LYNN — In 2013, staff at the Lynn Public Library set out on a mission to create a space for young adult learning and student engagement.
Katelyn Cole, head of young adult services, said they hired 10 teens to help them research and design a space just for young adults as the library had always kept the children and teen programming together.
Cole said they wanted to know “what was there in Lynn for teens? Especially what was there in Lynn for teens that was free.”
Thus was born the teen tech space on the 3rd floor of the library, which Cole opens every other Thursday in the summer and every Thursday during the school year.
“We used to call it ‘quaranteen’ until the pandemic, and then I think everyone just got sick of that word,” she said.
The space has a 3D printer, large flat screen TV, an Xbox, computers, iPads, and an abundance of outlets for students to charge their phones and other devices.
Cole said the computers also have Adobe Photoshop and coding programs installed on them so students can learn to edit photos and make their own video games and programs.
It’s about “What else can you do with the skills you already have? Let’s expand on those,” she added.
She said a lot of students come to the space to chill out with their friends and decompress after long days at school before having to do homework or chores.
Cole said it’s a laid back environment where students will find friendship, adding students who attend different schools from their friends will often meet up with their friends at the Teen Tech Space.
“We also try to make sure this is a safe space,” Cole said. She said students who use the space know they are welcome to speak to a staff member about uncomfortable situations.
“We want to make sure that students have a space where they can express themselves, and not be judged for it,” she said.
There is a young adult section on the upper level of the library, but Cole said this area only has one outlet in the entire space.
Cole said some of the other programming that will be available to teens this summer is a fandom book club that will be reading “Miles Morales” by Jason Reynolds, Candy Sushi, and Air Plants, to name a few.
“Everyday is so different. It keeps it fresh. And I love just being able to help teens find something that they’re looking for, whether it’s they need a resource for a school project, they just had a random question, or they’re looking for a book to read,” Cole said.
