Celebrating Queensland libraries’ diverse youth programs

Public libraries are fostering the next generation of innovators, creatives, and environmental stewards with a host of vibrant youth programs held across the State.

Young gamers can join the Gamers’ Group and Dungeons and Dragons sessions at Bundaberg Regional Council libraries or visit any of the Western Downs’ library branches to use their gaming consoles and access their games collections.  

If science and technology is of interest, at Roma library young people can participate in STEM Mad Lab Workshops that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving, while at Injune library the STEAM workshops are designed to excite inquisitive young minds.

Sunshine Coast’s toy library provides a range of resources to engage young learners, from jigsaw puzzles to boardgames for older children.

The Maranoa Wildlife Caring and Education Centre staff also drop into Roma library’s youth space, offering informal sessions where children and teens can learn about wildlife care, pressing environmental issues, and the significance of biodiversity.

Maranoa libraries’ after-hours programs, which include Up-late Teen Trivia Nights and After Dark Painting Sessions, provide a safe space for young adults to express themselves, have fun with peers, and explore their talents in a relaxed, supportive environment. City of Moreton Bay's ongoing LOUD @ the library program also offers movies and music up late.

A partnership with the local youth collective in Balonne drives the library youth program, while many councils, similarly, share youth engagement activities with community organisations onsite and off through mobile libraries and park activities.

The possibilities are endless. Check out the options at your local library.

State Library’s enduring partnership with local government delivers more than 325 public libraries and Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) across Queensland. In every bustling city and town, libraries and IKCs are social, cultural and digital hubs that offer much more than you think.