When we opened our weekly Wellesley Free Library newsletter, we were shocked to learn that the High School room, tucked away on the second floor of the library, was vandalized last week. Disappointed librarians reported that clay from teen craft kits had been ground into the carpet, and the CD/DVD drives on both computers in the room had been deliberately dismantled.
In response to the disrespectful acts, the High School Room was closed for several days for cleaning and repairs. If you saw something, say something. Contact the library at welmail3@minlib.net
What is the High School room?
The High School room is pretty much the coolest place in the library. The dedicated space is set aside for the use and enjoyment of students during hours when school is not in session. The tricked out area offers tables, desktop computers, board games, white boards with markers and plenty of outlets. There’s also a community Nintendo Switch available, and students are encouraged to let librarians know if there are any games they want added. It’s not a silent space—although some kids go to hang out solo, many work in small groups. Nor have we ever noticed rowdiness as walked by. Although the High School room is off the beaten grey carpeted path—or perhaps because of that—the youth long ago discovered its existence.
So, yes, it’s sad to hear that a small number of people thought it was OK to damage a public space. We would guess the vandalism will be a topic of conversation at the next Teen Advisory Group meeting. Those are the kids who work on building the library up by implementing ways to improve the library experience for young people, instead of tearing it down.
