Keep Boredom at Bay at Your Local Library

by Alison R.

Bored? Arlington’s public libraries offer a lot of choices for those in need of time to kill.

The Good Stuff: You know what it is – movies, music, audio books, featured titles, graphic novels and – most importantly – free Internet. All locations have computers available for public use; Central, Aurora Hills, Columbia Pike, Plaza and Shirlington all have free Wi-Fi. Playaways, handheld audio books, are available at all locations as well. Some branches don’t have music or video sections dedicated solely to teens, but the adult sections serve just as well, folding in YA movies as well as additional foreign films (anime fans, though, should check out Central’s YA DVD collection). The biggest collection of graphic novels is at Central, split into J, YA and adult sections. For reading ideas, check out the high school TAB blog and the teen library blog list of new books. You can also browse the Arlington Public Library Catalog and place holds at any time on ACORN.

Spanish Language Conversation Group: Looking for an informal place to practice your Spanish skills? The Spanish Conversation Class meets every Thursday at seven at Central Library on a drop-in basis.

English Language Conversation Groups: Looking for an informal place to practice your English skills? English Conversation Classes meet at Central, Shirlington and Columbia Pike at different times most Saturdays for non-native speakers on a drop-in basis.

Technology Classes: Did you skip technology in ninth grade? You’re in luck! Arlington offers technology classes of all types for all ages, from basic computer skills to online blogging and job hunting. Most classes are at Central, Shirlington and Columbia Pike. All classes are free and open on a first-come, first-serve basis; some individual classes do have basic requirements.

Art Exhibits: Do you enjoy the visual arts? Would you like to see great art for free without trekking into DC? The Central and Shirlington locations rotate art exhibits featuring local artists, including school competitions, and almost always have something to see.

Films: Shirlington offers the most frequent movie screenings (sometimes almost daily). There is also the Cross Cultural Cinema program, which screens international films about once a month, and each is followed by an audience discussion. All Cross Cultural Cinema screenings are at the Central Library Auditorium on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Volunteering: Librarians are always grateful for extra help! Volunteering can be fun, plus you also get hours. General jobs include sorting, shelving, organizing and retrieving items; you can also do short book reviews, help with story hours, make posters and flyers and organize library files. An application form is required; and an additional Talent Release form is required for posting your name and work online. See the Teen Portal page on volunteering for more information.

For a complete list of events at all branches organized by event type, visit the Library News and Events page or the Library’s Teen Blog, TATAL Online.

Suggested Reading

Middle School: The official Reading List and the 2008 TAB picks of all the middle school groups

High School: The official 2009 TAB list; also check out the YA Authors Café blog and other teen author blogs

Teens in General: New Books at the library from the TATAL blog, the H-B Woodlawn Library Bookspot and YALSA’s booklist page