Teens
This year's Summer Reading Program for all ages will run from June 9 through August 9. You'll be able to log your reading on Beanstack, earn rewards, and enter prize drawings all summer long!
Tween & Teen Program (Ages 10 through 17*)
Tweens & teens can "level up" by logging the number of minutes they read! You'll advance to the next level with every 100 minutes read. There are 10 levels in all.
Certain levels will earn your child a special reward! (Beanstack will notify you when this is the case. These rewards may be redeemed at the Main Library or the Downtown Branch Library.)
Levels 8, 9, and 10 automatically enter you in our prize drawings:
Level 8 prize drawing: $50 Givens Books & Little Dickens gift certificate
Level 9 prize drawing: "Dinner and a movie" gift cards ($75 value)
Level 10/grand prize drawing: Beats Studio Pro on-ear headphones in Sandstone
There will be one winner for each of these three Tween & Teen prize drawings.
Continue logging minutes read even after reaching level 10 to increase your odds of winning a prize drawing! Prize drawings will take place after the Summer Reading Program concludes.
*Age 10 may choose either the Kids' program or the Tween & Teen program.
LPL's Fifth Annual Tween & Teen Art Show
Calling all tweens and teens ages 9 to 17: We invite and encourage you to participate in our fifth annual Tween & Teen Art Show at the Main Library this summer! We are always blown away by the talent and creativity of our participants, and we would love for you to help "Color Our World" even more brightly this summer by submitting your original artwork for inclusion in our exhibition--you may even win a prize! Here are all the details you'll need to know if you plan to participate:
Kickoff Event
Our Tween & Teen Art Show Kickoff will take place on Thursday, June 12 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Main Library. At this event, you will have the opportunity to meet, talk with, and learn tips from a panel of local artists, participate in a hands-on art activity, enjoy light refreshments, and gain some inspiration to create your own artwork to submit for the art show! Please note that you do not need to attend the kickoff event to submit art for the art show—we just want to offer a fun event to provide extra inspiration and to spotlight some incredible local artists who have a wealth of insight to share with young artists!
Submission Guidelines
The Tween & Teen Art Show is open for submissions from artists ages 9 to 17 only. First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded in each of the following age categories: tweens (ages 9 to 12) and teens (ages 13 to 17). Winners will be selected anonymously by a panel of local artists. Stay tuned to this page for upcoming prize details! As far as submissions go, you may submit one piece of original art. Your art may pertain to any (family-friendly) topic and may be composed of any medium—that said, we would strongly prefer no LEGO® creations or any other structures that are easily disassembled—and it must be reasonably sized.
When you have completed your artwork and are ready to submit it, please bring it to the Youth Services desk at the Main Library. We will have you fill out a submission form with your name, age, and the title of your artwork to accompany your piece.
A panel of local artists will judge all artwork anonymously—they will not see any entrant’s name when making their decisions. Whether your artwork is awarded a prize or not, all submissions will be included in our exhibition in our Young Adult room at the end of the summer for everyone to admire!
Important Dates
Submissions are due by 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. Judging will occur the following week, and all winners will be notified on or by July 19. The exhibition will be displayed in the Young Adult room at the Main Library from Monday, July 21 through Saturday, August 2. Please plan to pick up your artwork in a timely manner after the exhibition ends.
The Lynchburg Public Library seeks donations for our Zine Collection!
The Zine Collection is for teens and young adults is a growing collection and is located in the teen room at the Main Branch of the Lynchburg Public Library. Zines are available for Library use only, meaning that they cannot be checked out and may be viewed in the teen room only.
Zines appropriate for teens and young adults may be donated to the Library. To donate a zine, contact the Youth Department at 434-455-6320. One copy of each unique zine title may be donated to the Library.
What is a Zine?
Pronounced “zeen,” a zine is a printed form of media that is often handmade and self-published. They’re easily reproduced (usually on photocopiers) and cover a variety of topics such as art, food, music, etc. Zines can come in many different shapes and sizes and include original writing and illustrations.
Zines in our collection:
- 2023 Tween & Teen Art Show, by the participants of the 2023 Tween & Teen Art Show Kickoff; edited by Ella Morrison – "A collaborative zine created at the Lynchburg Public Library."
- Do-It-Yourself Menstrual Zine by Aren and the Menstrual Blog – “A gender inclusive zine about healthy bodies.”
- Ella World: Teen Dreamz by Ella Morrison, Pragati Marks, Conner Absher, and Chloe Sizemore – “Illustrations and poetry expressing the journey through adolescence. All moody and all cute.”
- Gas Mask Poems by Hattie Eshelman and Ashley Roth – “One page which the artists blacked out in a number of different ways.”
- Gastro Quirks Vol. 1 by Stephen Kissel – “Weird combos of food and quirky habits of various people are illustrated in this first volume.”
- A Guide to Respectfully Hitting on People by Casey Pegg, Art by Nicole Mazzeo – “An informative zine with information on how to respectfully let someone know that you are interested in them.”
- I Want to Read This But I Can’t by Lynchburg Group Home – A collection of images, poetry, and comics from teens at the Lynchburg Group Home.
- Lost by Stephen Kissel – “A dog that’s lost its owner finds a way home.”
- A Love Beyond Time & Space a BadaGine Anthology – “A fanzine dedicated to Bardock and Gine.”
- Oh Hello My Friend by Chatham Monk
- A Selection of Certain Unruly Emotions by Hattie Eshelman and Ashley Roth – “An imagined illustration book of our emotions as though we were dissecting and studying organs.”
- Vs. by Stephen Kissel and Krys Kinsel – “Quirky random encounters where characters ‘battle’ in this collaborative zine.”
- You Tell Me by Chatham Monk
