January 2026 Programs for Teens
Chess and Game Club
Unplug and connect at Chess and Game Club! It’s the perfect place to hang out, meet new people, and play some awesome games. Mondays at 4:30 PM in the Community Room, we’ll have chess sets ready for players of all abilities, plus a rotating selection of board games and card games. No experience needed—just a desire to have fun. Open to everyone ages 9-18.
*The Library will be closed Monday, Jan. 19 – No Chess & Game Club that day.
Teen Action Council
The Teen Action Council gathers to discuss plans and come up with ways for the Library to serve teens. Select participants ages 13-18 are invited to join us Wednesday, January 7 in the Community Room at 4 PM!
Teen Crafts
Join us for Teen Craft on Thursday, January 8 from 4:00-5:30 PM in the Community Room! Teens ages 12-18 will create fun wintery jewelry and keychains using Shrinky Dink plastic. Join us to learn new crafting skills and make something awesome to wear or share!
Family Friendly Films
Mark your calendars for January family movie fun! Join us in the Community Room at 3:30 PM for two fantastic big-screen showings:
Friday, January 9 – Sketch (2024, PG)
Friday, January 23 – Smurfs (2025, PG)
All ages welcome! Parents should prescreen the films for their little cinephiles, and kids under 12 need to be accompanied by someone 14 or older. Grab your popcorn and we’ll see you at the movies!
Young League of Writers
Calling all teen writers ages 12-18! Join us on Wednesdays, January 14 & 28 at 4 PM to share your work, discuss what makes great writing, and sharpen your skills. In the first half, we’ll share our writing using a red, yellow, or green light feedback system. Please, submit your work in advance as a Google Doc or PDF to programs@madisonlib.org or bring a typed, printed copy. In the second half, we’ll have dedicated silent writing time where you can focus on your own projects and ideas. Whether you want to share your writing with peers or make new friends, this is the place for you! For more information and to sign up for notifications, visit the Madison Library Teen Zone.
AsiaPop!
Join Asiapop! on Thursday, January 15 from 4:00-5:30 PM in the Community Room to explore Asian cultures through movies, crafts, recipes, and traditions! This month, teens ages 12-18 will craft Rumi’s demon-slaying sword as a bookmark to keep the demons from escaping the pages of your latest manga, then test your knowledge in a K-Pop Demon Hunter Kahoot! for a chance to win yummy treats. Whether you love K-Pop Demon Hunters, or just want to make a really cool bookmark, join us for fun and friendship. No cell phone needed!
Dungeons & Dragons
Gather your party for Teen Dungeons & Dragons! Heroes ages 12–18, join the quest on Fridays, January 16 & 30 from 3:30–5:30 PM in the Community Room. Whether you’re a seasoned warrior or just stepping into the realm, you’ll build a character, shape your story, and let the dice decide your destiny.
Bring your own (5th Edition) character or choose one of our ready-made adventurers—no experience needed, just imagination. The adventure awaits!
Teen LEGO Club
Join Teen LEGO Club on Wednesday, January 21 from 4:00-5:30 PM in the Community Room for a New Year’s Resolutions challenge! Whether your goals are to exercise more, read ten books, make your bed every day, drink more water, or eat more veggies, don’t let them pile up—turn them into LEGOs! How many resolutions can you build onto a LEGO plate in 90 minutes? Join us to find out!
Cook with a Book
Teens ages 12-18, join us for a delicious literary adventure! On January 29 at 4 PM in the Community Room we’re baking a recipe inspired by Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. We’ll be making Italian Cream Cake from Cesari’s Bakery—a magical treat fit for a wizard’s castle! Learn new cooking skills, enjoy great food, and connect books with culinary creativity. All supplies provided. Come hungry and ready to cook!
Idaho Teen Reading Challenge
Calling all teen readers! The Idaho Teen Reading Challenge is here! This statewide reading challenge from the ICfL invites you to explore 8 books across 10 different categories.
How to Join: Sign up at our Children’s Reference desk, Madison Jr. High Library, Madison High School Library, or online with the Beanstack app.
Track & Earn: Track your progress on Beanstack or pick up paper tracking sheets at any of our libraries. Collect a prize after each book you read at the Children’s Reference desk or during visiting librarian days at school. Complete the challenge and you’ll be entered to win a $30 gift card (drawing on May 1)!
BONUS: Digital Badge Art Contest! Design a digital badge for one of the reading categories and submit it to programs@madisonlib.org by October 31. Winners receive a $25 credit from IDEAL – Idaho’s 529 College Savings Program, and your design will be shared with libraries statewide!
Ready to read? Sign up today and check out the 10 categories on the Teen Zone!
Armchair Traveler Challenge: Unearth a Story!
Reading is the perfect way to unearth information, entertainment, and understanding, and we are ready to delve into some great books! This year’s challenge has us grabbing our shovels and burrowing into the pages! Field Techs will read one book for each challenge, earning stickers and opportunities to win prizes in our grand prize drawing.
Any reader who fulfills even a portion of their Artifact Journal will earn small prizes along the way, but readers who complete all 10 Inventory Logs will earn the 2026 Armchair Traveler Field Tech Prize. Sign up at the Circulation desk and grab your Artifact Journal to get started!
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