Happy TeenTober!

TeenTober is a new, nationwide celebration hosted by libraries every October and aims to celebrate teens, promote year-round teen services and the innovative ways teen services helps teens learn new skills, and fuel their passions in and outside the library.

East Lansing Public Library loves our teens! We welcome teens to our Teen After School Program weekdays from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. During that time students can use computers, socialize with friends, do homework, play video games, and get a free snack. We have an entire room dedicated to Teens that houses a collection of non-fiction books for the age group and provides comfortable seating from booths to beanbag chairs. We open up additional rooms to allow teens to spread out and find a space to call their own during the after school program. ELPL has a dedicated staff person (me!) that provides weekly programming including arts & craft activities and a conversation group that focuses on decreasing stress and empowering teens. We have a monthly Teen Advisory Board meeting where teens make decisions and provide their own ideas for programming. And we have a new book club at MacDonald Middle School called Books & Bagels that meets monthly after school to discuss books, eat bagels and do a hands-on activity. In addition, we celebrate teens with monthly special events like escape rooms, forensic science workshops or paint parties, collaborate with community partners like MSU Federal Credit Union, HerStory, Community Mental Health and Music is the Foundation, and offer opportunities for teens to volunteer at the library.

We have a lot going on and TeenTober is the perfect time to highlight the programming and opportunities ELPL creates just for teens!     

Want to get involved? We welcome adult volunteers to come and provide programming or mentorship to our teens. And we are eager to continually form new partnerships with community organizations. Please contact Teen Services Specialist, Beth Scanlon, bscanlo@cityofeastlansing.com to get started.