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George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Monday: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
East Library and Recreation Center
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Ron Wright Lake Arlington Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Northeast Branch Library
Monday: Temporarily Closed
Southeast Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Southwest Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Woodland West Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
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Teens (13-17)

Teens in Arlington

Teens in Arlington can enjoy teen library spaces and programs. From Teen Time at the Downtown Library to book clubs to the Teen Library Ambassadors, the library wants teens to come to hang out and find something they are interested in. 

Youth posing with books

Youth

Library Youth Ambassadors

The Library Youth Ambassadors of Arlington Public Library began in Fall 2018 as a way for teens to provide input on library programs and services. This group is open to all teens who live or attend school in the City of Arlington. Teens are encouraged to register as approved City volunteers (link to volunteer page) so that they may receive volunteer hours from the library. However, they are not required to if they wish to participate in the group. All teens may use the hours they spend as part of community service hours for their schools. 

Meetings are on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Members must attend at least one meeting a month to remain active members. Members who miss two months in a row will be removed from the group but are welcome to apply again the next semester. 

Applications for Library Youth Ambassadors for new applicants are currently open for 2023 – 2024 school year. 

Appply here: https://forms.office.com/g/usuRTgtr6y

Past Projects

  • Serving as a focus group for creating library programs aimed at teens.
  • Creating and planning programs for teens, such as Teen Plant Club, Happy Little Accidents, Teen Puzzle Club.
  • Putting together SRC prize packs for teens (e.g. Anime, Sports, Brain Teasers, Cooking, Stationary).
  • Suggesting new materials for the library collection, especially for teens.
  • Testing out potential virtual activities for teen programs.
  • Providing feedback on the Young Adult Area in the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library.
  • Doing service projects for the community, such as making cards for senior centers or children's hospitals.

Youth posing with handmade art projects

Youth

Teen Program Helper

Teen Program Helpers assist with program preparation and clean-up. This position is mainly at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library and helps during our Teen Times and other teen programs.  

Select virtual volunteer opportunities are available through our Teen Corner Discord and may include content recommendations and surveys.

Teens Give Back

Teens Give Back is a volunteer opportunity for clubs and organizations in Arlington’s schools. This program makes crafts and cards for our seniors using Books on Wheels, an outreach service for senior centers. If you are a student officer and need volunteer opportunities for your organization, please fill out a Contact Us form, select “Question Regarding Library Services,” and note what school and club you represent. Our Teen Services librarian will reach out to you to set up dates for your organization to come.

Teens Give Back is available at both the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library and Lake Arlington Branch Library. Volunteer verification is available.

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

Not a Library volunteer but looking for virtual volunteer opportunities?

Help community organizations and City departments who are trying to get information out to teens. Watch a video or presentation, answer a few questions to assess your understanding of the information, and provide feedback on how the information is presented and how we can help connect the community to these resources. Virtual volunteer opportunities will be available through schools and organizations who wish to participate. Each organization will have their own form for members to fill out.

Interested in these opportunities? Please contact Teen Librarian Ms. Loretta at Loretta.Zhang@arlingtontx.gov. Additional volunteer opportunities may be available.

Teen Corner – APL’s Teen Discord

Want to stay connected to library events and programs? Join Teen Corner, Arlington Public Library’s Discord server just for teens! Stay updated on announcements and events and chat with our Teen Services staff. We also have special chat channels for teen volunteers and Library Youth Ambassadors. To protect privacy, the Discord server does not allow for direct messages between members who have not added each other as friends.

Join through our online application here.

You will receive an invitation to join the server from a library staff member. Per Discord's Terms of Service, students 12 and under cannot be on Discord and therefore are unable to participate in our Discord. APL's Teen Corner Discord is a virtual extension of Arlington Public Library's teen services. Participants are expected to follow the Library's Expectations of Behavior at all times.

discord

Night Owls: Creative Writing for Teens

Do you love creating new characters and developing new worlds?  Taking original ideas and transforming them into stories? Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to join the Arlington Public Library for its teen creative writing program, Night Owls! We will use prompts and writing techniques to stretch our imaginations and help each other grow into better writers. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month except for holidays. Find us in the Young Adult Area of the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library!

Maker Teens

Maker Teens is our makerspace program especially for teens! Come to the makerspace at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library and learn how to use the equipment or do some arts and crafts.

Teen Time

Join our Teen Services staff for Teen Time! During Teen Time, the Young Adult Area (2nd floor past the Makerspace at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library) will be reserved for teens only. We will have our Xbox available, board games out, and our craft cart. Spark Ideas will also be reserved for teen use only, so if you want a private room to study or hang out, just ask for it. Our teen librarian will be available for any reference questions. Come hang out!

Teen Time is every Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. during the school year.

Teen Anime Club

Come watch anime with other teens!  We will be showing anime from Crunchyroll at the Southwest Branch location. Meet other anime fans and make new friends. Origami and other anime-themed activities will be available.

Calendar of Events

Public Computers

The Arlington Public Library offers access to public computers for teens and adults. Public computers are free to use for all users with a valid library card. Guest passes are available for non-residents for $1 an hour.

Laptops

Windows Operating Systems

At the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, the Northeast Branch, and the East Arlington Branch there are laptops with Microsoft Windows operating systems that Teens can access while in the library. 

Chromebooks

At the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, there are Chromebooks that Teens can check out and use while in the Downtown Library. 

Video Games

Xbox One S

At the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library Tweens can choose to play our Xbox One S gaming system. Xbox One S delivers brilliant graphics with HDR technology and premium audio. All the games in the Teen area are rated E for Everyone and T for Teen. Game controllers must be checked out on a Teen or an Adult Arlington Library Card or an Arlington ISD Student ID Number. 

Teen Spaces

The George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, we have specific events and program in an area that teens can come, explore, and be themselves. Click here to learn more about these dedicated spaces for teens.

College and Career Resources

We provide resources to teens to help them get ready for the transition from high school to college, careers, and life, to the future of their choosing. 

Click here to see our list of college and career resources.

Northeast Branch Updates:
Starting Monday, December 4, 2023, the Northeast Branch will be temporarily closed for HVAC renovations. Click here for more information.