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Orange Park, Fleming Island libraries bookmark spaces for teen-specific sections

By Wesley LeBlanc Staff Writer
Posted 12/4/19

CLAY COUNTY – The Orange Park and Fleming Island libraries are home to sections catered specifically for teenagers that include books, movies and video games.

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Orange Park, Fleming Island libraries bookmark spaces for teen-specific sections


Posted

CLAY COUNTY – The Orange Park and Fleming Island libraries are home to sections catered specifically for teenagers that include books, movies and video games.

Wanting to create a section just for teenagers where they could be teenagers, the Clay County library system began retrofitting rooms to be designated teen sections. During certain hours in these sections, only teenagers are allowed and instead of hearing a classic “shhh” from the librarian, they’re able to use the space however they wish.

“The idea behind it is that we had a lot of teens coming in the library before we had a designated teen space,” Fleming Island branch Teen Librarian Kendall McCurley said. “There was no real space for them to hangout and be teens after school...so we created this space specifically for teens.”

The teen space at the Fleming Island branch is located to the right of the main library section as is the space for teens at the Orange Park location. Anyone is free to peruse through the area but after a certain time, it’s teenagers only. You’d likely find dozens of teenagers engaged in John Green’s newest book or playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch or checking out a new graphic novel from DC Comics.

“There’s all kinds of stuff here and it’s all catered to them,” McCurley said.

The inclusion of a video game section might seem out of place for what is traditionally a place for reading books in the quiet but that’s not what the teen space is about – it’s about letting teens be themselves.

McCurley said the video game section has been especially successful because it brings strangers together. A teen might jump into a race in Mario Kart with another person their age that they’ve never met and after a quick bout on the Switch, a new friendship is made.

Because of the Fleming Island branch’s proximity to Fleming Island High, which is just a quick drive or short walk away, the teen space doubles as a great and safe place for teenagers to gather before after school activities. Instead of waiting for an hour after school in the parking lot for soccer practice to start, students can head to the teen space to check out a new book or get a jump start on their homework.

If a student is struggling with their homework, McCurley said that often, there is a tutor in the teen space willing to help. These tutors aren’t placed by the library system but often, they’re there waiting to meet with a student. McCurley has seen students in need of chemistry help approach the tutor for help.

“They’ve always been happy to help,” McCurley said.

The teen space is also home to special programming aimed at teenagers like the Anime Club, Teen Advisory Group and BookFlix, which sees teenagers read books with movie adaptations. Much like the space itself, everything that can be done within is catered to teenagers and often decided on by the teenagers themselves.

“It’s for them at the end of the day, so we just want this space to be theirs,” McCurley said.