By Brooke Faulkner

One of my favorite parts of my job as McArthur Public Library’s teen services librarian is working with our teen advisory group. This group of 12- through 18-year-olds is responsible for recommending books, movies and music for the library’s teen section, helping with the design and décor of the teen space and especially for brainstorming and planning fabulous programs and events for teens.

In past years, the teen advisory group here has painted our community room and a set of bookshelves for the teen audio books, selected materials on a wide range of subjects for the teen collection (from photo books about classic cars to various musical soundtracks) and has hosted several rock concerts. 

The programs they propose are as unique as they are and I’ve been consistently impressed by their imaginative and thoughtful ideas.

On Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m., the library will stage another of their  creations – our second-ever puzzle hunt, McArthur Mystery Madness II: International Espionage. Part scavenger-hunt, part puzzle-solving extravaganza, this spy-themed competition challenges  participants to follow clues through the library and solve word, cipher and visual puzzles. The first team to complete the hunt and solve the mystery will win a grand prize that will include, among other things, a gift certificate for each member of the winning team to Border’s Books and Music.

“Wait a minute,” you might be thinking, “I thought the library was closed on Saturday night.” That is another aspect of this event that makes it intriguing – it is to be held after the library is closed for the evening, so only those who are competing in the puzzle hunt will be in there. If you’re a teen and it sounds like your kind of thing, please give the library a call to register at 284-4181.

As the summer winds down, there one of the other thing that will need attention here at McArthur:  Some of the teens on our advisory group who graduated this past May will leave us for far-flung pursuits. Though I hate to see them go, I’m excited to bring new teens on board. If you are in sixth through 12th grade (or are a home schooler in this age range), have ideas about how the library can better serve teens and you can commit to a one-hour meeting once a month or so, this is the group for you.

In the upcoming year, I’d like to expand our monthly gaming program, which offers traditional card and board games as well as video games like Guitar Hero, Singstar and Dance Dance Revolution and to replace our monthly teen movie showing with a new regular event – perhaps a manga or anime club?

I’m also on the lookout for crafty activities that area teens like to do. Knitting? Jewelry-making? – You tell me! What I’ve discovered is that the best teen programming comes from ideas that teens themselves have generated. I know you have em’ – come talk to me at McArthur Library and let them be heard!

 Brooke Faulkner is teen services librarian at McArthur Library.