Cockeysville Library Invites Kids to Join ‘Teen Zone’

The Cockeysville Library is recruiting kids between the ages of 11 and 17 for the Cockeysville Teen Zone, a teen-oriented program that runs throughout the spring and summer.

“Mostly we like the kids around and we want them to enjoy the library,” librarian Lisa Swain said. “This is a place for them to learn but they also have fun here.”

The library underwent a nine-month period of renovations from October 2009 to June 2010, during which its former teen group, the Baltimore Library Teens, was unable to meet. The Cockeysville Teen Zone was created to encourage youth involvement at the library again.

“We’re trying to reconnect with them,” Swain said. “Because of the renovations, we can now give the teens their own area.”

One initiative to recruit new members was a pizza taste-off.

“We had area pizza parlors participating,” Swain said. “We got about 25 to 30 kids from the Cockeysville and Lutherville areas, including kids from the Cockeysville PAL Center."

Italian Cafe was the winner of the pizza taste-off. Fazzini's, Pizza Palace and Seasons Pizza also participated in the competition. 

Upcoming events for the Cockeysville Teen Zone include joining Habitat for Humanity in decorating bricks for rehabbed houses on June 27 and a game night on Aug. 16.

The Teen Zone has also created an anime club that plans to meet on a monthly basis.

"We want to foster a relationship with the teens and welcome them back to the newly renovated library," Swain said.