Teen Reading Ambassadors at The New York Public Library
A Tisch Youth Education Program
The New York Public Library’s Teen Reading Ambassadors program offers internships to teens to help develop job readiness and leadership skills. Participating teens will act as leaders and role models to younger kids, ambassadors for the Library's mission to inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning, and writers and editors of a special magazine for kids created by teens.
Note: The application period to be a Teen Reading Ambassador is currently closed. Occasionally positions become available throughout the year and will be posted on NYPL's Careers page. Find open positions here.
New from the Teen Reading Ambassadors
Explore a special activity booklet for kids created by the Teen Reading Ambassadors! Using their knowledge and experience of working with young kids at NYPL's Summer Learning Lab, the Teen Reading Ambassadors developed five sets of activities to help children ages 6–12 practice art, engineering, math, science, and writing skills. Each page is designed to be fun and educational! The booklet includes many references to New York City and its diverse communities, inviting readers to celebrate the things that make our city unique.
Portal: NYPL's Magazine Created by Teens
Portal is a magazine written, designed, and edited by NYPL’s Teen Reading Ambassadors! Aimed at an audience of kids ages 6–12, Portal contains stories and features, fun facts, comics, activities, and much more specially created by the Teen Reading Ambassadors for each of our issues.
The cohort of spring 2021 chose the magazine's name, which means a "doorway or an entrance to something new," to reflect the role books and libraries play as portals to exciting new worlds.
Check out recent issues of Portal and get inspired to become a Teen Reading Ambassador yourself!
Book Recommendations and Downloadables for Kids, by Teens!
Read book recommendations for kids and download posters to hang on your wall—all written and designed by the Teen Reading Ambassadors!
Teen Centers at NYPL
Hang out, get creative, and much more at the Library's newly expanded and enhanced Teen Centers! These welcoming spaces in libraries across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island have been created just for teens and are open for you to collaborate, make new friends, read, and enjoy all the Library has to offer. From video equipment to gaming consoles to art supplies—everything is free to use!
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. Explore the calendar to find something for you!
Photo © Isseu Diouf Campbell for Afrikanspot LLC
Teen Civics Ambassadors
NYPL’s Teen Civics Ambassadors program offers internships to teens to help develop job readiness and leadership skills, with a focus on library resources, civics, and peer-to-peer engagement. Get paid to create fun, exciting events and resources at the Library for other teens, and encourage your peers to learn about and become active participants in your communities!
More from NYPL for Teens
Discover free one-on-one homework help, college and career counseling, volunteer opportunities, book recommendations, free resources, and more that the Library has to offer teens.
Our Supporters
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.
NYPL After School at Harlem branch libraries is part of the Jane Lauder Harlem After-School Programs. NYPL After School at Chatham Square Library is made possible by E.H.A. Foundation, Inc.
NYPL After School is made possible by The Gottesman Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Evan R. Chesler, Michael ByungJu Kim and the MBK Educational Foundation, Krista and Michael Nickols, and Marilyn Friedman and Thomas Block.
The Teen Civics Ambassadors program is made possible by the generous support of The Gottesman Fund and Carnegie Corporation of New York.
