Teens

Calling all teens! The New York Public Library is here for you today and to help you prepare for the future. Check out digital resources, tech equipment, art materials, and more at our expanded Teen Centers. Join us for free programs and events, get access to millions of books and e-books, and much more just for teens. See you at the Library!

New & Upcoming

  • A colorful graphic of a teen sitting down and reading an wavy-shaped book.

    Summer for Teens!

    Take part in the Teen Zine Challenge, drop by Teen Centers to try out state-of-the-art tech, get ready for the Teen Voices Festival, and more. 

  • Green and yellow text on an indigo background reads "Teen Banned Book Club."

    Teen Banned Book Club

    Read with us! The New York Public Library's Teen Banned Book Club shines a spotlight on young adult titles that have been the subject of bans or challenges.

  • Teens seated at a table in front of bookshelves and a wall painted with a colorful mural and the words "Teen Center."

    New! Enhanced Teen Centers

    Hang out, get creative, and much more at the Library's newly expanded and enhanced Teen Centers at locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island!

  • A performer at a TeenLIVE event, smiling in front of a microphone with hands in the air.

    Free Events & Programs

    All the Library’s events and programs for teens are free, from book and manga discussions to arts and crafts, tech workshops, and our TeenLIVE author talks. 

Opportunities, College & Careers

Whether you're working on college applications or trying to figure out what career is best for you, The New York Public Library is here for you with resources, individual counseling, college and career prep workshops, paid internships, and programs to help you take the next big step.

  • A group of teens gather around a laptop, smiling and engaged.

    College & Career Pathways

    Our College and Career Pathways team are here for you at 40 branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Find one near you!

  • A Teen Reading Ambassador tutors a younger student.

    Teen Reading Ambassadors

    Develop job readiness and leadership skills by becoming a role model to others, an ambassador for the Library, and more. 

  • Two teens leafing through books while seated at a table. Colorful bookshelves line the wall behind them.

    Intensive College and Career Access Network (ICCAN)

    Attend fun, informative workshops to help prepare for your college or career path after high school.

  • Two teen ambassadors posing in front of bookshelves at Chatham Square Library.

    Teen Civics Ambassadors

    Get paid to create fun events and resources for other teens, and encourage your peers to learn about and participate in their communities.

Teen Voices

At The New York Public Library, we believe that what you have to say matters. Our magazine Teen Voices is written by teens for teens. Read the first issue online now and submit your writing and art. Plus: explore other ways teens are making their voices heard at the Library.

  • Cover and pages from Teen Voices Issue 2 displayed on a yellow background.

    Teen Voices Magazine & More

    At the Library, we believe that what teens have to say matters. Discover all the amazing things teens are doing at libraries and in our communities!

  • A Teen Story: A Teen Center Podcast @ SNFL.

    Podcast: 'A Teen Story'

    Listen to NYPL's podcast hosted by teens for teens, where we discuss what's currently trending and what's important to us.

  • Two teens sit at a table in front of a colorful wall mural. One uses a laptop while the other holds a book.

    Blog: YA Book Picks & More

    Find reading recommendations, homework tips, and ways to get involved in your community. 

Academic Resources & Help

Explore online tools, research materials, and much more to help you with your homework, creative projects, and self-care.

  • Photo of a teen in a Yankees hat and a button-down shirt sitting down with a laptop in front of a colorful mural.

    Online Resources & More

    Explore online tools, research materials, and much more to help you with your homework, creative projects, and self-care.

  • A teen with headphones and a mustard-hued sweater sits at a computer while smiling at the camera.

    One-on-One Tutoring

    Get free, one-on-one, online homework help for core subject areas, daily from 2–11 PM. Plus, access videos, flashcards, and more 24 hours a day.

Books, E-Books, Audiobooks & More

Find more of what you love or discover something new! Check out titles from our branches—or via NYPL's free e-reader app.

  • Hand holding red NYPL library card that reads: New York Public Library, Knowledge Is Power.

    Get a Library Card

    Unlock the power of the Library with a free library card.

  • A child looks at a picture on a digital tablet

    Free E-Books & Audiobooks

    Download SimplyE, the Library's free e-reader app, which makes it easy to browse, borrow, and dive into e-books and audiobooks on your mobile device.

  • Selection of book covers from the Best Books for Teens 2024 list displayed on a green background.

    Best Books for Teens

    Find your new favorite reads filled with stories and characters that will be sure to make readers think, laugh, cry—and perhaps recognize a part of themselves.

  • Photo of a teenager with glasses wearing a striped shirt that reads Cheer, standing next to a row of library bookshelves.

    More Reading Recommendations

    Handpicked selections celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, trans and nonbinary reads, NYC books we love, and more.

Teens 360º at NYPL

  • Text-based graphic reads "Teens360: The New York Public Library" on a blue, red, and orange background.

    Learn More About Services and Resources for Teens

    The Library's Teens 360º initiative offers a holistic support package for teens, including resources for achieving academic success; welcoming, well-equipped spaces for building skills and developing creative projects; a wide array of materials for learning and exploring extracurricular interests; and mental health support.

More from NYPL

  • Hands hold an iPhone displaying the NYPL app in front of a bookshelf.

    NYPL On-the-Go

    Get the power of the Library, anytime, anywhere. With the NYPL app, you can access everything we have to offer from home or while you’re on the go.

  • Graphic of two people walking in a city with a large brown building in the background.

    Community Mental Health Project

    Watch this series of short animations on a range of topics to help you through the ups and downs you may be experiencing. 

  • Exterior facade of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

    Ask NYPL

    Ask NYPL is the Library's virtual reference and support desk. Contact us by email, phone, or live chat—we're here to help.

These programs and initiatives are part of the Library’s Tisch Youth Education Programs, led by the Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. Major support for educational programming is provided by Merryl H. and James S. Tisch.

Major support for children's and young adult programming is provided by the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.

Lead support for Teens 360º is provided by the City of New York. Additional support is provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), the Best Buy Foundation and the Joly Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Evan R. Chesler, Google.org, Michael ByungJu Kim and the MBK Educational Foundation, Carneige Corporation of New York, and J.Crew.

College & Career Pathways has been made possible thanks to the generous support of The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation.

Public Programming at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

The Teen Civics Ambassadors program is made possible by the generous support of The Gottesman Fund and Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Support for NYPL's Freedom to Read teen programming is provided by Macmillan Publishers.