The library will be closed Friday, October 6, Staff Engagement Day, and will reopen on Saturday, October 7 at 9 a.m.

Teen Service Hours

Teens! We have service hour opportunities!

The library does not provide service hours for court mandated issues. Hours are given out at the discretion of the library staff. If we deem your work to be insufficient or inappropriate, library staff can reject submissions. We do not provide Service Hours forms. They must come from your school or organization.

All Service Hour forms for virtual hours can be brought in to the Teen Desk for signature confirmation after Service Hours have been confirmed by us via email. We will try to confirm virtual service hours within 1 week via email, but cannot guarantee the time frame.

All in person Service Hour forms can be brought in the day of the program or any time after. They will not be signed until the end of the program you are helping out at.

Anyone in grades 6-12 can participate in our Teen service hour opportunities, unless otherwise noted. All in person service hour programing currently requires registration. If you cannot attend the opportunities that you have registered for, be sure to either cancel online, or call us to cancel. If you miss more than 2 opportunities without canceling, you will not be able to register for any more opportunities.


Virtual Service Hour Opportunities

Virtual Service Hour Opportunities

The library does not provide service hours for court mandated issues.
To earn virtual service hours, you must follow ALL listed directions. Hours are given out at the discretion of the library staff. If we deem your work to be insufficient or inappropriate, library staff can reject submissions. We do not provide Service Hours forms. They must come from your school or organization. All Service Hour forms can be brought in to the Teen Desk for signature confirmation after Service Hours have been approved via email. We will try to confirm service hours within 1 week via email, but cannot guarantee the time frame. Anyone in grades 6-12 can participate in our virtual service hour opportunities.

  • Select a project from the list below.
  • Follow all the directions for each project.
  • Submit emails with your finished work no later than December 31 for opportunities from our current selection.
  • After December 31, keep an eye out for updated service opportunities!
  • Each individual Virtual Service Hour opportunity has it’s own limit to how many hours you can earn from it per year. You can do multiple opportunities. (Example: you can do 3 Your Picks, 5 Letters to Elders, and 3 Write Ups to gain 11 hours of service.)

Section 1: Recommending To Others

Your Picks: Teen Video Edition (Limit 3 Submissions/3 Service Hours)

(Limit started January 1, 2023. Anything sent January 1 or later will be counted towards your 3 for this year. Anything sent prior to January 1, 2023 will not count towards your 3.)

Do you like to recommend things to friends? Do you like making videos? If the answer is yes, then we’ve got a service hour opportunity for you.

  • Create a 1 to 5 minute video where you do a review of your favorite teen book, teen video game, teen movie or teen TV show. (Books read for class will not be accepted for service hours.) All reviews must be about YA items from the Library’s collection, meaning it must be Teen/YA and the Orland Park Public Library MUST own it in the YA collection. Streaming shows that we do not own, will not count for hours. If you are unsure if it counts, ask one of the librarians and we’ll be happy to check for you.
  • Your goal is to try to persuade people to check out the item you’re reviewing. Tell them a little bit about the story (no spoilers) and why it’s so amazing. Use your own words. Do not read the summary off the back of the item or one you picked up online
  • For every approved video you do, you’ll receive one service hour from the library. (Limit 3)
  • All videos must be library appropriate.
  • When recording be sure you use standard definition (don’t send videos over 200,000KB). Submitted videos may be posted on the library’s website and social media at staff’s discretion, so by sending them to us you are giving us permission to use your material and likeness.
  • Submit your videos by sending us a way to download the video file by either creating a free Dropbox account or by using a Google Cloud link. Send us those links by emailing efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
  • Be sure you do not have any copyrighted material in your videos. (This includes but isn’t limited to: music, video clips, photos, etc. )
  • You can do more than one video (up to 3), but each review submitted must cover a different item. Each video must also be on different items than your Write Ups and/or Bookstagrams, if you choose to do those options as well.
  • Be sure that you include your name, grade, and which service hour program you are submitting work for (in this case Your Picks) in every email you send us. (It’s like making sure your name is on your paper for school before turning it in.) If you do not have your name on your work, you will not receive credit for it. Do not add this information to the subject line of the email. Please add it to the actual body of the email.
  • After a video has been submitted and approved via email, we will be able to sign your service hours form.
  • Check out these video reviews from Teens like you!

Teen Write-Ups (Limit 3 Submissions/3 Service Hours)

(Limit started January 1, 2023. Anything sent January 1 or later will be counted towards your 3 for this year. Anything sent prior to January 1, 2023 will not count towards your 3.)

Have you read, watched, or played something amazing lately?

  • Write up a paragraph review (at least 7 sentences) about a teen book, teen video game, teen movie or teen TV show. (Books read for class will not be accepted for service hours.) All reviews must be about YA items from the Library’s collection, meaning it must be Teen/YA and the Orland Park Public Library MUST own it in YA. If you are not sure if your item will count, please ask one of our librarians. We’ll be happy to check for you.
  • All reviews should start with the title of the item, the author (for books), and format of item. This is the “title” of your review and does not count as one of your sentences. Examples “The Hunger Games by Suzan Collins – Book” “Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch” “Spiderman Homecoming –BluRay”
  • Your goal is to try to persuade people to go check out what you’ve wrote about. Tell them a little bit about the story (no spoilers) and why it’s so amazing. Your paragraph must be written in your own words.
  • For every write up you do (up to 3) and that is approved, you’ll receive one service hour from the library.
  • All write ups must be library appropriate. Submitted write ups may be posted on the library’s website and social media at staff’s discretion, so by sending them to us you are giving us permission to use your material.
  • Send all write ups to efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
  • After a write up has been submitted and approved via email, we will be able to sign your service hours form.
  • You can do more than one write up (up to 3), but each paragraph submitted must be about something different. Each Write Up must also be on different items than your Bookstagrams and/or Your Pick Videos, if you choose to do those options as well.
  • Be sure that you include your name, grade, and which service hour program you are submitting work for (in this case Write Ups) in every email you send us. (It’s like making sure your name is on your paper for school before turning it in.) If you do not have your name on your work, you will not receive credit for it. Do not add this information to the subject line of the email. Please add it to the actual body of the email.
  • Check out these reviews from Teens like you!

Teen Bookstagrams (Limit 3 Submissions/3 Service Hours)

(Limit started January 1, 2023. Anything sent January 1 or later will be counted towards your 3 for this year. Anything sent prior to January 1, 2023 will not count towards your 3.)

Do you love Instagram? Do you love to read? Why not mix the two together and earn service hours for it?

  • Read a teen book from the Library’s collection then create a bookstagram for us to post on the library’s account. Books read for class will not be accepted for service hours. All reviews must be about Teen/YA books and the Orland Park Public Library MUST own it in the YA collection. If you are not sure if your item will count, please ask one of our librarians. We’ll be happy to check for you.
  • Not sure what a bookstagram is? Check out the library’s Instagram account and see examples of what others have done.
  • Each post needs a photo with a teen/YA book in it. Be as creative as you can. Please don’t just send us a picture of the book by itself. Try to make a cool background, add props, or use photo editing. You will also write a short review (at least 5 sentences) on why it’s such a great read and why others should read it too.
  • Each photo needs to be submitted in a PDF or jpeg form. Your review should be written up in an email. Do not send us a photo or screen shot of the written part of your review.
  • For every bookstagram you do and get approved (up to 3), you’ll receive one service hour from the library.
  • All posts must be library appropriate.
  • Submitted work may be posted on the library’s website and social media at staff’s discretion, so by sending them to us you are giving us permission to use your material.
  • Send all photos and reviews to efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
  • After a bookstagram has been submitted to us and approved via email, we will be able to sign your service hours form.
  • Check Orland Park Public Library Instagram page to see Bookstagrams submissions from Teens like you!
  • You can do more than one bookstagram (up to 3) but each one submitted must be about a different YA book. Each Bookstagram must also be on different items than your Write Ups and/or Your Pick Videos, if you choose to do those options as well.
  • Be sure that you include your name, grade, and which service hour program you are submitting work for (in this case Bookstagrams) in every email you send us. (It’s like making sure your name is on your paper for school before turning it in.) If you do not have your name on your work, you will not receive credit for it. Do not add this information to the subject line of the email. Please add it to the actual body of the email.
  • See the photos below for some bookstagram photo inspiration.

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Section 2: Helping Out Across The World

  • Select an organization from the “volunteer activities,” listed below.
  • Follow the requirements on our website and the organizations’ websites to complete volunteer work. (Find all the websites links for each organization below.)
  • Choose one organization (project) or a few to receive volunteer hours.
  • For each activity that you complete, take a clear photo of your finished volunteer project (example: letter, transcription etc.), upload it to an email and send it to efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
  • No selfies required.
  • Copying your work text from the organizations’ websites and pasting it into an email is also acceptable. We just need to see your fully completed work, or no credit can be given.
  • Be sure that your name is in the email that you send us. No name equals no service hour credit.
  • Submit emails no later than December 31, 2023.
  • After December 31, keep an eye out for updated service opportunities!

The Organizations:

  • Love for Our Elders (Limit 5 Submissions/5 Service Hours)
    (Limit started January 1, 2023. Anything sent January 1 or later will be counted towards your 5 for this year. Anything sent prior to January 1, 2023 will not count towards your 5.)
    Make someone’s day a little brighter! Hand-write letters to residents in senior facilities.
    • Check out https://loveforourelders.org/letters and follow the instructions on their page to write and send a letter. (Note they request that you write to one of their elders, not just an anonymous letter. That means every letter should start with a “Dear” and then the name of the person that you are writing to. (Dear Tom, Dear Dorthy,…..) They also request that the letter be decorated and on nice paper. Please don’t turn in just words written on notebook paper. Make sure that the body of your letter (your main paragraph) is at least 7 sentences long. Your opening “Dear” and closing “Your Friend” do not count as one of your 7 sentences.)
    • Send a clear photo of your whole letter to efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
    • Be sure that we can see your full letter or we will not be able to give you credit. Since these are all handmade, a photo is required for this project. If you are having trouble sending a photo, contact efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org.
    • For each approved letter that you send to us, you’ll earn 1 hour of service time. (up to 5)
    • After a finished project has been submitted and approved via email, we will be able to sign your service hours form.
    • You can do more than one letter (up to 5).
    • Be sure that you include your name, grade, and which service hour program you are submitting work for (in this case Love for Our Elders) in every email you send us. (It’s like making sure your name is on your paper for school before turning it in.) If you do not have your name on your work, you will not receive credit for it. Do not add this information to the subject line of the email. Please add it to the actual body of the email.
    • Please be sure to send the organization your finished letters by following their guidelines on their website.
  • By the People (Limit 5 Submissions/5 Service Hours)
    (Limit started January 1, 2023. Anything sent January 1 or later will be counted towards your 5 for this year. Anything sent prior to January 1, 2023 will not count towards your 5.)
    Help the Library of Congress make documents searchable in their catalog. You will assist in transcribing original items. Anyone can transcribe and an account is not needed.
    • Check out https://crowd.loc.gov/help-center/welcome-guide and follow the instructions on their page to transcribe a document. Be sure that you are choosing longer documents to transcribe (at least two thirds of a page long/150 words long). Sending us something that is only a sentence or two long is not going to earn you any Service hour time.
    • Send a clear photo of your work and the original document to efaxel@orlandparklibrary.org. Be sure that we can see everything that you worked on. If you only send us part of your work or part of the original document we will not be able to give you hours.. If you need to copy and paste your transcription into the email, that is ok. If you need to send us multiple photos that’s ok.We just need to be sure that you completed the full transcription.
    • For each transcription that you send to us, you’ll earn 1 hour of service time. (up to 5)
    • After a finished project has been submitted and approved via email, we will be able to sign your service hours form.
    • You can do more than one transcription. (up to 5)
    • Be sure that you include your name, grade, and which service hour program you are submitting work for (in this case By the People) in every email you send us. (It’s like making sure your name is on your paper for school before turning it in.) If you do not have your name on your work, you will not receive credit for it. Do not add this information to the subject line of the email. Please add it to the actual body of the email.

Hybrid In-Person Programming

Hybrid In-Person Programming

The library does not provide service hours for court mandated issues. Hours are given out at the discretion of the library staff. If we deem your work to be insufficient or inappropriate, library staff can reject submissions. We do not provide Service Hours forms. They must come from your school or organization. All Service Hour forms can be brought in to the Teen Desk for signature confirmation after Service Hours have been turned in and approved by a librarian. Anyone in grades 6-12 can participate in our hybrid service hour opportunities. No registration is required for hybrid in-person programing. These programs are monthly and go while kits last.

Take Make and Bring Back

Directions:

  • Pick up your kits at the Teen Reference Desk, while supplies last. Hurry, they go FAST!
  • Be sure to follow ALL instructions in your kit to earn service hours
  • You may only have 1 kit out at a time. Once you return your finished kit, you can take another one

Take Make and Bring Back- Wooden Fall Leaves

  • Month Of September
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Pick up a Wooden Leaves kit, decorate all of them front and back, and return your work to the Teen Desk to earn hours. Leaves will be used to decorate the Teen Loft.

Take Make and Bring Back- Fall Photo Challenge

  • Months Of September and October
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Pick up the Fall Photo Challenge instructions from the Teen Desk. Choose 5 prompts, take your pictures, print them, and then bring in your photos to earn 2 hours of service time. Photos will be used to decorate the Teen Loft

Take Make and Bring Back- Disguise A Gingerbread Man

  • Month Of November
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Pick up a Disguise a Gingerbread Man kit, decorate your gingerbread man as a book character, and return your work to the Teen Desk to earn hours. Your work will be used to decorate the Teen Loft

Take Make and Bring Back- Wooden Snowflakes

  • Month Of November
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Pick up a Wooden Snowflake kit, decorate all of them front and back, and return your work to the Teen Desk to earn hours. Snowflakes will be used to decorate the Teen Loft

Take Make and Bring Back- Decorate Bookmarks for Homebound Patrons

  • Month Of December
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Pick up a Bookmark Decorating kit, decorate all of them front and back, and return your work to the Teen Desk to earn hours. Bookmarks will be given to our homebound patrons

Teen Inc. In-Person Projects

Teen Inc. In-Person Projects

(Working With Other Teens)

It is important that you show up for your in-person service hour opportunities on time. If you sign up and don’t show up for two programs, you will lose all of your additional service hour opportunities. If you call us ahead of time to let us know that you can’t make it to your registered program you will not lose any future opportunities.

The library does not provide service hours for court mandated issues. Hours are given out at the discretion of the library staff. If we deem your work to be insufficient or inappropriate, library staff can dismiss teen with no service hours given. We do not provide Service Hours forms. They must come from your school or organization. All Service Hour forms can be brought in to the Teen Desk for signature confirmation after the event that the teen participated in. Anyone in grades 6th -12th can participate in our in-person service hour opportunities by registering on our event calendar.

Teen Little Free Food Pantry Stockers

Sign up to be a pantry stocker for the month.

  • Hours Vary
  • Stop by the library once a week to check to make sure our Little Free Food Pantry is fully stocked.
  • Training is mandatory on it’s designated date, and you will earn 1 hour for attending.
  • You must be committed to stop at the library once a week for your scheduled pantry check. If you can’t fulfil the commitment, please don’t sign up.
  • We will be scheduling your days to check the pantry at the mandatory training session. Be sure to bring your calendar for the month so you don’t run into conflicts. We try to be accommodating to everyone’s schedules and let the teens choose their dates as much as possible
  • You may sign up for more than one month if you’d like
  • Registration required for each month
  • Limited to 2 Teens per month
  • If you cannot make a scheduled stocking date, and you call us ahead of time, we can help you reschedule your day. If you fail to call and reschedule, you are considered a no show, and lose that service time

Mandatory Training Days:

  • Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 5 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
  • Monday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m.

Teen Little Free Food Pantry Collectors

Be a pantry collector. Go around to your friends and family. Set up a collection box. Do whatever works best for you to collect nonperishable goods for the library’s little free food pantry.

  • You  cannot  buy the food yourself (no money is to be spent by you)
  • For every 10 approved  nonperishable  food item that you collect and donate to the library you will receive 1 hour of service time. (Up to 30 items for 3 hours.)
  • Donated food must be in  its  original packaging and  cannot  be open, expired, or split up. (Example: Each individual pudding cup does not count as one item, when they come in a pack together. Each bag of popcorn in a box is not counted separately. Etc.)
  • You can only earn 3 hours from this opportunity during each newsletter cycle. (Cycles are: January-April, May-August, and September-December)
  • Ongoing / No Registration Needed
  • Be sure to bring your donations to the Teen Reference Desk upstairs in order to be counted

OPPLcon Volunteers

  • Mandatory Training Date: Friday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m.
  • Hours Earned: 1
  • Program Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • Hours Earned: 6
  • Register to help with our OPPLcon. We will have various stations and activities that you will help run with the help of our librarians. Lunch will be provided. Attending mandatory training is required to work the day of the event.

OPPLcon Tape Obstacle Course

  • Thursday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Join us in creating a “Super” tape obstacle course for our upcoming OPPLcon.

Winter Wonderfest Volunteers

  • Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Hours Earned: 5
  • Help out with our Winterfest Day. We’ll have various stations and activities that you will help run with the help of our librarians. Lunch will be provided.

Teen Inc. Food Drive

  • Set-up: Monday, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m.
  • Pack-up: Friday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m.
  • Day 1: we’ll be creating donation bins and placing them out for the public. Day 2: we’ll come back, sort, and pack up all the donations. Register for each date separately

Teen Inc. Giving Tree

  • Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 5 p.m.
  • Day 1: we’ll be creating donation bins and placing them out for the public. Day 2: we’ll come back, sort, and pack up all the donations. Register for each date separately

Winter Wonderfest Tape Obstacle Course

  • Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.
  • Hours Earned: 2
  • Register to join us in creating a tape obstacle course for our upcoming Winter Wonderfest.

Volunteen In-Person Projects

Volunteen In-Person Projects

(Teens Helping With Little Kids Programing)

It is important that you show up for your in-person service hour opportunities on time. If you sign up and don’t show up to two of your registered programs, you will lose all of your additional service hour opportunities. If you call us ahead of time to let us know that you can’t make it to your registered program you will not lose any future opportunities.

The library does not provide service hours for court mandated issues. Hours are given out at the discretion of the library staff. If we deem your work to be insufficient or inappropriate, library staff can dismiss teen with no service hours given. We do not provide Service Hours forms. They must come from your school or organization. All Service Hour forms can be brought in to the Teen Desk for signature confirmation after the event that the teen participated in. Anyone in grades 6 -12 can participate in our in-person service hour opportunities by registering on our event calendar.

Children’s Program Helpers

(Service hours earned varies. Check registration calendar for hour details. Volunteer space is limited. You will be working with a librarian during these programs.)

Want to help out in a Youth program and gain amazing experience working with kids? 6th-12th graders can register online for one (or more) of the following volunteen programs: