Almost two years following the COVID-19 pandemic, children, teens and young adults are returning to Morrisania Library for free services including storytime, homework help and art programs like the one held Wednesday, Comic Book Making 101.
Colbert Nembhard, Morrisania’s library manager, leads the programs and services geared to re-engage their younger demographic and encourage them to return to the library.
“They’re very excited because during the pandemic they didn’t have anywhere to go because normally they would come to the library, do their homework, take advantage of the free internet service and come to a good program,” Nembhard said.
After the library shut down in March 2020, many of its programs went virtual. Erilenis Ramos, 13, was one of the handfuls of kids in Wednesday’s comic making class. She said the only thing she could do during the pandemic was play outside.
“I was just really confused when the library closed,” Ramos, said.
Tasha Luciano, 13, was also at the comic book workshop. She went to other libraries during Morrisania’s closure to keep up with her schoolwork and to read, but they lacked the selection her home library had.
“I’ll definitely be coming back,” Luciano said, referring to the Morrisania Library.
Just five people attended Wednesday’s workshop. Nembhard and his staff realize it will take some work to bring young people back to the library.
“It’s picking up that’s why we’re really working on bringing them back in,” Nembhard said. “We want to hear from them what kind of things they want to see so that way they come. We’re inclusive, not exclusive.”