Library kids indugle in fear factor contest

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (28/01/2012) - Cassandra (right) makes a face as Faith inspects the marshmallows she's supposed to be eating covered in mustard at a Fear Factor hosted by the Belleville Public Library. The library has activities once a month for kids aged 12-15 and have been trying to keep numbers up. Photo by Amielle Christopherson.

By Amielle Christopherson

That rush of adrenaline that comes from doing an activity out of your comfort zone is something we’re always looking for.

It’s also something that kids are more receptive to and willing to try. Especially when it comes to see who can do it faster.

The Belleville Public Library hosted a Fear Factor event on Saturday, Jan. 28, with eight children attending, and all of them raced each other to see who could eat odd combinations of food the fastest.

From Smarties drenched in ketchup to marshmallows dipped in mustard, they all stared at their plate for a moment before, “Go!” was yelled and then did their best to eat everything on their plate before the kids on either side of them did it first.

“It’s actually the most kids we’ve had to an event,” said Jane Van Mann, a library assistant in the children and youth section.

The library hosts different activities once a month. However, attendance hasn’t been very good.

“There was actually one activity we had to cancel because no kids signed up,” Van Mann said.

Trevor Pross, the library CEO, said it’s not out of the ordinary. “That age group has been traditionally difficult for libraries to attract,” he said. “There are less kids that show up than the younger age groups, so eight kids for the 12 to 15-year-old age is actually pretty good.”

He also said that library staff is doing their best to get to know the kids, something that will encourage them to attend more often, and maybe to bring in a friend as well.

“There’s a saying at the library that if you don’t know 12 kids personally, you won’t have a good teen program,” Pross said.

The fact that the library does have a good collection and does buy a lot of books for that age group is also something that should help draw in some more kids.

As well, a change in time might help improve attendance. While activities have been held Thursday evenings in the past, this was the first time they tried it on a Saturday afternoon.

Soyoung Lee, the coordinator of children’s and youth services, hopes that the change will help encourage children to attend. As well, when they do come, the staff does do their best to encourage the kids to read and stay longer, as well as to come back.

Events the library does have planned will also bring in more kids. With a showing of the first part of Twilight: Breaking Dawn (popcorn and drinks included) next month, followed by a photography session in March, and a cooking class in March, Van Mann hopes that they’ll help draw kids in.