By Angel Perkins Staff Writer
BOURBON — New things are happening for patrons to take part in at the Bourbon Public Library. Director Heather Barron saw a need for change for two groups she felt should have more attention, the teen and the senior members.
“It’s when I stopped coming to the library (as a teen),” she explained. “The-re just isn’t a lot for them to enjoy, a place of their own, a constructive place to get away to.”

Barron said libraries are moving to include catering to the teenage set, so she decided to ask area teens that utilize the library what they would like to see. “We got up a Teen Advisory Committee rather than just having me making all the decisions,” she said. “I’d love to get the kids more excited about the library and offer them more.”
The teen committee’s first meeting Aug. 31 brought in six teens who discussed new books and what they liked or wanted from their library. “They arranged the displays and came up with ideas for new programs,” Barron said.
Giving them a place to call their own, the library staff purchased lounge chairs and gave them a teen-friendly area near the row of computers that normally attract the age group. On shelves in the area dubbed the “Teen Lounge” are bo-oks from favorite age-appropriate authors like E. Lockhart, Patrick Ness, Phillip Pullman and Sarah Dessen as well as old favorites such as the series “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.”
In the magazine rack are copies of popular periodicals such as Sports Illustrated, People, National Geographic and Seventeen as well as a variety of relevant publications such as Boy’s Life, Scouting, Odyssey and Kids. A dry erase board is set up to remind teens of the art contest taking place as well as offer them the opportunity to anonymously write down titles or things they would like to see at the library in the future.
The art contest runs through Sept. 26 and all teens 12 through 19 are invited to bring in their works (photo, clothing, painting, etc.) to display. During the first two weeks of October patrons of all ages will be asked to judge the submissions for first, second and third place winners to be announced Monday, Oct. 12.
The next Teen Advisory Committee meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m.
To meet the needs of the hardest to reach library patrons, library assistant Denise Heckaman exp-lained, the staff came up with a plan to assist those whose visits have waned for different reasons—the hom-ebound seniors.  “We had a staff meeting and discussed lending out books,” she explained. She said movies were not included in the offer — nor were new re-lease — but books, books on tape or on CD were available for the homebound to request if they live within the Triton school district.
“The first Wednesday of each month our volunteers will pick them up and drop them off,” said Barron, who added that they are still looking for volunteers to deliver (on foot or as drivers) and asking everyone to put the word out. “They can call to register (574-342-5655) and we will get some author ideas from them. We just can’t give out the new releases because they will be keeping them for four weeks.”