Johnson building, second floor
Department Hours and Contact Information
Teen Central features a Media Lounge with Playstation 4 and Wii U consoles along with two eighty-inch monitors for gaming and movie nights, the Lab, a digital makerspace for media creation, coding, and more, diner-style seating, space for quiet study, moveable book shelves, and plenty of books. Follow Teen Central on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date on all upcoming events and programs.
Teen Central is intended for use by teens in grades 6-12 and its purpose is to centralize the information and recreation resources of youth in this age group while offering them a safe, supportive, and positive space that is uniquely their own. Teens must review and sign the Teen Central Code of Conduct prior to entering the space for the first time.
Hours of Operation
View Teen Central's hours of operation here.
Programs
Teen Central hosts video gaming, software programs, coding, maker programs, a Teen Leadership Council, monthly open mics, tech programs, and more. Check our calendar for what’s happening.
Teen Volunteers in Teen Central
Teens (grades 9-12) participating in the Boston Public Library Teen Services Volunteer Program will learn valuable working skills that will transfer to paid jobs later on. Volunteer jobs help to prepare teens to become job ready while working in the library and learning customer service skills and learning how to interact with a variety of people. Teens learn the importance of speaking and dressing appropriately and the meaning of dependability and responsibility. Teens will participate in a resume building program and an interview skills workshop
Some of the tasks are:
- Search for missing books on shelves
- Search for new websites for the BPL teen blog
- Create booklists online
- Put up book displays
- Shelve books
- Assist in leading weekly gaming tournaments in Teen Central on Fridays
The volunteer program runs year round; in the fall, spring and in the summer. Interested teens should reach out to Jess Snow at jsnow@bpl.org or 617-859-2335.
Class Visits and Camp Groups
Learn more about scheduling a class or group visit to Teen Central.
Learn more about scheduling a class tour of the library.
Printable library card applications for your visit.
The Lab
The Lab offers teens five PC computers and five Macs with a variety of software programs to use for learning, creating, and developing their own media content. Lab software includes:
Music and Audio Production:
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Graphic Design & Visual Art:
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3D Modeling:
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Video Production:
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Hardware Accessories:
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Activity Kits:
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The Lab is open Fridays and Saturdays for Open Lab (unstructured time in Lab for open-ended exploration and use of software and materials). There are also programs and classes in the different software programs on other days during the week.
Books, CDs, DVDs, and More
Teen Central has a large & diverse collection, including:
- General fiction
- Mystery
- Science Fiction and Fantasy
- LGBTQ Fiction and nonfiction
- Magazines and newspapers including Hype Hair, Hip Hop, Teen Vogue, Otaku USA, Teens in Print, and others.
- PLEASE NOTE: The teen nonfiction collection is interfiled with adult nonfiction.
Any of these items may be located and/or placed on hold using our catalogopens a new window.
Computers
Computers Available:
- There are four desktop computers with internet access and software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- There are thirty laptops with internet access and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint software. These are available to teens for use within Teen Central with no time limit.
