Summer at the Library: For Teens
It’s time to create your world this summer! Take part in the Teen Zine Challenge, drop by Teen Centers across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island to try out state-of-the-art tech, and get ready for the Teen Voices Festival on July 31! Plus, enjoy author talks, arts and crafts, photography, and other fun activities and new ways to connect with people your age.
Explore Summer at the Library for all ages in: English | español | 中文 | français | Русский | বাংলা | العربية
Join the Teen Zine Challenge!
Introducing the Teen Zine Challenge—NYPL’s summer-long celebration of zines and creativity. Create an original zine, share it with your friends and family, and showcase it at the Library! Plus, submit your zine by July 27 for a chance to get featured at the Teen Voices Festival.
Anti-Prom 2025
Fri, Jun 20 | 6:30–9 PM | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Calling all teens! Come hang out and dance the night away at the Library's free annual summer party, with music, snacks, art activities, and more! Anti-Prom welcomes and celebrates young people of all sexualities and gender identities and expressions. Join us in Manhattan on June 20!
Note: Anti-Prom is for ages 12–18 only. Proof of age required. All bags must be checked.
NYPL's Teen Voices Festival
Thurs, Jul 31 | 12–4 PM | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Get ready for our annual Teen Voices Festival! Meet professional YA writers, connect with organizations that publish teens, take part in free arts workshops, and browse artwork by NYC teens. We'll be joined by the award-winning Shannon C.F. Rogers, author of I'd Rather Burn than Bloom, and Tony Keith, Jr., author of How the Boogeyman Became a Poet. Plus, free giveaways and a Teen Zine Challenge showcase!
Issue 5 of 'Teen Voices' Magazine Is Here!
As part of our National Teen Art Contest, we asked teens across the U.S. to make their voices heard in the conversation about censorship and the freedom to read by creating original artwork. The winning entries are published in the latest issue of Teen Voices! Meet the contest winners and check out Issue 5.
Culture Pass: Get Free Access to NYC Museums with a Library Card
Explore New York City’s museums, gardens, theaters, and more with Culture Pass! Use your library card to book free passes to more than 100 cultural attractions across NYC this summer—and all year round. Many institutions offer group passes for up to four, so you can go with friends or family!
More Free Events & Programs
Join us in branches all summer long for free programs where you can make art, get creative, and get involved!
TeenLIVE at NYPL
Explore programs featuring authors from our annual Best Books for Teens list—plus performances, live debates, and thought-provoking conversations with your favorite writers, artists, filmmakers, musicians, fashionistas, and more.
Coming Soon! NYPL’s Intensive College and Career Access Network
Applications Open July 7
Whether you’re working on college applications or trying to figure out what career is best for you, NYPL’s College and Career Pathways is here to help with our Intensive College and Career Access Network (ICCAN), a free program that prepares you for life after high school.
Coming Soon: Apply to be a Teen Reading Ambassador!
Applications Open July 9
The New York Public Library’s Teen Reading Ambassadors program offers paid internships to help develop job readiness and leadership skills. Participating teens serve as leaders and role models for younger patrons, act as ambassadors for the Library's mission to inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning, and contribute as writers and editors of their very own magazine.
New! Teen Photography Kits
Express yourself and develop your creative skills with NYPL’s Teen Photography Kits—professional-grade camera kits that teens can borrow for a week at a time from select libraries across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.
Best Books for Teens
Inspired by a world of ideas, our expert librarians have curated a wide array of 2024’s most fun, thought-provoking, and inspiring books just for teens! Many are also available in accessible formats.
More Reading Recommendations
Discover books for teens by and about a diverse array of people and communities, handpicked by the expert librarians and staff at The New York Public Library.
Explore NYPL’s Newly Expanded Teen Centers
Our Teen Centers are fully equipped spaces just for you, including areas for exploring technology and art, finding academic support, or just hanging out. Game, realize your movie-making dreams, 3-D print your latest invention, discover resources, and more.
Teens at NYPL
The New York Public Library is here for you today and to help you prepare for the future. Explore everything the Library offers for teens all year round, including free programs and events, college and career resources, access to millions of books and e-books, and more.
Stay Connected
Get the best from the Library direct to your inbox! From our free programs, events, and exhibitions to activities for kids and research news, there's something for everyone.
Get a Free Library Card
Get a free library card today and explore all the Library has to offer, including books, e-books, audiobooks, music, and movies!
No More Late Fines!
Did you know? There are no more late fines at the Library, so you can borrow books and more from any branch with no worries.
Get Help
Ask NYPL is the Library's virtual reference and support desk. Have a question? Get in touch via email, chat, phone, or text. Contact us—we're here to help.
Where possible, we will provide assistance in a range of languages.
Multilingual Resources
The New York Public Library is here for everyone! At our 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, we welcome readers of all ages and backgrounds. Get a library card, explore events and programs, search the catalog for books and materials, and much more—in world languages.
Free Exhibitions
The Library offers free major exhibitions and special displays at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, plus community showcases at many branch locations throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Find out what’s on view this summer!
Explore Summer at the Library
Create your world this summer at The New York Public Library! Discover free events and activities for all ages, programs for kids and teens, reading recommendations, exhibitions, and much more. Plus, use your library card to book free passes to 100+ museums, gardens, theaters, and more cultural attractions across NYC.
Thank You
Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for the Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Additional support is provided by Jane Lauder; The Rona Jaffe Foundation; New York Yankees Foundation; Montblanc; anonymous donors; and the continuing major support of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.
These programs and initiatives are part of the Library’s overall commitment to our branch patrons and 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.
