Opportunities for Teens

There are lots of ways that teens can be involved in the library.

Teens of Distinction Program

The DC Public Library offers part-time jobs for teens through the Teens of Distinction Program. Teens work 10-12 hours per week all year long, helping the library with important tasks and projects. The Teens of Distinction Program is now hiring! 

To apply, you have to:

  • be a D.C. resident
  • have and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average
  • be 16 to 18 years old
  • be able to work 10-12 hours per week
  • be able to commit to working for DCPL for at least 9 months

Oh, and of course you have to impress us with your wonderful personality and intelligence!

Find out more about the Teens of Distinction Program.

Take a look at one of the latest projects the Teens of Distinction completed--Your Story Has a Home Here, an oral history and studio photography project with D.C.'s homeless population.

Teen Volunteer Opportunities

If you want to earn community service hours for school, there are a couple of ways you can do it at DC Public Library.

Youth202 is the voice of DC's teens--created for youth, by youth. Learn radio production skills from the Radio Rootz crew, interview people in the community, and help keep other teens “in the know” about news, issues, events, programs, and anything else you think is important. Youth202 meets at the Martin Luther King Library's Teen Space. Get community service hours and join the movement! We are finalizing our Fall program dates, but you can apply directly online to be considered for the Fall and Spring. 

Teen Library Helpers work at either a neighborhood library or in a division of the Martin Luther King Library. Visit the volunteer page to get all the details and info on how to apply.

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

The DC Public Library is a host site for Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s 2013 One City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).  Every summer, teens work in the neighborhood libraries and at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (central library). The program will run from Monday, July 1 to Friday, Aug. 9.

Teens help library customers, shelve books, and learn lots of new skills to put on their college applications and resumes, such as program planning, blogging and media production.

On Friday, Jan. 25 at 12:15 p.m., the application for the 2013 SYEP will be open to District residents between the ages of 14 and 21.  Applications can be accessed from any computer with a working internet connection by visiting www.summerjobs.dc.gov.

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and all applications must be received by Saturday, Feb. 16 in order to be considered. Space is limited this year, so youth are encouraged to apply early and comply with all posted deadlines.

Anyone needing assistance with his or her application or a place to access the Internet is encouraged to attend Midnight Madness -- the official SYEP application kick-off event. Midnight Madness will take place on Friday, Jan. 25 from 12:15 p.m. until 12 a.m. at the DOES Headquarters located at 4058 Minnesota Avenue NE (next to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station). DOES staff will be on hand all night to assist youth and their families, and to answer any questions. 

You may also stop by your local library and a librarian will be more than happy to assist you with accessing the application on the Internet: