freshman, in algebra sitting on the armchairs in the Merrick Library's teen center. "We can really focus," Monsen says. The center, with its movable sectional furniture and ceiling art, was a planned part of the library geared to grades 7 to 12, says library director Ellen Firer. Food and drink are allowed inside.
