Teens

TEEN EDUCATION & CREATION HUB


Visit the TECH Lab - A space for teens to come in, hang out and use 21st century technology to create exciting projects in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art and math.

TECH Lab Spring Hours:


Tuesday-Friday: Open Lab 3-7 pm
Saturday: Open Lab 1-5 pm

SUMMER HOURS START June 4th!
Summer Hours:
Tuesday-Friday:
Focus Time 1-3 pm
Open Lab 3-6 pm
Saturday:
Open Lab 1-5 pm


Be sure to check below to see what special programs and events we have coming up each month!

TECH Logo FINAL

  1. Tue May 21

    TECH Lab Open Hours

  2. Wed May 22

    TECH Lab Open Hours

  3. Thu May 23

    TECH Lab Open Hours
View All

Teen Events At-a-Glance


We have a lot of things going on at the library, so here's a quick list of all of our upcoming events. Scroll down the page to find more info on the program you're interested in, or call us at 696-8538.

  • Summer Reading has Begun!
  • TECH Lab Artist in Residence
  • Featured Program: STEAM Week
  • Animation & Rendering: Make an Animated Short
  • Create Your Own Cartoon Character
  • Super Smash Bros. Tournament
  • Python Coding with Brody
  • D & D: Conquering the Westmarches
  • Fortnite Fridays
  • Teen Book Group
  • Teen Advisory Group (TAG)

Test Prep E-Books

Getting ready to take the SAT or GRE? Just need some extra help with geometry? Want to be a firefighter or police officer? Then check out the library's new collection of digital reference books for test prep and study help! All of the titles are free to access and download. All you need is a library card! See our selection, and get studying.

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Summer Reading

May 4th-July 20

Summer Reading is designed to encourage the entertaining pastime of reading while adding fun activities and challenges to your days. This summer, the theme is "A Universe of Stories!" and we have 4 programs, each appropriate for a particular age group. Earn points for participating and get badges and prizes as you go. When we wrap up the program,"spend" your points until July 26 at 10 pm on prize raffles that take place on July 27 and July 29. 


For teens, they can sign up here and earn one point per minute of reading. They can also attend library programs and visit the TECH Lab to get secret codes that can be entered in for bonus points. Then they can spend their points on raffle tickets for some amazing prizes, from a guitar package to tabletop gaming to gift cards.  So sign up and start reading today!

TECH Lab Artist in Residence

Interested in being the TECH Lab's next Artist in Residence? Have some interesting skills you want to share? Or maybe just interested in working with teens, and making some extra money for it? Contact Cody at 696-8538 or e-mail him at allenc@ci.billings.mt.us.

Featured Program

JUN 11 SteamWeek

STEAM Week

June 11-15

1-3 pm in the TECH Lab

Join us as we kick summer off with a week of great STEAM programs! Come to the TECH Lab from 1-3 pm all week to explore some interesting topics, learn some new skills, or just have some fun. No sign ups are required, just drop in and have a good time. See you there!

Schedule of Events:

June 11: 3-D Printing

June 12: Fun with Photoshop

June 13: Board Games

June 14: Computer Coding

June 15: Lego Robots


Upcoming Programs

Animation and Rendering: Make an Animated Short

June 20 & 21

1-3 pm in the TECH Lab

June 20 Animation

Learn how to animate a simple scene and then render your animation into a 3-D model! Call 657-8290 to sign up.

June 26 Create a Cartoon

Create Your Own Cartoon Character

June 26th

1-3 pm in the TECH Lab

Learn how to use Photoshop and Illustrator to create your own cartoon characters. Call 657-8290 to sign up.

Super Smash Bros. Tournament

June 28

1-6 pm in the TECH Lab

June 28 Smash Bros Tournament

Come to the library and prove you're the ultimate Smash Bros. champion! We'll be playing various game modes throughout the day and awarding prizes to the winners, so call 657-8290 to sign up today!

python

Python Coding with Brody

Tuesdays

4 pm in the TECH Lab

Learn how to code in Python and make your own games and programs! Classes will be non-linear, and our mentor Brody will work with you teaching you based on your skill level. There will be class themes, but you can show up and ask Brody about any topic that interests you or you need help with. Python is also an easy to learn language, and a great way to get into programming and computer science. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get programming!

D & D: Conquering the Westmarches

Saturdays

1-4 pm in the TECH Lab

d and d

Join us for epic adventures and world building mayhem as we strive to tame the wilds of the West Marches! Help build and cultivate a city, explore the wilderness, and defeat terrifying  monsters as you learn the ins and outs of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons. You don't need any previous experience with the game, and you don't have to commit to a weekly session. The West Marches campaign is designed for drop in/drop out play, so swing by the TECH Lab on Saturday and see what adventures are underway!

fortnite-hero - edited

Fortnite Fridays

Every Friday

3-7 pm in the TECH Lab


Fortnite is now on the Nintendo Switch, so the TECH Lab is going to be hosting a couple hours of Fortnite mayhem every week. Swing by the lab to hang out and try one of the best games around!

Teen Book Group


​Thursday, May 23rd, 4:00-5:00 pm


Teen Study 2

Join the Library's Teen Book Group. We meet once a month on Thursday afternoons. Snacks and drinks are provided. In May, we’re reading Victoria Laurie’s When, a fast-paced thriller. Register and reserve your copy of the book by calling 657-8290.
When Victoria Laurie

Teen Advisory Group
Teens who are 13 to 19 years of age can apply to be part of our Teen Advisory Group - the TAG.  The TAG advises the library about programs for teens, helps promote services, and volunteers at the library.

Volunteering at the Library


Are you looking for ways to spend your free time? The TECH Lab is looking for 16-18 year old teenagers to help lead and mentor younger teens in the lab during open hours. Volunteers need to be interested in technology, willing to teach and learn alongside other teens, and be in the lab for a minimum of 4 hours per week. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience, or just give back to your community! For more information, contact Cody in the TECH Lab. Submit an online application..

Looking for a good book?


Check out these great reads.

Suggest A Title


Is there a teen title you would like to see in the Library's collection? Submit your suggestion online.


Local Teen Interviews Architect of Billings Public Library

Katelyn Bauer interviewed Will Bruder, the architect for the new Billings Public Library building,
and used the TECH Lab equipment to edit the video together. Way to go Katelyn!