Written by Gabriella Radujko, Director, Bronxville Public Library

Nov. 26, 2014: Warning! You are now entering a zombie infection zone! Oh, and you are at the Bronxville Public Library (BPL)! What? Who?

Erin Schirota, head of youth services, brought the inaugural "Zombies Survival Night" to the BPL on Friday, November 14, for a fun-filled, albeit scary, evening of game play for teens in grades 6-12. The library was closed between 7:00 and 8:30 pm just for the event. After forming small groups, Schirota coached them to avoid zombies, get library patrons (Friends of the BPL volunteers acting as chaperones) to "friend" you, and most important, HELP THE MAD SCIENTIST!!

Why? He's working on the formula for the antidote to cure the zombies--library staff members wearing zombie maquillage (yuck!!). Pacing the library in his lab coat, he cried for guidance: "It doesn't make sense; where am I going wrong . . . ? What if I take the vortex and divide by . . . ?" His booming voice filled the first floor of the library, while stealthy, crafty teens scoured a dimly lit library for zombie apocalypse survival items like flashlights, funnels, sewing kits, tissues, twine, and water bottles, all worth points for use later in the program.

Avoiding zombies who lunged at them with the aim of infecting them was critical to success as infected team members reduced the number of points gained by the team. There were enough screams throughout the evening to assure Schirota and the Friends that everyone was having a good time. One zombie in particular was credited with generating the most screams, and perhaps nightmares, as well.

When the teens reassembled in the Yeager Room, the only well-lit room in the library, the mad scientist burst through the theater doors shouting, "I cured them, I saved us all!" Behind him were disoriented, yet cured, zombies. All were ready for a zombie cure of food and drink, bringing Zombie Survival Night to a quiet close.

Reader, can you guess the grand prize for team members? A zombie survival kit, of course!

Pictured here: Louis Parks (L in background) as the mad scientist and library staff members as zombies.

Photo courtesy Gabriella Radujko, Director, Bronxville Public Library