Welcome to Teen Our Teen Space!

Blackstone is more than great books. If you need a place to study, help with a project, or a community to get involved in, we’ve got you covered! Our Teen Space provides access to computers, tables and chairs, & an ever-growing collection of books, manga & movies.

The Teen Space is open to teens in grades 5-12 during regular library hours. The #1 rule is that everyone gets along in the library – this should be a fun place where everyone feels safe! To visit our Teen Space, you’ll also need to wear a mask. And please don’t visit the library if you’re feeling sick. By following these rules, you’ll be doing your part to help keep everyone safe.

Not ready to visit the library in person? We also have plenty of resources available online! Looking for information on a specific topic? Check out the links @ the top of this page or the events below. Still have questions? Looking for the meaning of life, the universe & everything? We have answers (librarians are the original Google). Reach out any time: teens@blackstonelibrary.org

News

Return to Virtual Events, January 2022

With the uptick in COVID cases, the Youth Services Department has decided to run our programs–including Teen Events–virtually. If you’ve signed up for an event through eventbrite, you should receive an email with instructions to participate in each event online. We will be monitoring the positivity rates daily, and if anything changes we’ll email you through eventbrite with updated information. We thank you for your patience during this time, we look forward to seeing you soon!

Upcoming Events

see all teen events

TeensCraft: Bird Feeders for grades 5-12

Wednesday, January 26

4:00 pm

Take-Home Kit, Complete At Your Own Pace! Welcome to TeensCraft! Each month, we’re putting together a different craft kit, exclusively for teens. This month, we’re making… Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders! Which birds migrate and which stay in Connecticut all winter long? Sign up for this teen-only craft & find out! We’re making fun-shaped birdfeeders to decorate your yard & give your feathered friends a winter treat! This is a grab-and-go event. Just sign up (remember, space is limited!), then drop by the library to pick up your kit. Instructions will be included in your bag; you can complete your project on your own schedule, whenever you’d like, then email a picture to Miss Sarah (teens@blackstonelibrary.org).

A waiting list will open when this event is full. Please be respectful of limited space & only sign up for events you are sure you can attend. We can’t wait to see what you create! Event made possible by the Allan Louis Loeb Foundation. Sign up for this event here.

TAG: Teen Advisory Group for grades 9-12

Thursday, February 3

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

A club for teens who want to make a difference!

In-Person. Do you want to make a difference in our library community? Do you enjoy reading, crafting & talking about books? Consider joining our Teen Advisory Group! This small counsel of dedicated teen volunteers provide book reviews, vote on books to purchase & more.

Please remember that all in-person Youth Services events (like this one) will require a mask & registration. A waiting list will open when each event is full. If you’re sick, please do not attend, but let Miss Sarah know (teens@blackstonelibrary.org). We can’t wait to see you @ the library! Sign up for this event here.

Teen Movie Club for grades 5-12

Monday, February 7

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

A teen club with no schedule. Watch a free film, then text comments on discord! No cameras, no virtual meetings, no schedule but your own. We’re starting a new teen club where the schedule is whatever works FOR YOU. Watch a free film from the comfort of your home whenever you’d like. Then, join us in our Virtual Teen Space on Discord to text your commentary. With no cameras or time restrictions, it’s easier to find the right words. Tell us what you really think! Miss Sarah will reply to your comments on February 7th.

From the producers of Harry Potter, this month we’re watching I Kill Giants, an epic adventure about a world beyond imagination (based on the graphic novel!). It’s free to watch the show with your Blackstone Library card! To access the movie, visit www.hoopladigital.com, and click “Get Started Today.” Set up your free account, then search for the movie I Kill Giants.

Ready to text your comments? Sign up to participate & we’ll send you instructions to join our Virtual Teen Space. Want to participate but don’t live in Branford? You’re still invited! Your town library may also offer access to our film, check their website or email Miss Sarah for ideas on where you might be able to stream the show! Open to teens in grades 5-12

TeensCraft: Bubble Tea for grades 5-12

Wednesday, February 9

4:00 pm

Take-Home Kit, Complete At Your Own Pace! Welcome to TeensCraft! Each month, we’re putting together a different craft kit, exclusively for teens. This month, we’re making… Brown Sugar Bubble Tea! Have you tried bubble tea? Whether you make it hot or cold, this chewy Taiwanese drink is a sweet treat. Sign up for this teen-only craft & find out what the boba tea craze is all about! This is a grab-and-go event. Just sign up (remember, space is limited!), then drop by the library to pick up your kit. Instructions will be included in your bag; you can complete your project on your own schedule, whenever you’d like, then email a picture to Miss Sarah (teens@blackstonelibrary.org).

A waiting list will open when this event is full. Please be respectful of limited space & only sign up for events you are sure you can attend. We can’t wait to see what you create! Event made possible by the Friends of the James Blackstone Memorial Library. Sign up for this event here.

Virtual Gaming Cafe: an Online Space for grades 5-8

Thursday, February 10

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join our brand new virtual gaming club where you can meet after school with a bunch of peeps to decompress, connect and laugh. Each month we will meet virtually, (or in-person in the future) to play a combination of multiplayer games that call for strategy, teamwork and plain old fun!

We can’t wait to see you @ the library! To sign up for this and other children’s events, visit our Youth Services Events Sign Up Page Here.

Winter Session: Dungeons & Dragons for grades 5-12

Saturday, February 12

2:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Virtual. Tame monsters, loot for gold, be home by dinner! Sign up for an entire virtual season of D&D, every 2nd Saturday from December through February! Sign up for a whole season (that’s 3 virtual sessions) of a storytelling game where players create their own characters and go on an interactive adventure. No experience is necessary, but each meeting will build on what we did the month before, so sign up is for the entire season. Dates as follows:

– Saturday, December 11, 2-4:30pm

– Saturday, January 8, 2-4:30pm

– Saturday, February 12, 2-4:30pm

A waiting list will open when the season is full. Sign up is required to reserve your spot and to receive a link to join us. Please be respectful of limited space & only sign up for events you are sure you can attend. We can’t wait to game with you! Sign up for this event here.

Junior Teen Advisory Group for grades 5-8

Wednesday, February 16

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

A club for intermediate students who want to make a difference!

Are you an intermediate student who loves books, crafts, and making the world a better place? Consider joining our Junior Teen Advisory Group! This small counsel of dedicated middle-grade students volunteers to provide book reviews, vote on books to purchase & more.

Please remember that all in-person Youth Services events (like this one) will require a mask & registration. A waiting list will open when the event is full. Please be respectful of limited space & only sign up for events you are sure you can attend. If you are sick, please do not attend, but let Miss Sarah know (teens@blackstonelibrary.org). We can’t wait to see you @ the library! Sign up for this event here.

TAG: Teen Advisory Group for grades 9-12

Thursday, February 17

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

A club for teens who want to make a difference!

Virtual Gaming Cafe: an Online Space for grades 5-8

Thursday, March 10

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

We can’t wait to see you @ the library! To sign up for this and other children’s events, visit our Youth Services Events Sign Up Page Here.

Virtual Gaming Cafe: an Online Space for grades 5-8

Thursday, April 14

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

We can’t wait to see you @ the library! To sign up for this and other children’s events, visit our Youth Services Events Sign Up Page Here.