In the twenty-first century, academic success is more important than ever. We have been told this all our lives, and sometimes the pressure of getting good grades in our classes can be just too much. However, there stands a beacon of hope right here in our own community, and it is full of information and resources that will guarantee you success. That beacon is, you guessed it, the South Huntington Public Library.

The first great thing about the library is the fantastic information and resources it has that can help you with schoolwork and beyond. In the newly renovated Young Adult Library, you can find books on every subject imaginable, both for research and fun. And, you can rent a PC or Mac from the librarian, for free! Furthermore, the library is constantly offering free review sessions for the SAT, Algebra Regents, Chemistry Regents, Earth Science Regents, and many, many more. The best resources, however, are the librarians like Mrs. Jen, the young adult librarian, who is a plethora of knowledge and fun. Mrs. Jen can do everything, from signing you up for extracurricular programs to finding you scholarships.

The most important thing to remember when faced with a lot of work is to sit back and have fun every now and then. Although it may not sound like it, the library can be a lot of fun. The Young Adult Library has both a Wii and an Xbox 360 free for anyone’s use. They have game nights all the time, where you can play every type of board game you can think of, including some you’ve never even heard of.

Even though colleges care about grades, the difference between acceptance and rejection is often the number of extracurricular activities one has. Luckily for you, the library has countless functions, groups and community service activities to partake in. For starters, the library holds Teen Advisory Board meetings every third Tuesday of the month. The Teen Advisory Board, or TAB, is a club that consists of South Huntington kids from sixth to twelfth grade who meet in the Young Adult Library. The meetings last for an hour, and throughout their duration, Mrs. Jen discusses upcoming community service opportunities and library events. Sometimes, real authors show up to speak. If you’re interested in joining TAB, all you have to do is show up to a meeting, regardless of how late in the year it is.

The best part about Teen Advisory Board meetings, though, are the Ten Minute Game Shows. At the beginning of each meeting, everyone puts their name in a jar to compete for one of three spots on the Game Show. The contestants must answer questions on the month’s guest to win fabulous prizes. In fact, we’ve had both Dr. Bennardo and Mr. Toto as guests, just to name a couple.

School, sports, clubs, and family life can all be stressful. Sometimes we need a relaxing environment to get away from it all. The South Huntington Public Library is the perfect place to unload, get work done, and experience something new with friends. So next time you’re looking for community service or something fun to do, head to the library and get ready for the excitement.