Teens get locked in library – on purpose

MORRIS – Teens from all over town gathered in the Morris Area Public Library late Friday for the annual Teen Lock-In.

The forecast was for snow that night, but nobody inside seemed to care about the weather: There was too much fun to be had.

“Laser tag in the stacks” was one of the first activities. Teams of seven members each got to stalk and hide among the book shelves on the library’s first floor, with lights dimmed appropriately.

The winning team was “Ranpo Edogawa,” named after a character in “Bungou Stray Dogs,” a Japanese television series. The team’s members represented several schools and said they had a blast with the game. Some of them already knew each other through the library’s Anime Club. Shelby Doss, of Morris Grade School, is a part of that club.

“I’m here because I’ve made a lot of friends at the library,” Shelby said. “It’s a fun place.”

Kagen Boroczk, of Saratoga School, said she also likes going to the library. She’s in the Anime Club and also uses the computers there.

Carlie Evans, of Morris Community High School, said she likes doing community activities where she gets to meet people outside of her school.

“This is the first time I’ve played laser tag,” MCHS student Rachael Snowden said, “and I won all three times.”

Alexis Daniel of MCHS and Ben Acosta of Rivers Edge Academy were the captains of Ranpo Edogawa.

The organizer of Friday’s event was Nydia Robinson, adult/teen program coordinator at the library. The lock-in was somewhat bittersweet for her, as it was the last event she will host in that position.

This week, she becomes head of circulation. When asked what she’ll miss about her former position, Robinson replied, “Everything.”

“I’m a very crafty person, and I like to share my knowledge,” Robinson said. “I’m hoping to still do some programs while I’m in my new position.”

The Teen Lock-In is an annual event at the library that has become popular, Robinson said.

“We love to see the teens of our community be a part of this group,” she said. “It’s great for them to get to meet new kids, and it’s fun to see the kids who come back each year.”

Other games played at the lock-in included:

• A cup-stacking relay game where the teams competed to see who could stack cups in a certain order the fastest

• “Separation Anxiety,” a bead-sorting game

• A jelly bean trickle-down game where teams had to find the quickest way to manage the flow of the candies from one plastic pop bottle to another

• “Junk in the Trunk,” where teams shook ping-pong balls out of Kleenex boxes tied around their waists.

Students also had plenty of snacks to munch on, such as pizza and drinks brought by Friends of the Library.

Rose Nowak, with Teen Services, said she has a lot of plans for teens this year.

“I’m hoping on doing at least one program a week,” she said, “and some drop-in activities.”

Programs will include video game contests and trivia games, she said.

Robinson said other events coming up at the library are a succulent frame craft activity on Jan. 22; a preparing for retirement workshop on
Jan. 29; a trip to see the play, "Dear Evan Hansen," on March 9; and a Chicago architectural boat tour in June.