The lawless library!

Byline: Chad Dryden

BOISE, Idaho _ Somewhere around the age of 13, being seen at the library _ let alone enjoying yourself _ was as socially stunting as getting good grades or having the wrong pair of shoes. The irony is, the library is brimming with the very tools _ anarchy and rebellion, sex and rock `n' roll _ necessary for quenching adolescent thirsts and winning popularity points. Our 13-year-old selves, however, were too busy bitching about book reports (or avoiding getting beat up) to realize we could have been looking at boobs or listening to N.W.A. behind Mom's back.

As adults, most of us retain a thread of the library-is-for-geeks mentality, even as those geeks _ you know, the ones making millions in computers or fronting rock bands _ overtake the cool throne.

"There is that stereotype that the library is boring, and the people who work there are nerds," said Kevin Booe, Boise Public Library's assistant library director. "Many people equate the library with school, but libraries aren't just for learning. A lot of people are amazed how many computers we have, or that we have movies and all genres of music, even hip-hop."

In other words, the library is cool. Yes, you heard me. Cool. Read on.

MISFITS AND MISCREANTS?!

Kerouac. Jagger. Tarantino. Hip dudes, right? There among the World Books and microfiche they sit, full of sass, swagger and subversion, waiting to shatter some young punk's illusions. All it takes to enter their world is a library card.