Teen Space @ Your Library
Read ~ Create ~ Learn ~ Connect
Read & ImagineBooks open new worlds, spark ideas, and fuel creativity- whether you love epic adventures, true stories, or discovering new voices. Find it all here!
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Write & ExpressWriting helps you find your voice, express your thoughts, and build connections by sharing stories that matter.
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Create & InnovateTechnology and art come together here- build, design, code, draw, or invent. It's all about experimenting, learning, and bringing your ideas to life.
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Read, Listen, watch
Our platforms provide our patrons with a variety of eBooks, audio books, graphic novels, music, movies, TV series, documentaries, and ways to connect with readers across the nation for free with a Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County library card.
USE THIS ONLINE RESOURCE
USE THIS ONLINE RESOURCE
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USE THIS ONLINE SERVICE
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Teen Programs
All Teen programs are free and open to teens in grades 6-12. All supplies provided. No registration necessary unless stated otherwise. Snacks and drinks provided. Sorry, we cannot accommodate for allergies. For more information call 740-392-2665 ext. 8310.
Teen Video Game Nights
You can bring your own games/consoles or use what we have, which include 2 gaming PCS, 2 Oculus quests a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and our digital boardgame table! Join us on the following Mondays, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room:
- Monday, April 27, 2026
Blackout Poetry at The Annex
Blackout Poetry at The Annex, located at 13 E. Gambier St. Mount Vernon, OH. Join us on Monday, April 13, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., to turn old book pages into creative art and poetry! Can't find the right words? No problem--doodle, draw, and let the leftover words tell a story. This activity is fun, creative, and totally open-ended.
DIY Flowerpots & Seed Bombs
In Celebration of America's 250th Birthday help us celebrate farmers of America. As the day grows longer and the sunshine returns, it's time to get your hands dirty! Teens will design and decorate flowerpots and create seed bombs--packed with seeds ready to bloom wherever you toss them. Join us on Monday, April 20, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Start your own mini herb garden and help flowers burst onto the scene this Spring!
Star Wars Party
Join us for a galaxy-far-far-way celebration, on Monday, May 4, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Create pool noodle lightsabers, make sensory light bottles inspired by sabers, and strike a pose with photo props. We'll have a Star Wars movie playing in the background--and maybe even a game that involves rescuing candy!
Costumes encouraged. May the 4th Be with You!
Costumes encouraged. May the 4th Be with You!
Tech Take Apart
In celebration of America's 250th Birthday, May is National Inventors Month, so grab a screwdriver and see what make technology tick! On Monday, May 11, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, teens will take apart electronic scraps to explore how devices work and spark ideas for something new and inventive. As we continue celebrating America's birth each month, who knows- your curiosity might lead to the next big innovation!
2026 Teen Summer Reading Program
Registration Begins Friday, May 29th!
To sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Program, teens can register on the Youth Services Floor at the circulation desk at the Main Library and get a sign-up bag filled with a few neat items celebrating this year's theme: "Unearth A Story".
Teens will be entered automatically in the grand prize drawing for signing up. We will be giving away three grand prizes. Each awesome prize will match the theme and be what teens totally dig!
At each Monday program during SRP, we will be having a raffle drawing for small prizes every 1/2 hour. You can only get tickets for the raffle if you have signed up the summer reading program.
To earn more tickets for the grand prize drawings, attend any or all of the SRP programs, or read books, graphic novels, magazines, or any other type of reading or audio material. We will have extra entry forms on the Youth Services Floor next to the entry form box and during programs. Each entry form put into the box gives you more chances of winning one of the grand prizes.
Teens will be entered automatically in the grand prize drawing for signing up. We will be giving away three grand prizes. Each awesome prize will match the theme and be what teens totally dig!
At each Monday program during SRP, we will be having a raffle drawing for small prizes every 1/2 hour. You can only get tickets for the raffle if you have signed up the summer reading program.
To earn more tickets for the grand prize drawings, attend any or all of the SRP programs, or read books, graphic novels, magazines, or any other type of reading or audio material. We will have extra entry forms on the Youth Services Floor next to the entry form box and during programs. Each entry form put into the box gives you more chances of winning one of the grand prizes.
"Tea" Rex Party
In celebration of America's 250th Birthday & the kickoff to Teen Summer Reading Program, join us for a "Tea" Rex Party for a chomping good time!
Monday, June 1, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room.
Teens will make mini tea sandwiches and sweet treats, sample different types of tea, and create a fancy-or not-so-fancy- dino-themed trinket dishes. Whether you're classy, chaotic, or somewhere in between, this party is for you!
Monday, June 1, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room.
Teens will make mini tea sandwiches and sweet treats, sample different types of tea, and create a fancy-or not-so-fancy- dino-themed trinket dishes. Whether you're classy, chaotic, or somewhere in between, this party is for you!
Clay Diffuser & Stone Stories
Get hands-on with clay as you create great-smelling diffuser discs to hang in your room or locker on Monday, June 8, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Then tell your story in stone by carving symbols inspired by ancient petroglyphs-images used by early cultures to communicate stories, ideas, and meaning. All supplies provided.
Adopt-A-Dino Soap
Get creative with colorful, DIY dinosaur soap bars! Each teen will create & adopt a small, asteroid dino soap and choose a name for their new prehistoric pal on Monday, June 15, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Want more dinos? You'll also have the chance to create your very own using provided materials! All supplies provided.
Dino Gardens & Art
Create your own prehistoric terrarium using real plants and not-so-real dinosaurs! Then leave your mark on history by making dinosaur art with your fingerprints. Bring your imagination and get ready to get creative with hands-on, dino-sized fun on Monday, June 22, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. All supplies provided.
Pizza Party in the Parking Lot
Celebrate the end of SRP with a fun outdoor party on Monday, June 29, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the back parking lot at the Main Library. Open to grades 6-12. No registration necessary. Teens can enjoy games and activities, eat pizza, and snack on fresh fruits and vegetables. Expect blasting sodas, solar art, and all your favorite American pop culture tunes filling the air-summer vibes guaranteed!
The event will be held in the downstairs Multipurpose Room at the Library if the weather does not cooperate.
The event will be held in the downstairs Multipurpose Room at the Library if the weather does not cooperate.
Learn & Explore
A to Z World Foods
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CultureGrams® is your source for concise, reliable, and up-to-date cultural information on countries of the world. Beyond the facts and figures, find an insider's perspective on the history, daily life, and customs. Also covers US states and Canadian provinces.
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The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County partners with Driving-tests.org, a company dedicated to driver safety and education, to offer free Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) practice tests to library patrons. The service includes free tests specifically based on the state’s DMV materials.
Explora for Middle School Grades 6-8
Explora for High Schools Grades 9-12
World Book Student
World Book Advanced
World Book Timelines
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History and Genealogy Resources
Hobbies & Crafts Source (EBSCO)
Literary & Reference Center
Newspapers.com
Oxford Research Encyclopedias
Points of View Reference Source (EBSCO)
Science Reference Center
Very Short Introductions
Topic Search (EBSCO)
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Teen Maker Space
What is Teen Maker Space?
The Makerspace is a dedicated space for teens in grades 6–12 to relax, hang out, and explore their creativity. Whether you're into art, crafts, tech, gaming, or science, there's something here for you. Try out new skills, work on hands-on projects, and connect with others who share your interests. It’s your space to experiment, learn, and have fun—no pressure, just possibilities!
What is In This Space?
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Teen Maker Space HoursMonday: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: 3:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Friday & Saturday: 12:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. |
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Teen Maker Space Summer Hours Begin June 1st!
Monday - Program Night: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday - Thursday: 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 12:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
Tuesday - Thursday: 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 12:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
CONNECT WITH US
For more information call 740-392-2665 ext. 8310 or email [email protected]. Follow and like the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County on Facebook for important information and events!