At the final Teen Takeover event held at the Canarsie Library, 1580 Rockaway Parkway, the teens closed off with a Hip-Hop jam session. The atmosphere was pure camaraderie and fun.
The June 14th event kicked off with the library’s Young Adult Librarian Harmony Birch and Tiffany, a regular at the Canarsie branch, kicking up their heels in a spritely dance. The teens also enjoyed sharing the microphone for karaoke performances, and it was amusing to listen to their renditions of Beyonce’s “Déjà Vu” or Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and “Love on the Brain.”
Emaliy Jones, the library’s Technical Resource Specialist, showed her support for the event by wearing a T-shirt with the image of deceased rapper DMX.
But the occasion was bittersweet. As Birch explained to the Canarsie Courier, “Many of the teens are graduating seniors who, unfortunately, may not be here next time.” The library’s Special Officer, Acevedo, stated, “They’re such a fabulous bunch. I’m happy for them. Happy that they’re moving on, but I’ll miss them.”
Besides singing and dancing, the evening was celebrated with homemade ice cream, snacks and other refreshments.
The Teen Takeover program was instituted by the Brooklyn Public Library and funded by the office of the Mayor to encourage local teenagers to visit their libraries more often after school.
