As teens start making Halloween plans, whether it’s a party, trick-or-treating or a movie marathon, the Coralville Public Library is already two steps ahead. The CPL held TeenTober this month in a celebration of teens and teen library services. The month ended with TeenToberfest on Oct. 25, the CPL’s own Halloween party.
But it wasn’t always called TeenTober. The CPL used to have a Teen Read Week and a Teen Tech Week in October. Those two programs were created by the Young Adult Library Services Association, which later announced that those programs would be replaced nationwide by TeenTober.
“It’s just a celebration, trying to celebrate teens, promote year-round teen services, get teens into the library [and] let them know it’s a safe place they can learn new skills and [experience] everything that the library has to offer,” Karen Stierler, CPL’s Teen Services Librarian, said.
The library has held TeenTober for the past three years. The Teen Advisory Board plans the events, like this year’s Vincent Van Ghosts on Oct. 10, a painting session where kids added ghosts to Van Gogh’s famous “Starry Night.”
TAB member Cora Belanz ’29 said, “You get to influence the programs that are here and help plan them, and it’s really fun.”
The TAB also organized a teen hangout to paint mini pumpkins on Oct. 24. At the event, Charlotte Osborn ’30 said, “I get to see some of the people that I don’t get to see during school, and I get to meet older people than myself.”
Both craft sessions took place during weekly Teen Hangouts, which take place every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the teen area of the library. These hangouts are still open to teens even after TeenTober ends.
“During the school year, anytime there’s school on Thursday, we hang out in the teen area…we always have snacks and some kind of craft or game going on. And it’s really just a chance for teens to come down and hang out,” Stierler said. “It’s a nice way for kids to get to meet other kids and learn [what] the library has to offer.”
Zelphia Kraber ’29 goes every Thursday. She said, “The atmosphere is always really fun. Everybody’s so kind and friendly and supportive. It’s just a very fun environment to be in.”
To end TeenTober, the CPL held TeenToberfest on Oct. 25. This year, the event was a screening of “The Addams Family” with pizza, a popcorn bar and Perler beads.
TAB member Claire Reimer ’29 said, “We thought ‘The Addams Family’ was kind of a classic, and we planned out all the stuff that we were gonna have [for] the popcorn bar and all the stuff you needed for the Perler beads.”
Aside from TeenTober events, the library has a plethora of other resources, opportunities and events to offer. From free medical clinics to early voting to ELL classes, there’s plenty to take advantage of.
For information on future teen events such as Winterfest or the Chilly Challenge, visit the CPL calendar or the CPL teen Facebook.
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