Upcoming Programs for Teens

View events for all ages on our Events Calendar

Join our Teen Services staff and chat about how things are going and topics important to you! See upcoming dates and register on our events calendar.

Helplines

If you or a loved one are feeling overwhelmed with feelings like sadness, anxiety, or depression due to the COVID-19 crisis, please reach out to the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Disaster Distress Helpline:

  • call 1-800-985-5990
  • text TalkWithUs to 66746
  • TTY 1-800-846-8517

2NDFLOOR is a confidential and anonymous helpline for New Jersey’s youth and young adults (ages 10-24) 

  • Call or text 888-222-2228 

NJ Mental Health Cares, the state’s behavioral health information and referral service, will now also offer help to people dealing with anxiety and worry related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

  • NJ residents can call 1-866-202-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support. 
  • NJ Mental Health Cares will be answered from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week by live trained specialists.

Crisis Text Hotline serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via a medium people already use and trust: text.

  • Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis. 
  • A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds.

New Jersey Hopeline provides access to specialists 24 hours a day, 7 days per week for confidential telephone counseling.

  • Call 1-855-654-6735

YouthLine operates a national helpline that provides crisis support and referrals via call, text, and chat. The helpline is answered by youth daily from 4pm-10pm and by adults at all other times.

  • Call 877-968-8491
  • Text Teen2Teen to 839863
  • Email Teen2Teen@LinesForLife.org

Trans Lifeline offers direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

  • Call 1-877-565-8860

Tips & Strategies for Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Things you can do to support yourself

  • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
  • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate
  • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced mealsexercise regularlyget plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs
  • Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
  • Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
  • Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.

Protect your mental health during coronavirus (COVID-19)

  1. Recognize that your anxiety is completely normal
  2. Create distractions
  3. Find new ways to connect with your friends
  4. Focus on you
  5. Feel your feelings
  6. Be kind to yourself and others

For Piscataway residents ages 12-18 only.

Do you want to volunteer at the library? You must attend one orientation sessions to review basic guidelines and view a required training video. Please check our Calendar for upcoming dates. 

Latecomers will not be admitted to the training sessions. 

Questions can be directed to our Teen Services Librarians at teens@piscatawaylibrary.org. Please put “Volunteer” in the subject line.

Book Recommendations

Check out our teen booklists by clicking here!

Also, check out:

  • Book Talks– From our very own librarians and some of your submissions too!
  • Novelist – Find favorite authors or books or get a description of a plot or genre.
  • Novelist K-8 – This is your guide to books for younger readers.

Anti-racism Resources:

Use this link to access a collection Anti-racism materials for teens!

Ebooks and Digital Content

Libby/eLibrary NJ:
  • Download the Libby app on your smartphone, tablet, or device 
  • Log-in by selecting Library “Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium” and then entering your Piscataway library card number and pin number. (If you don’t know your pin number you can call 732-463-1633 or 732-752-1166 and we can look it up.)
  • Click on “Library” to browse or search for the title you are looking for
  • Select “Borrow” or “Place Hold”. Borrow means that it’s available and you can download it right now! Place holds means that it’s not available, and you can sign-up to be notified when it is available for download.
Hoopla:
  • Download the Hoopla app on your smartphone, tablet, or device
  • Select “Sign Up” 
  • Type the information asked for in the boxes
  • Choose “Piscataway Public Library”
  • Type in your Library Card number
  • Browse or search for books, movies, music, comics, and TV shows! 

Note: you may borrow up to 5 titles from Hoopla each month

For more ways to access eBooks and digital content, visit: https://piscatawaylibrary.org/econtent/

Homework Resources

  • Tutor.com offers online tutoring, homework help, and test preparation. Get one on one tutoring in any math, science, social studies, and English subject. Live tutoring support is available daily from 3pm to 10pm In addition, students can upload a document 24/7 for tutor feedback that will be reviewed and returned at a later time.
  • Learning Express includes a scholarship finder, college search assistance, career exploration, and practice tests.  
  • View all Piscataway Library Research Databases for articles, online encyclopedias, language learning, and more

Job Resources

Ever feel like you want to apply for a job, but you just don’t know how to do it? How about writing the dreaded Resume and Cover letter combo? Well, we offer really good resources to help Teens determine what skills they have and how to achieve some goals!

Google Classroom offers so many tutorials from creating a resume, writing a cover letter, and even searching for a part-time or summer job!

  • Most tutorials range from 45-90 minutes, so be prepared to take some notes!
  • Students will need an active Google account to access all of Google Classroom’s phenomenal resources.
  • Explore Google Classroom to find even more tutorials on all sorts of new and interesting things to help with your life!

Job & Career Accelerator offers many resources to prepare for interviews, finding a job, and even career eBooks!

Also be sure to check out our career collections at Kennedy and Westergard for additional resources

 



Kate-Lynn: 

Hi! I love working with the teens in Piscataway because I like connecting you to resources in your community. I also love coming up with fun program ideas! When I’m not at work, I’m trying out a new craft (my latest obsession is embroidery!) or playing with my dogs. I like to read YA thrillers, realistic fiction, and nonfiction. Some of my favorites are Monday’s Not ComingI Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, and Hey, Kiddo. Stop by the Kennedy Teen Space to say hi!

Susan:

Hello! I am the newest member of the PPL teen services team, and I am thrilled to be here. I am super excited to plan creative programs, build book displays and showcase all the amazing things that your library can do for you! Outside of the library, I love to cook, scrapbook, sew, and take fun day trips with my family. Nonfiction is a genre close to my heart, but I will read just about anything! I have recently fallen down a David Levithan rabbit hole – I am obsessed with every day and someday. I can usually be found at the Westergard branch, so drop in to say hi, and check out our Teen Room while you’re here!

Kaitlyn: 

Hi! You can find me at both libraries at the teen services desk. My favorite part about working at the library is connecting with the community through events and reading. Outside of work I love roller skating and playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends! My favorite genres to read are fantasy, slice of life, and romance. Some books I’m loving right now are “Ophelia After All” and “The Mirror Visitor” series.

Erica: 

My favorite part of being a Librarian is planning events, like slime and melted crayon art. I also love talking about books. I enjoy reading nonfiction, mysteries, and realistic fiction. Some of my favorite titles are A Face for Picasso, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. You’ll find me at both Kennedy and Westergard! Stop by and say hello!