Teens Summer Reading Program
Plant A Seed, Read!
July 11th – August 15th, 2026
This summer, we are all about games and gaming! Join Rogers Free Library’s Summer Reading Program: Level Up At Your Library. Whether you like video games, board games, tabletop games or card games, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to level up your skills!
Beginning July 11th, log your reading, participate in library programs, and win fantastic prizes!
This summer you’ll plant a seed and grow your reading habit one day at a time! Each packet comes with a FREE book while supplies last to start your summer reading journey! You’ll log every day that you read, and will win prizes (stickers, fidgets, pins, etc) for reaching specific reading milestones. The more days you read, the more prizes you can earn!
Not sure what to read? Why not check out the Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominees, or What Should I Read Next?
We also have programs for children & for adults! To learn more visit our Children’s SRP & Adult SRP webpages.
You must have a Rhode Island library card to participate in any of our Summer Reading Programs.
Prizes will be available to pick up in person only.
How it Works:
- Sign up at the Main Circulation desk to pick up your FREE book and Summer Reading packet!
- Log your reading habits on the tracker, attend library events, and play summer bingo to earn prizes.
- Come back to the library through August 15th to redeem the prizes you earn! .
Prizes
Teens get a FREE book just for participating in summer reading!
Click the headings below to see all the programs for Teens during Summer Reading.
Comic Creation Workshop with Cathy Johnson
Thursday, July 23, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm, in The Studio
Learn about creating comics from professional author and illustrator Cathy Johnson, creator of The Breakaways! You’ll warm up with some drawing games, then create comic book characters and start to write and draw out your own comic book stories with professional instruction. You’ll leave with all the tools you need to finish your comic on your own.
About the Artist: Cathy Johnson (she/they) is an artist based in Providence, Rhode Island, occupied Wampanoag and Narragansett land. She makes comics, prints, paintings, drawings and zines. Their work delves into the complicated worlds of young people, exploring the hardships and joys of adolescence. She explores themes of the monstrous and rebellious.
Recommended for ages 11-18. Registration is required.
Character Design Drawing Workshop with Ryan Miech
Tuesday, July 28, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, in the Herreshoff Room
Learn to draw your own original characters with iconic designs in this workshop led by award-winning local artist Ryan Miech! You’ll start by taking a look at beloved character designs and what makes them work, then draw your own memorable character, or revise an OC design, with professional advice. All materials (pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers etc) will be provided.
Best for ages 11-18. Registration is required.
About the Artist: Ryan Miech is a visual artist from Coventry, Rhode Island. He received his BA in Studio Art with concentrations in Illustration, Graphic Design and Interactive Media in May of 2021. His work has been featured in the BOSS exhibition at the Dorrance Hamilton Gallery in Newport, RI where it received Best Interactive Design and Best of Show. Miech currently lives in and works in Rhode Island, where he is working on various projects from board games to web design.
Write to Grow Workshop with Hannah Little (Adult/Teen, 13+)
Mondays, July 6 – July 20, 6-7PM, in the Herreshoff Room
The Write to Grow Workshop Program encourages participants to use the written word as a tool for building a well-rounded, balanced life.
Each workshop is comprised of a mix of reading, reflective & creative writing, and group discussion. The workshop is designed for writers of all levels – no previous writing experience required!
Session topics to be announced.
About the Instructor: Hannah Little is a Vermont-raised writer, speaker, editor, and workshop facilitator based in Rhode Island. She is an alumna of several writers’ programs, including the New England Young Writers’ Conference at Bread Loaf and the New York State Summer Writers’ Institute at Skidmore College. She studied creative writing, editing, and arts management at Roger Williams University.
Recommended for ages 13+. You must register for each session separately. Click here to register for the first session.
Teen Writing Club
Mondays in August (except August 10), 4:30-6PM, in the Teen Space
Teen Writing Club is a chance to flex your writing muscles! We mostly focus on fiction, but there are also opportunities for poetry, creative nonfiction, and more. This club provides opportunities to learn practical writing tips, write in a supportive environment, and share your work with other writers. You do not need to have any writing experience or any writing prepared ahead of time, and supplies are provided. We look forward to helping you tell your stories!
Led by Mr. Gus.
Best for ages 11-18. Registration is preferred, but not required – feel free to drop in! You do not need to attend every week. Registration for the first session you attend is recommended, so you can receive emails relevant to writing club.
Craft Night (Adult/Teen, 13+)
Last Monday of every month, 6PM-7PM, in the Herreshoff Room
July 27: Upcycled Cutlery Holders
August 31: DIY Flower Bouquets
Registration is required. Craft Night registration opens on the first of each month.
Youth Summer Robotics
Tuesdays, June 30-July 7, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, in the Herreshoff Room
Tuesday, July 14, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, in the Upstairs Conference Room
Tuesdays, July 21-August 25, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, in The Studio
Work with the Roger Williams University Robotics Team on programming, robotics designs, and working with robotic arms! From NASA space systems to automated warehouses and surgical robotics, robotic arms power many of today’s most important technologies.
Best for current and rising high school students (grades 9-12). Previous robotics/coding experience is helpful, but not necessary; beginners are welcome!
This is an ongoing program where each session is different — sign up for as many sessions as you are interested in attending.
Best for ages 14-18 (rising 9th-12th graders). Space is limited, registration is required. Click here to register for the first session.
Coding Camp: Learn Python
July 22-August 19, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, in The Studio
Python is a beginner-friendly, versatile programming language known for its simple syntax and readability. It’s perfect for introducing coding concepts, allowing learners to quickly grasp fundamental concepts and start coding. Led by expert instructors from Arrayscape Gaming, this five-week course will teach you the building blocks that you’ll need to build apps, design games, and more.
Best for 11-18. Space is limited, registration is required. Click here to register.
Funding for this course is provided by the State of Rhode Island’s Learn 365 grant program.
Inaugural Math Competition
Saturday, August 8, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, in the Herreshoff Room
Are you a math whiz? Does every conversation turn into a tangent about your favorite formulas and theorems? Do you yearn to prove your math-letic prowess?
Rogers Free Library invites all rising 6th-12th grade math enthusiasts to our Inaugural Math Competition! Participants will be grouped into categories by grade/experience level, and compete in three rounds to solve challenging math problems quickly and accurately, without using phones or calculators.
The winner of each category will receive a Grand Prize! We’ll also have small participation prizes just to celebrate everyone’s love of math.
The competition will run from 10AM-12PM. All participants and their families are invited to a free pizza lunch from 12PM-1PM.
Be there or be a square root!
Best for 11-18. Space is limited, registration is required. Click here to register.
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Session Zero: Monday, July 6, 2026, 10 AM – 12 PM, in the Teen Room
Additional session dates to determined at Session Zero according to DM and player availability. This campaign will meet every other week during the summer.
Teen Writing Club is a chance to flex your writing muscles! We mostly focus on fiction, but there are also opportunities for poetry, creative nonfiction, and more. This club provides opportunities to learn practical writing tips, write in a supportive environment, and share your work with other writers. You do not need to have any writing experience or any writing prepared ahead of time, and supplies are provided. We look forward to helping you tell your stories!
Join us for an exciting summer D&D campaign set in the mysterious and magical Witchlight Carnival! At Session Zero, you’ll create your character, go over group expectations, and set dates for future sessions.
Adventure Description: Once every eight years the fantastic Witchlight Carnival touches down on your world, bringing joy to one settlement after the next. Its owners, Mister Witch and Mister Light, know how to put on a good show. But there’s more to this magical extravaganza than meets the eye! The carnival is a gateway to a fantastic Feywild domain unlike anything found on the Material Plane. Time has not been kind to this realm, however, and the dark days lie ahead unless someone can thwart the dastardly schemes of the Hourglass Coven….
Best for ages 11-18. Previous D&D/tabletop gaming experience is not required; all experience levels welcome! Registration is required as spots are limited. Register here.
DM: Luther B., high school volunteer.
Wrath and Glory (Like D&D!) One-Shot: Rain of Mercy
Tuesday, July 14, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, in the Teen Room
Like D&D, but want to try a different system? Heard about D&D and other tabletop RPGs, and want to try a one-and-done adventure? Join us for a one-shot set in the universe of Wrath and Glory, inspired by the popular game Warhammer–without the figurines!
For ages 11-18. Registration is required and spots are limited.
Adventure Info: In a galaxy ravaged by war, rumors abound in the shrine world of an Imperial Saint emerging majestically from the wretched conditions of Holy Enoch’s appalling refugee camps. Can you navigate a treacherous town run by water-selling gangs? Is the Saint a pious vessel for the Emperor’s will, or a perfidious Psyker manipulating the populace?
DM: Luther B., high school volunteer.
D&D OPEN Campaign
Saturdays, July 25 & August 22, 2:00 – 4:30 pm, in the Teen Room
This is an OPEN campaign, meeting monthly. Drop in and out as needed, but please sign up for each session you plan to attend! You can use pre-made characters or reach out to [email protected] in advance to bring your own; signups are first-come, first-served. Best for newer players and those who prefer a lighthearted, flexible game.
Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game that allows you to create your own character and explore a world full of magic, swordfights, and monsters!
Best for ages 11-18.
Current Party Level: 4.
DM: Mr. Gus, Teen and Adult Services Librarian
D&D: Curse of Strahd: Session Zero
Thursday, July 30, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, in the Teen Room
At this Session Zero, you’ll create your character, go over group expectations, split into two groups, and set dates for future sessions. This campaign will meet monthly and continue through the 2026-27 school year.
Previous D&D/tabletop gaming experience is not required; all experience levels welcome!
Best for ages 11-18. Registration is required as slots are limited.
Adventure Description: Curse of Strahd is an exciting, tense, fast-paced adventure. It is a vivid exploration of classic gothic horror tropes and monsters, from werewolves to vampires, ghosts, and more. It’s also filled with brutal fights and deadly traps, so there’s a high chance your character will meet an untimely demise – bring a backup character (or two or three), and don’t get too attached!
DM: Christopher Suitor.
Fate (like D&D!): The East Coast Creepshow Tour
Fridays, July 31 to August 21, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, in the Teen Room
Do you love Dungeons & Dragons, and want to explore a more story-driven way to play a tabletop campaign? Or maybe you’ve never played a tabletop RPG before, but always wanted to try?
Join professional GM Brandon Morgan of Midsummer Games in a new adventure in the Fate system: Monster Idols!
Best for ages 11-18. Limited seats are available, and registration is required.
Please plan to attend every session if possible, and communicate in advance if you will have to miss a session. Attending the July 31 session is mandatory to play the rest of the game!
About Fate: Fate is a roleplaying game in the same spirit as D&D, where a group of players creates a story together. The focus is less on complex rules and more on imagination, character, and collaboration. You’ll have the freedom to try creative ideas and shape the world as you go. Every session feels like building a story no one else could tell.
About The East Coast Creepshow Tour: A small town rock band is setting out on their first road trip down the East Coast. A rather odd selection of small communities with one thing in common, a connection to America’s Cryptids. Juggle the demands of touring, keeping your fans happy, and using the power of Rock to battle Monsters in this FATE driven adventure!
Laser Tag After Hours
Friday, July 17, 5:00 – 7:15 pm, in the Teen Room
Celebrate the beginning of summer with Laser Tag After Hours! Teens are invited to play laser tag in the stacks. Laser Tag equipment will be provided. We’ll meet in the Teen Space at 5:00 PM to go over rules, and the first round will start around 5:30 PM. The last round will end by 7:15 PM.
You MUST sign up and fill out a permission slip to attend. Permission slips will be emailed to registered participants later in June. Please give your signed permission slips to Mr. Gus before the event or at the start of the event. Any teen who does not have a signed slip will not be allowed to enter the library after closing.
Best for ages 13-18. Registration and a signed permission slip are required.
Film Night: Education Connection
Thursday, July 16, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, in the Herreshoff Community Room
Join us for another Film Night! Film Night is a student-run student film festival. It began in 2010 when 18-year-old film lover Alex Watrous wanted to show off his projects to his friends; the event grew from there, helping young and ambitious filmmakers gain exposure and feedback on their work. This Film Night will showcase student films from Bristol and all around the world.
This Film Night’s theme: Documentary/Mockumentary: these films tell true stories….and stories that look true enough.
Are you a student (at any grade level, or in college)? Do you have a film to submit? Submit your film on FilmFreeway for a chance to be screened at this Film Night!
DIY Mini Herb Gardens
Thursday, July 23, 10:00 – 11:00 am, in The Studio
Come check out The Studio and make your very own mini-herb garden!
All materials provided.
Lawn Game Day
Friday, July 24, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, in the Courtyard Garden
Soak up the sun and get those wiggles out after all your summer reading with lawn games in the courtyard!
Come enjoy Life-Sized Sorry!, Giant Checkers, Spikeball, and more!
All ages are welcome. Lawn games are not available to check out.
Fourth Annual Chess Tournament
Saturday, August 1, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, in the Herreshoff Community Room
Welcome to Rogers Free Library’s Fourth Annual Chess Tournament!
50 players will compete for the title and a grand prize!
All participants MUST register. Teens and adults welcome.
Bring your best game! Good luck!
Seeds in Motion: Grow, Gather, Tell with Providence Children’s Museum
Friday, August 7, 10:00 – 11:30 am, in the Herreshoff Community Room
Step into a world of discovery with Seeds in Motion: Grow, Gather, Tell, a playful, hands-on experience for families of all ages!
Drop in and explore interactive stations where you can:
- Plant and investigate how seeds grow
- Play games that show how pollinators help plants thrive
- Discover foods and stories from around the world
- Create seed balls to help grow your own garden
Along the way, you’ll uncover how seeds connect science, nature, and culture—and how even small actions can help grow a healthier world.
Come for a few minutes or stay to explore it all! No registration is required for this drop-in program.
This program is in collaboration with the Providence Children’s Museum and an Ocean State Libraries Summer Reading Pilot Program.
The Books That Grew Us: Multi-Media Project
Tuesday, August 11, 12:00 – 3:00 pm, in The Studio
What book planted a seed in your life?
In this workshop, you’ll work with Ocean State Media and Rogers Free Library staff to turn the most influential book in your life into a multi-media project. Whether it’s a childhood classic or a recent discovery, we invite you to share a book you love and transform that inspiration into art.
Registration is required.
All materials are provided. All ages welcome.
This program is in collaboration with Ocean State Media and the Ocean State Libraries Summer Reading Pilot Program. To learn more about Ocean State Media, please visit their website at https://www.oceanstatemedia.org/.