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BPL For Teens

Teens

Explore the teen areas of our Downtown and Painswick branches to find books, movies, video games and magazines. Our Downtown Branch has a study area with plugs to charge your devices and tables to work at with your friends.  If you’d like to help us make our teen area even better, think about joining our Teen Advisory Board (TAB).

Learn more about how you can get a free library card. Find out about our loan periods for different items and fines if you’re late bringing them back.

View our Information Barrie Community Database to get contact info for local services, organizations and clubs, including volunteer opportunities, support groups and counselling services.

Study Rooms

Need a quiet place to study for exams, work on a project or get some writing done? We have a silent study room at both branches available on a first-come first-served basis.

Wi-Fi and Computers

The Library offers free Wi-Fi as well as computers you can use for 180 minutes each day. To use the computers, you need your library card or photo ID. Please read our Internet Use Guidelines.

Free Programs and Events

We have free programs for teens every month – from after school activities and book chats to Teen Coffee House Nights where you can come perform in a casual environment.  View our upcoming programs below or visit our online calendar to see everything.

Borrowing Items

Search our library catalogue to find materials, place holds and renew your borrowed items. You can also use your library card to access our online databases to research magazine and newspaper articles on a wide range of subjects. Log in to your account to view the items you have checked out, renew them and see any fines you might have. We also have French resources and services.

Events and Programs for Teens

L o a d i n g

Stranger Things Escape Room (Reg.)

May 26 | 10:30AM
Downtown | Angus Ross Room

DIY Open Hours

May 26 | 12:00PM
Downtown | Collaboratory

Make & Take

June 01 | 2:00PM
Downtown | Collaboratory
full calendar

Digital Library

You can borrow eBooks and audiobooks through Libraries on the Go. Download the OverDrive app to browse from your phone.

Download the Hoopla app or visit Hoopla online to download eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows and comics. Register for Hoopla for free with your library card and borrow up to 8 items per month – that means you can watch 8 movies or TV episodes, or borrow 8 eBooks or Audiobooks every month for free, with no wait lists.

Access Zinio to read and download hundreds of online magazines like Guitar Player, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone and more. You can read back issues, and sign up to get notified when new ones come out.

Teen Advisory Board

The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is a group of teens between the ages of 14 to 19 who are passionate about the library. With representatives from all Barrie high schools, TAB members help to plan programs, promote teen reading, and help create a great environment for teens at the library! Check out TAB’s radio and TV commercials.

TAB is a fun and rewarding way to complete your 40 hours of community service, and participation looks great on your resume. You’ll also learn valuable leadership and teamwork skills, and get to make new friends while you’re at it.

TAB meets on the fourth Monday of every month at the Downtown Branch from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. We plan teen programs, share ideas, make suggestions for the library, and eat pizza generously donated by Domino’s Pizza Barrie!

For more information about how you can join the Teen Advisory Board, please contact us through our Ask a Librarian form.

Recommended Reads

Check out our recommended book lists for ages 12 to 17, available in our young adult sections.

Teen Romance

Historical Fiction for Teens

The Undead: Zombie Novels

If you liked the Divergent Series...

Books made into movies

Books With Bite

Teen Humour

Mystery Fiction

Fantasy 

Science Fiction

Great Reads for Teens

Graphic Novel Adaptations

Can’t find your favourite book in our collection?  You can suggest we purchase a book you’ve enjoyed through our Ask a Librarian page.

Volunteer

Teens are required to get 40 hours of community service to graduate from high school – volunteer at the library to get those hours and make a difference in your community. We have lots of great opportunities for students to volunteer, including at our Barrie Dragon Boat Festival in August, BPL Comic Con in the fall and fun programs and events throughout the year.

Starting in June of 2018, teens will have a new way to earn volunteer hours - by becoming a volunteer book reviewer! Earn volunteer hours by writing a review of your favourite book, movie, or video game. Reviews will be posted on our website. Contact Kalina Cook at kalina.cook@barrie.ca for more details.

Find organizations in the community that are looking for volunteers through our Community Information Database  and the Barrie Association of Volunteer Administrators.

Research

Although there’s a TON of information on the Internet, not all of it is true – you need to be careful what you use in your research. We have a wide selection of databases for you to use when you need reliable, accurate information for a class assignment or research project. Our databases contain thousands of articles from magazines, journals and newspapers covering a wide variety of subject areas. They’re written by publishers, experts and professionals, and many aren’t available on the Internet. View our Digital Library and get started with your research.

Learn how to write a bibliography to give credit to the works you used for your research.

Books for Teens