Since GO Centers are usually tucked away in high school libraries or junior high counseling offices, that alone makes the new center at the East Arlington Library Branch stand out. The idea of having a center specializing in student career exploration, higher education and financial aid that is not housed inside a school is actually quite simple: bring the information to where they are.

Phillip Wambsganss, associate executive director of Higher Education Servicing Corp., a private, non-profit federal student loan servicer and administrator for the North Texas Higher Education Authority, got this idea from Mission Arlington Executive Director Tillie Burgin, who didn't wait for people to come to the mission for religious services. She started services inside the apartment complexes.

"A light bulb went off as soon as she told me that,'Wambsganss said Thursday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially kick off the new center.

"GO Centers are kind of hidden behind school walls and unless students find out about it, there's a chance they may not go. So if we can take the concept of moving GO Centers to the community, that could be the makings of a new college-going culture.'

East Arlington library's GO Center is the first of three to open inside an Arlington public library branch - Northeast Arlington library and the Central Arlington library will be up and running by the end of the month.

The GO Centers, funded with a grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, will coordinate programming with each of the libraries' unique youth services (at the East branch, the center partners with the Youth Technology Center) and will employ college students from Tarrant County College (TCC) and UT-Arlington to act as college mentors.

Students can expect a wide range of college preparation-related programs at the center. They will be able to connect with students like themselves and will have someone at the center to help.

"These students will be able to mentor our young people on choosing schools, career assessments and pathways to those careers,'said Library Services Manager Marc Marchand. "We will even help them with homework.'

One of those mentors is Stoney Washington. He is a Round Rock, Texas, native who made some hard choices by turning down an opportunity to play basketball at a four-year school to concentrate on academics at TCC.

"I know what it's like to sit there and say to yourself, so what should I do now?'Washington said. "I can legitimately tell them what it's like to be sweating about your future. We're not here to make a decision for them but to let them know what's out there.'

For libraries, Marchand said this is the next logical step.

"We serve everyone,'he said. "In Arlington we have a large education ecosystem. Charter schools, private schools, homeschool families, AISD, MISD. This is just one more way to support them. The ultimate goal is for these kids to be successful and start businesses right here in Arlington.'