Getting H.Y.P.E.'d in Detroit
Dodie Ownes -- School Library Journal, 6/3/2008 5:53:00 PM
Since opening on May 12, the H.Y.P.E. Teen Center at Detroit Public Library’s main branch has hosted author Sharon Flake and 1200 teens, presented a program on dropout intervention initiatives, enjoyed jazz artist Monica Blair, put on a teen dance and fashion show, conducted a poetry slam, and oh yes, checked out a bunch of books, videos, and music. “It has been a whirlwind of activity here,” states Yvette Shane, associate director for public service, “and we don’t expect that to slow down anytime soon!” H.Y.P.E. stands for Helping Young People Excel, and is the moniker applied to all teen services and programs at Detroit Public Library.
Providing service to teens and young adults is Detroit Public Library’s primary focus, and its $350,000 investment in retrofitting the classic 1923 children’s room at its main branch has been lauded by local press as a savvy move that will “increases the chance it will have an audience to serve in the future.”
Darlean Bridges, DPL's popular materials coordinator, feels that involving the teens now keeps them interested and engaged. “We have a teen advisory board that has input on all of our programming, and even creates it,” she reports. “They came up with the idea for a reader’s theatre, using teen-written plays, and it was one our young adults that came up with the H.Y.P.E. name (Aubree Brewster, pictured with Oneka Wilson, teen librarian, top left, and Shane, lower left). Their involvement has been critical since day one.”
Shane and Bridges, both former children’s librarians, felt that something was missing at the library for ‘tweens and teens. “There was always a disconnect. Young adults just got lost, and we knew we had to intervene at this midlevel,” says Shane. “Detroit has a serious dropout problem and issues with gangs, and we feel that it is our responsibility to address these through the H.Y.P.E. Teen Centers. To encourage kids to stay in school, we provide homework help, test practice programs, online college tours, even financial aid resources. Our video game program, Game Wars, has proven to be a wonderful outlet for positive interaction in a safe environment.”
The H.Y.P.E. Teen Center at DPL’s main branch is kept running by two dedicated staffers, Steve Teeri, customer support assistant, and Oneka Wilson, young adult librarian. The nearly 3,400 square feet of space is believed to be the largest dedicated teen space currently found in U.S. libraries, and the remodel was funded through the general library budget.
Bridges’ favorite moment from the first week? “Having the MLK, Jr. High School Marching Band play during our closing event was a highlight for me,” she says. “They are the only high school band scheduled to perform at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and we couldn’t be prouder. These are the kind of achievers we need more of, and H.Y.P.E. and the Detroit Public Library want to be part of their success.”
