A place of their own

By Natalia Yarbrough

GED graduate

Photos by Shaquana Nelson

“A space in the library where teens can come and hang out.” That is how youth mentor Jennifer Steele describes YOUmedia (see video).

Hang out at the library? Even more unusual is how the 5,500 square-foot space at the Harold Washington Library Center downtown is filled with teens having fun. YOUmedia is drawing them in by mixing traditional library resources such as books with the latest video and audio technologies.

Upon entering, you will see that the walls of the room are three different colors: dark green, light green and red. For each of these colors, there is a specific meaning.

To the far right is your first space; the wall is forest green. You will find teens lounging on couches and chairs. From reading a book to playing PlayStation3, these teens are having fun and hanging out. You will also notice that some of the teens are viewing their Facebook accounts with the Mac laptops that they checked out from the front desk with their library card. This is probably the most laid-back area in YOUmedia. The teens are even allowed to eat in this space. This area is the “Hang Out” space.

The next area has a grassy green colored wall. Here you will find teens messing around with digital media. Mentors are there to help them with the equipment. There is deejay equipment, a keyboard, a beat maker, desktops with iPhoto, another PlayStation3 video game and a music recording studio. This area is the “Mess Around” space. According to its website www.youmediachicago.com, ‘‘the goal of the Mess Around space is to give youth the freedom to create and experiment with whatever digital medium interests them.’’

For you music lovers, the recording studio would be a perfect opportunity. Most studios in Chicago can cost up to $60 per hour or more. You might even have to pay a separate fee for each beat and bring your own blank CDs. The great thing about the studio at YOUmedia is that it’s easy to use. You must be between the ages of 14 to 19, have a valid student ID, a library card (with no fees) and attend one certification. The certification meetings are held every Saturday where you learn everything from how to hook up cables to proper studio etiquette. After going to one of these certifications, you can sign up for up to three hours of studio time. This studio has sound-proof padded walls, a microphone, headphones and a desktop equipped with the programs to edit your music. Once you are done recording, you can burn your disk to blank CDs.

The third and final YOUmedia area is the “Geek Out” space. This red area is for students who are serious about what they do. Here they offer workshops on digital media production, graphic design, gaming and blogging, and spoken word. You learn every detail about the digital medium with the youth mentors there to guide you.

Eighteen-year-old Jabari (who prefers not to use his last name) started going to YOUmedia when he was 17 and has been a junior mentor for about three months. Most of Jabari’s focus was in the studio where he often found himself helping his peers. When he isn’t working part time at YOUmedia, Jabari spends time at Chicago’s AI College (Illinois Art Institute, part of the Art Institutes) where he majors in audio production. Jabari is a great example of what YOUmedia can do for you.

Although the Harold Washington Library is the only YOUmedia location, new sites are in the works for three library branches in Pilsen, West Humboldt Park and southwest Chicago. So grab your library card and your student ID and head down to 400 S. State St. Not only will you get to learn new things at YOUmedia, but you also will have a great time doing it.

YOUmedia is open Mon.-Thur. from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. and Sun. from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sat. from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.