LPL Teen Room’s popularity spurs informational event

LEWISTON – Students from Lewiston-Auburn College and Lewiston Regional Technical Center will join forces this week to support a new teen orientation program at the Lewiston Public Library.

The LPL Teen Room has become a popular place for teens to congregate after school and on weekends and evenings.

“The large numbers of young adults using the library for Internet access, casual studying and socializing has led us to investigate how best to serve this lively, exuberant population while still maintaining an environment conducive to quiet study, reading and Internet surfing on the part of other library patrons,” said Ellen Gilliam, LPL reference librarian.

Three students from Prof. Michelle Vasquez-Jacobus’ applied social policy class at L-A College, Christine Peterson, Angela Call and Janet Verrill, have spent time this semester observing teen behaviors at LPL and, as a result, proposed the orientation approach as a proactive way to educate youth and their parents on established library protocol, including benefits and limitations.

The first teen orientation session will take place in the library’s Callahan Hall at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, and will be repeated at 3 p.m. Attendees will hear about LPL resources and services available as well as participate in a two-way discussion of behavior norms and expectations.

To sweeten the message and entice teens to attend and bring their parents, the participating teens will have their names entered in a drawing to win an iPod. Other prizes will include movie tickets and bonus time on the Internet.

In order to raise money for the purchase of the iPod, the L-A College students have organized a bake sale, which will feature an array of cookies, brownies and mini-breads created by the students enrolled in LRTC’s culinary arts program. The bake sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at the Lewiston Mall.