Middle School Resources at the Library: 6-8th Grade

Need an extra hand with homework, craving music to ignite your study session, or would you rather be reading comics? How about racking up those community service hours or scoring a free ride to your next adventure? The library is your launchpad for all this and more! 🚀📚🎶🎧

Homework Help

📚 Brainfuse

Chat with an online tutor, schedule a private study with friends or send a question and get a response in 24 hours.

📚 Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints

Strengthen persuasive writing with pros & cons.

📚 Gale in Context: Environmental Studies

Dive deeper into environmental issues that affect people globally through overviews, journals, news articles, and more.

📚 Gale Interactive: Science

Learn more about biology, chemistry, earth science, human anatomy, and download .stl files for 3D printing science models.

📚 Newsbank

Read all about current events in the U.S. and abroad.

📚 LinkedinLearning

Accelerate your learning with lessons by experts.

🎶 FreeGal Music

Your library card allows you to listen to entire albums for free with so you can find the perfect songs for your study playlists.

For a complete list of online resources, view our Homework Help webpage.

6th – 8th Grade Recommended Reading:

Digitally read comics on any device from Comics Plus:

For recommended books to borrow from PACL, view:

Middle School Reading Recommendations - by California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Teachers Association
PACL staff created lists - by your local librarians
TLAB (Teen Library Advisory Board) Recommends - by your peers

Events

The library offers several events for middle schoolers! Check out these out:

Button Making - Drop by after school for button making in the Teen Zone! Use old manga and comics to make a unique design or create your own from scratch to promote a cause you care about! This program occurs monthly with no registration required. See you there!
Community Threads - Whether sewing is a skill you have or one that you want to develop, join us for Community Threads to get hands-on sewing machine experience!
Mindfulness Meditation - Need a break from the stresses of school? Improve your mental and physical health in mindfulness meditation sessions led by Phuong Pham. Each session is 30 minutes of meditation followed by 20 minutes of group sharing and Q&A. All levels of experience welcome and no registration required. Saturdays at Mitchell Park Library.
Chess - Do you have a passion for chess, want to improve your game, or learn from your peers? Look forward to joining us soon at Mitchell Park Library!
Musicians in Residence: Nathan’s Fearless Five! - Founded in October 2021 at Carlmont High School, Nathan's Fearless Five plays the Embarcadero Room at Rinconada Library every 4th Saturday of the month during the school year. Read more about Nathan's Fearless Five in Palo Alto Online.

📅 View our Events page for more!

Volunteer Hours and Community Service

If you’re at least 13 years old, then you can blog for the library and earn volunteer hours by writing book reviews, creating music lists, or submitting personal photography!
Join us in person during TLAB meetings to discuss how we can improve the library for you or what upcoming library programs you’d like to see!
Volunteer for Friends of the Palo Alto Library. Learn more about the many jobs volunteers perform at FOPAL, plus their special benefits by visiting their website.
Visit the Teen Volunteering in Palo Alto page to view more opportunities!

Local Resources

Palo Alto Link Teen Service - Starting March 25, 2024, Palo Alto Link is offering free rides teens, 13 - 18 years old, to specific Palo Alto destinations identified as supporting teen mental health.
Allcove - Support for young people ages 12 to 25 with mild to moderate needs in mental health, physical health, substance use, peer support, family support, and more!
Project Safety Net - Project Safety Net (PSN) mobilizes community support and resources for youth suicide prevention and mental wellness. We are a coalition working on community education, outreach, and training; access to quality youth mental health services; and policy advocacy.
MakeX - MakeX is a free community makerspace in the Cubberly Community Center that offers access to cutting-edge digital tools, power tools, and building materials. Any age is welcome, however children under the age of 12 must come with a parent or guardian.
Mitchell Park Teen Center – A hub for middle and high school teens to connect and engage, with weekday hours during the school year.