By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

“Wait, there’s going to be a teen section in the new library? Are you kidding?” asked Olivia Tae. “They’re going to have an X-box so we can play games? That’s awesome.”

Approaching me with a question, Tae was included in my conversation with Bethany Warden—a member of Pelham Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board. Warden approached me to share information about National Novel Writing Month activities planned at Pelham Public. A veteran of Creative Writing classes, she knew that we participate in this fun fall event each November.

I turned the conversation to Pelham Public Library’s new space and the furniture options I’d seen at a meeting earlier in the week. Warden was excited about the options too.

“We were able to make requests for what we’d like to see in the teen section of the new library,” Warden said. “It’s going to be really cool.”

Warden said that at the Teen Advisory Board meeting, the Young Adult Librarian, Liz Winn, had shared photos she’d taken of the new teen space plans and construction.

“The furniture options are tiered based on cost,” Warden said.

Having watched the presentation on furniture options and costs presented by Chris Pizzuto, the Library Furniture man, fundraising efforts for the high-end options were absolutely understandable.

“There was a booth option for the teen section,” I said. “Four people could slide in, plug in all of their devices and work together on group projects visible on the large monitor on the back wall of the booth.”

Excited by the idea of a gathering space for creating multimedia work, more students fell into the conversation. Knowing that our students will be closer to the library is exciting for everyone.

Pelham Public Library Director Mary Campbell says that plans are to be in the library by Spring 2018 so furniture orders must go in soon. To see requests and contribute, visit the Teen Section Go Fund Me at www.gofundme.com/teencampaignPelhamLibrary.

To see an artist’s rendition of the new Pelham Public Library, visit Pelhamlibrary.com.

Seeing students excited about the new Pelham Public Library is thrilling.