- Library Programming
- The Gem Forge - Teen Programming
Welcome to The Gem Forge, Putnam County Library System's Fortress of Teen Programming!
The Gem Forge is designed to be both a contest and a coalition. You can choose a guild to join—Leaders, Readers, Gamers, or Creators—and represent your guild by showing up and participating in programs. You can change guilds at any time, or choose not to join one at all. There's something here for everyone, and if there isn't...well, we're open to making it! The Gem Forge is a place where your voice is heard, and the library isn't just a place—it's your place.
Currently The Gem Forge is offering programming at the Palatka branch only, but it will be expanding to all branches in the coming months.
Explore Our Teen Programs
Adopt-A-Shelf
Do you have a book you love? Maybe a series you can't stop thinking about? Can't wait to share it with the world? Well, here's your chance! Adopt a shelf and create a display celebrating the books and stories you love.
Applications open on the first of every month and close on the fifteenth. We'll make our selections and contact participants beginning on the sixteenth, when the newly selected decorators can begin creating their displays.
When the next application cycle closes on the fifteenth, the previous month's decorations will come down and a new group of teens will get their chance to make the shelves their own!
Catch-Up Mondays
Didn't quite finish your project during a library program? Or maybe you missed a program we held recently? Come by anytime on Monday and get caught up!
You can work on any project the library has offered within the last four weeks. We'll make sure you have the tools, tech, and tutoring you need to get things done!
Deco Your 'Brary
Help us bring some color and life to your library by decorating it! Projects can include art for the walls or ceiling, or even painting the glass windows in the Teen Section.
It's all about leaving some of your creativity behind for others to enjoy while making the library just a little bit more yours.
Dungeons and Dragons
Don't just read the story—be part of it! Dungeons and Dragons is a collaborative storytelling adventure where you and your friends are the main characters, and success can all come down to the roll of the dice.
If we have enough interested players, we can also expand into other tabletop roleplaying games, including Avatar: The Last Airbender and Monster of the Week.
Magic, mayhem, and memories await you...which door will you choose?
Leadership Games
Some games are about more than just dice and meeples. These games challenge you to cooperate, solve problems, and work together to achieve your goals.
Maybe you'll tell the story of the world after a nameless calamity—or plan how to save humanity from a devastating plague. Step up to the challenge with your fellow leaders and decide the fate of tomorrow together with games such as Pandemic and The Quiet Year.
Learn It, Use It
The library is more than just a place to read and do—it's also a place to learn!
Twice a month on Thursdays, we'll teach you how to use a piece of equipment. From laser cutters to sewing machines, you'll get hands-on experience with new crafting tools and go home ready to forge your own projects!
Manga Club
If you like anime and manga, have we got a place for you! Hang out, read, draw, and meet other fans at the library.
You can even make suggestions for future series you'd like to see us add to the shelves!
Monthly Book Challenge
Let's see if you've got what it takes to tackle our Monthly Book Challenge! Each month brings a new set of challenges for you to conquer. Complete them and claim a prize from the treasury!
The challenge begins on the first of each month and must be completed by the last day the library is open that month.
The Monthly Book Challenge is open to ages 12–18 and features books from the YA and Adult sections.
Read It UP!
Hey...psst...whatcha readin'? Wanna talk about it?
Read It UP! is all about books. This informal book club isn't about everyone reading the same book—it's about hanging out with like-minded people and chatting about whatever you're reading right now.
No matter what kind of books you like, you can hang out with us and meet other bookworms!
Sew Far, Sew Good
Sewing is for everyone! Don't believe it? We can prove it!
We'll share simple designs that you can finish in just a couple of hours and take home the very same day. All of our projects are beginner-friendly, but basic knowledge of a sewing machine is required: how to fill and place a bobbin, thread a needle, and the basics of using the machine.
If you've never used a sewing machine before, drop into one of our Learn It, Use It classes and we'll help you get started!
Teen Advisory Board
The Teen Advisory Board—TAB for short—is your chance to help shape the future of teen services at your library.
Make your voice heard on everything from programming ideas to book selections, and be more than just a part of where the library is going...be one of the people taking us there!
The Un-Bored: Board Games
Checkers is fun, and so is Monopoly...but did you know there are so many more games out there than the ones you played as a kid?
Explore our collection of innovative games like Betrayal, Wingspan, Azul, Dinosaur Tea Party, Superfight, and more.
If you think you know board games, think again!
