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Library A Teen Play Station

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By PAUL CATALA

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 12, 2008

PLANT CITY - While their friends played personal computer or the latest interactive video games, 15-year-old Nathan Cruzado spent time teaching his 12-year-old friend, Jimmy Wills, how to play a much simpler, time-tested pastime - checkers.

"You move your man up and try to jump me, then you get the checker," Nathan told Jimmy.

Watching his example, Jimmy moved his piece forward and captured his first checker.

Friendly interactions such as the one between Nathan and Jimmy are part of Bruton Memorial Library's Teen Events@ the Library summer series.

The program, which began June 10 and runs through July 29, is held in the TeenSpace conference room of the library at 302 McLendon St. The TeenSpace at the library was added in May 2007 as part of the library's $100,000 remodeling effort. The Teen Library Club was started in September 2007.

Library Director Anne Haywood said the Teen Events@ the Library program stemmed from the Teen Library Club and was organized by library staff to offer teenagers a place to hang out, interact, socialize and play games in a supervised, instructive environment. She said although the teens generally focus on the modern technology of video and computer games, there is an ulterior offshoot to the events.

"Our job is to convey information and entertainment to people. That covers all the different formats," said Haywood, who is in her 17th year at Bruton. "But, if it gets them teens to the library and they see it as a fun place to be, hopefully, it will be 'lo and behold, there are books in here, too.' "

The teen events are coordinated by Salena Coller, the library's computer services librarian. She said a class she took at the University of South Florida about young adults got her interested in incorporating a special series for teens.

According to library records, the number of library items checked out by teenagers jumped from 550 in June 2007 to 778 in June 2008 - an indication to administration of the need for more teen programming. Coller said there is a nationwide trend of libraries adding teen-specific programs to their agendas and rooms to their buildings.

"It encourages them to use our facilities and not only helps meet their academic needs, but their recreational needs, too," Coller said.

As she watched her brother, Michael, play an interactive video electric guitar game, Kristen Jones, 17, said she enjoyed the new programs.

"Summer can kind of get boring after a while and this gives us something to do," said Kristen, who will be a junior at Plant City High School this fall. "Plus, it's in the middle of town and is close by and that's good, too."

Haywood said the library currently borrows PlayStation 2 video games from the Tampa-Hillsborough County library system, but is soliciting donations of interactive video games, including PS2 and Nintendo systems.

The library was created by the Plant City Woman's Club in 1927 and is a member of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.

For information or to donate games, go to www.my space.com/teenlibraryclub or call (813) 757-9215.

IF YOU GO

Here's the remaining schedule for the Teen Events@ the Library summer program:

• Anima & Manga animation drawing club, 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday

• Japanese culture and food tasting, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday

• PowerPoint for Teens, 4 to 5 p.m. July 22

• How to use Word to write a school paper, 4 to 5 p.m. July 29

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