A PROJECT is being piloted in Beaminster to encourage youngsters to make better use of their local library.

The scheme is a partnership between the County's Library Service and the Youth and Community Service, with support from Beaminster Youth Council.

In recognition of the fact that a majority of teenagers don't use local Libraries, all have combined to offer a special teenagers only session that involves young people in it's creation and development.

Each Wednesday evening the unfamiliar sound of youth music fills Beaminster library and, with free internet use, free refreshments, and a new especially selected stock of books designed to appeal, the pilot project has quickly proved a major success with local young people.

Many, like 13 year old Emily Symes and 16 year old Sam Purvis, hadn't previously used the library. With new members joining each week, and with regulars being very regular all agree that this is a brilliant idea.

"And it's wicked not having any adults around," added Jake Pool.

"I'm really pleased with it," said Beaminster Youth Participation Worker, Nicki Levien. "There are lots of brilliant ideas coming from young people, and it's been very helpful having such good co-operation from Beaminster school."

Sharon Holmes, Service Development Manager, said: "The Library Service is open for all and is free to use. This partnership offers us the opportunity to work with young people and develop services which are relevant to their needs."

Debbie Casey, assistant in charge of Beaminster Library, added: "It's been great seeing new faces and hearing their views on the Library Service. We hope this is just the beginning of a vibrant community partnership."

A series of themed workshops has been planned, the first of which involved well-known illustrator of teenage books, Mel Gibson.

"The next workshop is likely to concentrate on song-writing and/or rapping," explained the County Council's Senior Area Youth Worker, Arthur Woodgate, who helped initiate the project.

"We are looking to work together to develop a varied and imaginative approach to literacy across the area. Young people in Beaminster are showing an interest in creating a reading group, whilst the Library Service's Nicola Richardson has already helped set up the Young Parents Reading Group in Bridport. This is based at Bridport Youth and Community Centre, and is another partnership project - this time between the Youth Service, Libraries, and the Mill Advice and Information Centre.

"There have already been a number of very positive spin-offs from this work, and we are all extremely pleased with the way things are going."

For more information, contact Nicki Levein on 07973 539591 or Debbie Casey at the library on 01308 862362. Or pop into Beaminster library on a Wednesday evening between 5.30 and 7.30pm.