EAST BRUNSWICK – The community is invited to celebrate the opening of the new Teen Space at the township’s public library Sunday.
At 2 p.m., library, municipal, county, and state officials, including state Sen. Barbara Buono and Mayor William Neary, will be on hand to mark the event, which includes a ribbon-cutting, cake and live music.
“This day has been years in the planning,” said Library Director Carol Nersinger. “We have been looking forward to giving teens their very own area in which to read, work on a computer, study, play board games, watch films, participate in various other library programs, or just hang out. We value the teen presence at the library and are pleased that everything has fallen into place for their benefit.”
The area houses 10 computers as well as diner-style booths, small tables and comfortable sectional seating. Teens will find hardcover and paperback books geared to their interests, as well as audio books, graphic novels and manga (a Japanese genre of comic books and animated films), according to a library press release.
The Teen Space was funded entirely with grants and donations, according to Ellen Dweck, public information specialist for the library. She said the library received a $90,000 grant from the state Department of Community Affairs’ Livable Communities Local Library Aid program, which allocates funds for teen services. Also, the East Brunswick Friends of the Library contributed $40,000, and a contribution was made by the estate of the late Stanton Levy, a longtime supporter of the library.
The Teen Space occupies the area formerly home to the Quiet Study, which was moved.
After Sunday’s grand opening, admission to the Teen Space will be open only to teens or those accompanied by a teen.
On Saturday, a grand opening carnival will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. for students in grades 8-12. “The Mysteries of the Paranormal” will be presented by the founder and director of the New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society, L’Aura Hladik. She will explore ghosts, crop circles, psychic phenomena, mysterious creatures, and spontaneous human combustion. Following her talk, there will be a paranormal carnival with palm readings, ESP tests, a Ouija board, tarot cards and other entertainment.
The celebration and carnival are sponsored by the Friends of The Library. For more information, call Youth Services at (732) 390-6789 or log on to www.ebpl.org.