SUNDERLAND — A not-so-quiet battle raged in the Sunderland Public Library as local patrons ran around bookshelves, hid under desks and chased each other through the children’s section while playing laser tag.
“The kids love it, they sign up right away,” said organizer Vanessa Ryder, who works in the circulation department, about the laser-tag games that are held at the library every month on a Thursday, after the library has closed.
The creative effort to get children into the library, which has been going on for more than a year, is led by Young Adult Librarian Megan Russell.
“It’s been a pretty big hit — the kids love it,” Russell said before last Thursday night’s battle began. “I’m just trying to get the kids in to use the library.”
Around 6 p.m., nine youths had gathered in the young adult’s room to pick teams and select lasers. Then, all the lights were turned off, Russell counted to three, combatants scattered among the stacks, and an all-out laser battle ensued.
Olivia Leone, who dropped off her two daughters, said Sunderland Public Library is exceptional when it comes to events.
“They’ve done a lot of ’tween type events here,” Leone said, while explaining that her older daughter came to the laser tag event once, and then persuaded her younger daughter to try it out. “It’s a wonderful library.”
Brian and Tierney Sodders, local residents who brought their two children to the event for the first time on Thursday, agreed with Leone. They said they wished laser tag in the library was around when they were young.
“It’s great,” said Tierney Sodders, as she watched her children careen past the librarian’s desk. “It encourages kids to come to the library, and it’s also a fun social event where they can meet other kids.”
During summer months, Russell said, sporting events keep young patrons busy, so the laser tag nights aren’t strictly held once per month; however, in the winter, numbers pick back up and the events become consistent again.
According to Russell, laser tag in the library isn’t exclusive to the town — a town over in Amherst, Jones Library, also has a program.
“I was actually trying to collaborate with Jones, to make Sunderland versus Jones ‘the battle of the libraries,’” Russell said, noting that the Sunderland patrons have more practice.
For more information, visit the library on School Street, or go to: sunderlandpubliclibrary.org