On the other hand, there are those nights that the Teen Lounge is full of young adults who are enthusiastic and excited to be at the library whether it's because they have someone to talk to or because they love the event theme or they are just glad to be somewhere other than school or home. These nights are the ones that I remember and love. Giving teens a place, peers to talk to, and a constructive activity (even if it is just a movie) is what I really cherish about my job.
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| You know who's awesome? Teens who come to the library. |
The Event
Every month, I hope to write about the most successful event from our weekly programs (Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m.). March's popular event was the BYOAnime (Bring Your Own Anime) for Otaku* Night.
After some great debate, the teens settled on Ponyo (2008), a Japanese anime based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Some had never seen it and some called it a "favorite," so we had a good mix of enthusiasm.
Stats:
- Teen attendees: 7 teens from 14 to 17 years old (6 recurring, 1 newbie!)
- Popcorn consumed: 2 packages (popped and gone within 10 minutes each)
- Student observers: 1 student (This was a new feature to us. Most students from the local University choose to observe Miss Jean's Children's events. Having a Library Science student considering Teen Services and coming to ask about them warms my heart.)
Goals & Objectives
If a member of the Board stepped into my Event and said, "What are you doing here? What's the point of all this?" I would be prepared...- Interpersonal Skills
- Teen interaction with each other as well as with myself and the library volunteer was high. Many of the attendees easily mingled with those they had not previously met, finding common ground in the movie, school, or other topics.
- Discussion & Critical Thinking
- The movie itself sparked a lot of discussion. Anime tends to be good for this as there are so many different things that happen at once and so many of these are simply unexpected. Some of the better discussions revolving around the movie's themes focused on the logistics of Ponyo turning into a human and the young age of the main characters (5 years old).
- Cultural Competence
- As this is an event featuring a foreign culture, the teens gain exposure to a different set of values and social norms through these films. Some items the teens noticed and noted to each other were Ramen noodles (and the special bowls used in the film) and the practice of removing shoes before entering a house.
Bragging Rights
This was a great event that filled the Teen Lounge and got a lot of great discussions going. Not all of these discussions were specifically about the film, but everyone still enjoyed and watched. On that note, the group was never rowdy and when talk did occur, it was mostly kept to a respectful level of those watching the film. I was particularly glad when I saw two teens who had not met before really hit it off as they branched out and found lots of things to talk about.*Otaku: Japanese term for people with niche interests, often associated with the Anime and Manga fandoms.
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