Teens are often the hardest age category to engage in reading or attending the library, so Kildare Libraries works extra hard to facilitate the Teens that do want to have a place they can talk about reading or indeed writing. At present, Kildare Libraries have three online book clubs and one teen writing group, all of which meet once a month. Watch this space for the possibility of a return to meeting in person as restrictions ease.
Bookclubs
Maynooth has just this month launched a call for expressions of interest for a brand new book club. Aimed at 12-14 year olds, this book club hopes to capture young people right around the time they are heading for Secondary School and perhaps away from reading for pleasure, often leaving a children’s book club because the content is aimed at younger people. As it’s a fresh group, this is the perfect time to join while everyone else is also new, and you get to influence what types of books the club reads! If you, or your tween, would like to get involved in this new group, contact Niamh at Maynooth Library at 01-6285530 or by email at maynoothlib@kildarecoco.ie.
Leixlip Library also have a book club that ranges onwards from 12, up to ages 15. They meet on Zoom the 2nd Friday of every month at 4.30pm and read books such as the following: Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan, The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins and Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman. As with any library book club, books will be provided ahead of each meeting in Leixlip Library. Queries can be addressed to Aoife on 01-6060050 or leixliplib@kildarecoco.ie.
For the slightly older teens (with members currently around 14 to 15), Maynooth Library and Celbridge Library have joined forces to meet online once a month on the 3rd Friday of the month at 4.30pm for anywhere between 40 minutes and 1 hour depending on how lively the book discussion gets! This is a group with a twist: members can read whatever they like, be it fiction book, eBook, comic or factual book and share this title with the group. There is a book offered to read for the Maynooth half of the group, but they don’t have to read it if it doesn’t grab them. The group Librarian facilitators Niamh and Aideen are also avid readers so they also recommend books. To join this group, get in touch with Maynooth Library at the details above or Celbridge Library at 01 627 2207 or celbridgelib@kildarecoco.ie.
Teen Writing Group
Open to 12-15 year olds, this is a group that has been going on since around 2017, with various version of the group in play, as members aged out and new members joined. It is a close knit group (with a max number of about 10) but is full of friendly and welcoming teens who encourage each other to write and to share their work. Writers (and teenagers) are by their nature often shy so this group often serves simply as an opportunity to chat to other writers about their writing and ideas. Each meeting also has a portion of time put aside specifically to do some quiet writing, with some time at the end for building their confidence by sharing their work, either past work or what they’ve been working on in the time given. Contact Maynooth Library for more information at 016285530 or maynoothlib@kildarecoco.ie .
Other Resources
There is a vast array of content available for teenagers through the online services of the library, from books and eMagazines to free music streaming and online encyclopedia Britannica. You can access all of these resources on this page and there are previous articles in this blog dedicated to how these work. Other resources of particular interest to young readers, Orla in Kildare Town Library writes a monthly review on this blog or her favourite YA book of the moment. You can read her last one here. She also writes a quarterly booklet of recommended reads which is available at Kildare Town Library or on request. Contact the library at (045) 520 235 or kildarelib@kildarecoco.ie . There is a suggestions box just for teens in this branch, so check it out on your next visit if this is your local library!
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