The last days of summer are swiftly approaching, but there’s still dozens of great activities, events, resources, and more at the Library for tweens and teens. And for a limited time, anyone ages 11 to 18 can get free Youth RTA passes to help them get to the Library, thanks to generous funding from United Way, Baptist Community Ministries, and the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library.

The Teen Read and Ride program is a new initiative that aims to remove a transportation barrier that makes it difficult for youth to get to the Library on their own. Shannan Cvitanovic, executive director of the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library, said the RTA passes are just one way the Library is working to ensure access for all New Orleanians. 

“Getting from place to place independently can be a huge hurdle for young people who aren’t old enough to drive or who don’t have access to a vehicle,” Cvitanovic said. “By providing free RTA passes, we hope to not only remove a financial burden, but also encourage youth to come into the Library in their free time.”

Each Youth RTA pass can be used for 24 hours and are available at all Library locations for anyone ages 11 to 18. They will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

Once they get there, teens and tweens will find tons of youth-centered products services, and resources, as well as a handful of fun events for teens coming up in the next few weeks: