Coming up with new, entertaining activities year-round can be challenging. The Teen Advisory Board tackles this task by creating events that they hope inspires younger audiences to stay connected with reading.

TAB strives to educate the youth on the importance of public libraries and encourages them to continue using them in the future

The group hosts events in the Diamond Bar Library to help attract younger readers. 

“We did a 4-D movie not that long ago with ‘Sunny With a Chance of Meatballs’ and it was really fun,” President Sarah Seif said. 

The event was suggested by the children’s librarian at Diamond Bar Library. Impressed by the success of other libraries who held similar events, librarian Janet Ramirez-Manchan believed it would boost the library’s growth, which it did, as more than 40 students  attended that day. 

Throughout the movie, TAB members added special effects for the kids, including  spraying them with water when it rained or handing out foods like jello when they would fall from the sky in the film.

TAB’s events serve a variety of purposes. While some are designed to attract more visitors to the library, most events are educational. Children are exposed to topics that range from how the library functions to the complex structures of cultures around the world.

“We had a puppet show on Egyptian mythology during my first year in TAB, which was mostly meant to teach kids something they might not learn at school in a fun environment,” Seif said. 

Despite the club’s activity now, TAB had broken apart prior to Seif becoming president.

“This past year the teen librarian at Diamond Bar got moved to Rowland,” she said. “So the spot was vacant which meant that TAB had to stop for a couple months.” 

Seif had been the only junior at the time, and with all the seniors having graduated, she took on the task of reviving the club. 

“I mostly just advertised on social media,” Seif said via Instagram. “I wanted people to know that it was supposed to be fun and not stressful and that they could come whenever it is convenient.”

The senior said she felt that her casual approach toward gathering participants for TAB helped her attract more people rather than presenting stricter rules and making the club a huge commitment. 

Since the rough patch, TAB has grown from having six members to around 10 in attendance per meeting. 

Senior Sabrina Peng is among the people recruited by Seif for TAB, taking on the position of vice president. She shared that the event she is most excited for this year is the literary themed interactive rooms. 

TAB plans to recreate miniature versions of certain settings in the novel by using three different backdrops. Kids will be able to be sorted by the sorting hat’ and experience other traditional games like ‘pin the tail on the donkey,’ just with a Harry Potter interpretation. 

“It is centered around the Harry Potter book series which I believe will draw a lot of interest due to its widespread popularity,” she said. 

The club meets every Tuesday at Diamond Bar Library and will hold another 4-D movie showing of “The Grinch” this December.