A Place of Their Own: Teens and the Library

Teenagers are at an important and exciting stage in their life. They are both physically and mentally turning into adults and entering a world that is unfamiliar to them. It is challenging, but rewarding as well. Many of life’s hardest lessons are learned in adolescence.

The teenage years can also be dangerous however. Far too often teenagers make destructive decisions that have far reaching repercussions. Teenagers also stare down problems that often seem trite to adults but are stressful to them.

Because of the challenges teenagers face, the Wayne County Public Library realizes their need for a place to find acceptance and to nurture their blossoming talents. To help the youth of our community to find ways to express their creativity and individuality, and to encourage them to serve their community and build positive friendships, the Library has many services available to teenagers.

First of all, the Library has a special section devoted to teenagers, the “Teen Zone.” In this section, teens will find a billboard designed with their interests in mind along with places to sit and read the many books that found there that would appeal to them.

However important it is for teens to have good literature available to them, it is just as important for teenagers to be involved in productive and creative activities. For that reason the Library offers numerous social events designed for teenagers. During the summer there are weekly Movie Night for teenagers. A movie is screened in the Gertrude Weil Auditorium and all teens are welcome to come free of charge. This fall, we have even improved our movie screenings. They are now twice a month on Saturdays, and before the movie the participants have a chance to make arts and crafts or play games while listening to music and enjoying each others’ company, with a chance to win a door prize.

Encouraging teens to use their creativity can lead to powerful, healthy outlets for them to express their opinions and the personal challenges that they face. To help stimulate the creative growth of teens, the Library has many programs centered on an easily approachable art: poetry. This fall the Library has sponsored school programs featuring the local poet C. K. Goodman, wherein students are educated about the benefits of poetry but also encouraged to find their own creative interests. The programs have garnered rave reviews from the staff of the schools it has been featured at. C. K. Goodman also teaches two Saturday poetry workshops, to help teens interested in poetry to refine their talents.

Also, this winter the Library is sponsoring a Multi-Cultural Day. Many different foods and activities from several cultures world-wide will be presented. While this is an event for the whole family, teens will find it a valuable opportunity to become more sensitive to people from other countries and understand the people that are their neighbors and classmates.

And of course, the Library encourages teens to give back to their community. High school students are welcome to participate in the Teen Volunteer Program. They choose a night to volunteer for two hours and do helpful tasks around the library. It is a valuable way to earn volunteer hours for college scholarships, or for memberships in organizations such as the National Honors Scholarships. Volunteer work also looks impressive on job and college applications. Of course, many teens volunteer simply enjoy using their time in a productive manner.

The Library is a possession of the public, and an integral part of that public is our youth. The Wayne County Public Library wants teenagers to make the library a place of their own, for study, enjoyment, and expression. For more information about our teen programs, contact Sue Geiger at the Reference Desk of the Main Branch.

The History of You: Exploring Genealogy

Many of us know where our parents were born. If you have lived in the same area for quite some time you may even be able to identify the childhood home of your great-grandparents, or possibly know of some ancestors that fought in the Civil War.

But how many of us can tell you what country our ancestors came from? How many of us know for certain that we are of Irish or German descent, or that at one point in history our family name was associated with royalty? Many people have colorful stories from our family history, but how many of us can relate those stories to the history of the world?

More and more people are trying to, with the rising popularity of genealogy. Genealogy (pronounced “genie-ology”) is the study of ancestry or family history. The tools used in genealogy are mostly documentations of births, deaths, land purchases, and any other resource that can “link” one generation to another or give a history of an area or establishment. It is a versatile discipline, as genealogy can be as involved as you would like it to be. Perhaps you are only interested in tracing your family history back a few generations to better understand the structure of your family tree, or you want to know how long your family has been living in America. While you can certainly have a rewarding experience with these projects, more dedicated genealogists (people who practice genealogy) want to trace their family line back as far as possible. Alex Haley, the author of Roots, wrote his famous novel based on the genealogical research he had done on his own family.

While people have always had a general curiosity about their ancestry, the popularity of genealogy has grown greatly in the past few years, chiefly because of the growing ease with which one can access genealogical research materials. What used to have to be done by pouring over mounds of legal documents and prowling through numerous cemeteries can now be done easily by perusing an online database. A great amount of time and attention is still needed, but a genealogist can now do a great amount of research at home for a small subscription fee.

As with any research endeavor, the Wayne County Public Library is prepared to assist the public with their genealogical pursuits. Rhonda Konig, a reference librarian at the main branch, is an experienced genealogist who can help patrons effectively use the numerous resources available both online and in our Local History Room. The library subscribes to two online databases, HeritageQuest and Ancestry Library Edition, which are available to patrons with a valid library card (Ancestry, however, can only be used on an in-house Internet computer at the main location and any of the branches). These sources offer a plethora of genealogical sources, such as census records, genealogical books; passenger lists for ships coming to America, and many more. Also accessible online is the Wayne County Historical and Genealogy Gateway. This resource links to historic photographs of Goldsboro, books, newspaper abstracts and more detailed information about our Local History Room.

“The most important thing to me about genealogy is that it helps us to appreciate the lives of our ancestors and the struggles they had to face in order for us to exist,” says Rhonda Konig. If you agree with her, and are interested in the history of you and your family, then visit the Wayne County Public Library and get started on a rewarding pursuit.

For more information about the genealogical resources available at the Wayne County Public Library or the study of genealogy please contact Rhonda Konig.

Steele Memorial Book Club for Kids

The Steele Memorial branch of the Wayne County Public Library is starting a book club for children in grades 4-8. The meetings will be every Tuesday from 4:00-4:45 P.M. starting on November 15 of this year. Registration is required; you can pick up registration forms at Steele Memorial.

Steele Memorial Library is the branch of the Wayne County Public Library located in Mount Olive. They are located at 111 N. Chestnut Street. Their hours of operation are 9 A.M. until 5:30 P.M. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They are closed on Sunday and open from 9 A.M. until 8 P.M. on Tuesdays.

For more information on the book club of Steele Memorial in general, call (919) 705-1891.

Remembering Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks was a hero. She didn't fight in any wars, she didn't compete in any sporting events, and she didn't hold any political office. But she was hero just the same.

Very few people are not familiar with the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus. And even if we have not heard her story, we all live with the repercussions of her actions. Rosa Parks was a major influence in the Civil Rights Movement, giving supporters of equal rights for African-Americans a figure head to rally behind. Her seemingly small act inspired many people, the courage she displayed being reflected in numerous people in her wake.

Rosa Parks died on October 24 of this year. Not only was she the first woman to lay in state at the National Rotunda ins Washington, D.C., but she was also the first person to have never been President. She deserved no less; she is one of the most important historical figures of our time. Her story is a testament to the powers of small acts by ordinary people.

The Wayne County Public Library will be honoring Rosa Parks in a Memoriam program on Tuesday, November 22 at 6:30 PM. The event is open to the public. We hope the community comes together to give honor to this remarkable woman.

The Wayne County Public Library invites you to share your thoughts about Rosa Parks and her legacy in the comments section.