Banned Books Trivia
Friday, October 16 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Middle Grade Program
Did you know that middle schoolers and high schoolers are the group most frequently targeted by book bans? In honor of Banned Books Week, come celebrate the freedom to read with a themed trivia night! Test your knowledge and see how much you know about challenged and banned books in the U.S. No registration required.
Glow in the Dark Galaxy Pumpkins
Friday, November 20 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. | Middle Grade Program
Want to decorate pumpkins without dealing with slimy pumpkin guts? Join us for a craft night where we will be painting (fake) pumpkins. We’ll have glow-in-the dark paint to make constellations, or you can freestyle your own design! Registration preferred.
MTG Jumpstart Tournament with 217 CCG
Friday, October 23 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Middle Grade & Teen Program
Come and compete in a friendly Jumpstart Tournament of Magic: The Gathering led by Eric Anderson! Prizes for winners will be provided courtesy of 217 CCG. Please note that while members as young as 11 will be allowed to participate, the distributors of MTG do recommend their items for ages 13+. No registration is required, though we recommend registering for a Wizards of the Coast account in advance of the program (*email needed to register). (Ages 11-19)
Board Games Night
Every Tuesday | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Middle Grade & Teen Program
Grab a friend and grab a game for our weekly board game night! Interested in Magic: The Gathering? We have lots of cards donated by MagiKids and local players for you to choose from and build a deck of your own! *Please note that while members as young as 11 will be allowed to participate, the distributors of Magic: The Gathering do recommend their items for ages 13+. No registration required. (Ages 11-19)
MTG Jumpstart Tournament with 217 CCG
Friday, October 23 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Middle Grade & Teen Program
Come and compete in a friendly Jumpstart Tournament of Magic: The Gathering led by Eric Anderson! Prizes for winners will be provided courtesy of 217 CCG. Please note that while members as young as 11 will be allowed to participate, the distributors of MTG do recommend their items for ages 13+. No registration is required, though we recommend registering for a Wizards of the Coast account in advance of the program (*email needed to register). (Ages 11-19)
Board Games Night
Every Tuesday | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Middle Grade & Teen Program
Grab a friend and grab a game for our weekly board game night! Interested in Magic: The Gathering? We have lots of cards donated by MagiKids and local players for you to choose from and build a deck of your own! *Please note that while members as young as 11 will be allowed to participate, the distributors of Magic: The Gathering do recommend their items for ages 13+. No registration required. (Ages 11-19)
Dungeons & Dragons One-shot with 217 CCG
Friday, November 13 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Teen Program
It’s dangerous to go alone! Join us for a Dungeons and Dragons adventure. Dungeon Masters from 217 Comics, Cards, & Games will lead participants in a one-shot campaign. All materials will be provided, just bring yourself! Registration required. (Ages 14-19)
Thursday, October 8 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Registration preferred | Ages 13-19
We will provide the materials and some basic templates, or you can make your own design.
Thursday, November 12 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Registration preferred | Ages 13-19
Sew some simple, cute felt plushies.
Tuesdays | 1:00-4:00 p.m. | No registration required | All ages
September 1 & 15
October 6 & 20
November 3 & 17
Bring your favorite board game or choose from one of ours! Join us for a fun-filled meet-up where homeschool families can connect and enjoy friendly competition. We’ll have separate areas for teens and younger kids, ensuring everyone has a great time!
Tuesdays | 1:00-2:30 p.m. (Hangout 2:30-4:00 p.m.) | No registration required | Ages 10-18
September 8
October 13
November 10
No experience required! (Some might say that’s the whole point!) Make it up as you go along with our guest instructor Sam Phemister during these introductory sessions to the beauty and comedy of improvisation.
Teen Advisory Board & Middle Grade Advisory Board
1st Tuesday of the Month @ 6:00 p.m.
*No meeting in September
Fall Meetings: October 6 & November 3
Looking for somewhere to share your voice? Do you and your friends have some great ideas for projects or activities you’d like to share with the community? Look no further than your local library! We are looking for any voices aged 10-19 to help us help you make those involvements come true! Please join us for a discussion on how the library can provide services for what you want to do or achieve. We look forward to hearing from you!
Young Adult Reading Advisory
Are you a book fiend? Love YA? Need some easy volunteer hours? Then we need your help! We are looking for avid YA readers to review our collection! Check out a new YA book (fiction, nonfiction, or graphic novel) and sign up to create
an online, written book review or book talk video in whichever field you’re comfortable and be rewarded with 1-6 hours** volunteer credit. Review training resources can be provided upon request. Reviews will be posted and shared on our social media platforms and website.
*Under age 16 will require a parental
signature if wishing to do video
content
**Contingent on quality of work
Teen Volunteer Training
Fill out our volunteer application to be contacted for a volunteer orientation
Looking for volunteer credit? We’ve got you covered! We’re looking for individuals aged 11-18 seeking to gain valuable experience in a work-based environment with regularly scheduled hours. Training will be provided; no prior experience is required. Tasks may include but are not limited to, shelf reading, shelf straightening, craft prep, and program assistance. Scheduled hours will be based on your availability. Must submit a volunteer application:
This type of volunteering is great to put on college and job applications.
We’re excited to keep supporting our wonderful community! Each month, Open Hearts Open Minds will share some fantastic book recommendations for teens and kids. We’ll pick one Young Adult (YA) book, one middle-grade book, one juvenile book, and one children’s book for your family to enjoy and chat about together. Check out our displays in the teen and children’s areas to see this month’s pick!
If you’re interested in getting together with friends to discuss this month’s picks, feel free to reach out to Denise Rainford at youth.services@rochesterlibrary.org or Colette Slagle at ysassistant@rochesterlibrary.org. Happy reading!
At the Rochester Public Library we strive to provide a variety of programs to meet the needs and interests of our patrons. Visit our digital newsletter to see what programs we currently have scheduled. Please contact the Library if you have any questions.