Storytime is a lively 30-minute combination of books, movement activities and songs best enjoyed by families with their children.  Join us for Babytime, Toddlertime, Preschool Storytime, Bilingual Storytime and /or Family Storytime. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT STORYTIME >

Recommended reads for kids

Young authors, ages 8-18, may submit an original short story or poem to be turned into a book.

In April and May, the Round Rock Public Library accepts entries to the Write On! Tween Short Story Contest and Rockin’ Teen Poetry Contest.

Young authors may submit an original short story or poem. The top entries will be turned into a book which will become part of the Round Rock Public Library’s local author collection for children. Selected writers will also be invited to showcase their work at the Round Rock Public Library’s annual Local Author Fair. 

2021 Write On! Tween Short Story Contest

• “Life of a Lone Bear” written by Isaac W. (age 10) – 1st Place
• “Earthquake in Ecuador” written by Laurence K. (age 11) – 2nd Place 
• “A Spark Turned Into a Dream” written by Marek B. (age 12) – 3rd Place 

2021 Rockin’ Teen Poetry Contest

• “What Keep Us Up At Night” written by Penelope D. (age 18) – 1st Place 
• “The Me I Never Understood” written by Katrina M. (age 16) – 2nd Place 
• “Poetry” written by Annika S. (age 14) – 3rd Place 

2020 Write On! Tween Short Story Contest Finalists

• “Hard Work Pays Off” written by Abbey W. (age 8)  – 1st Place
• “Car Story” written by Marcus S. (age 12)  – 2nd Place
• “The Runaway Bracelet – A Unicorn Short Story” written by Kayla H. (age 13) – 3rd Place
• “Maggie Visits the Doctor” written by Hayley H. (age 8)
• “Kong-Fu Kanary” written by Kianna A. (age 10)
• “The Big Win” written by Luke W. (age 10)
• “The Wish-Granter” written by Aanchal S. (age 12)

2020 Rockin’ Teen Poetry Contest Finalists

• “Who Are You” written by Ca’Myah Robinson (age 14) – 1st Place
• “Child of the Ashes” written by Penelope Duran (age 17)  – 2nd Place
• “Ducks Are Stupid” written by Graham Cutler (age 14)  – 3rd Place
• “Self-Reflection” written by Anonymous (age 16)
• “Once Upon A Virus” written by Aanchal Sabu (age 12)
• “Taking Out The Trash” written by Zach Zander (age 12)
• “To Remove The Mask COVID19” written by Myra Lawrence  (age 12)
• “My Poem” written by Thilleli Oulebsir (age 13)
• “Don’t Think, Dance” written by Katherine Carrillo, (age 14)
• “When I Die” written by Leah Whiddon (age 11)
• “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me At All” written by Tatyanna Reyes (age 13)
• “Home” written by Katrina Machetta (age 15)
• “Screen Time” written by Ariel Whiddon (age 13)
• “Byslexia” written by Holly Castro (age 16)

Questions? Please contact a Youth Services Librarian.

Rockin’ Teen Poetry Contest
Jane Dance, Teen Librarian
512-218-7012 or jdance@roundrocktexas.gov

Write On! Tween Short Story Contest
Amy German, Youth Services Librarian
512-218-7034 or amygerman@roundrocktexas.gov

Treat your reader to a 10-minute session reading to a therapy dog. Bow Wow, a partnership between the Round Rock Public Library and the Austin Dog Alliance, is open to children from pre-school through 8th grade. Registration is required.  Please call the Children’s Desk at 512-218-7002 for more information.

Share a story with a furry friend

Reading out loud can be challenging to some readers. For a motivating change of pace, treat your reader to a 10-minute session reading to a therapy dog.

Bow Wow, a partnership between the Round Rock Public Library and the Austin Dog Alliance, is open to children from preschool through 8th grade.

Regular schedule:

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays of each month

Please check our calendar for details and this month’s schedule.

How it works:

1. Reading slots are 10 minutes long.
2. Online preregistration is required.  See the online calendar to register.
3. Bow Wow reading dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owners/handlers as a team.

Appropriate behavior around our therapy dogs:

(parents, please review these guidelines with your children)

1. Stay calm and quiet around the dog.
2. Always ask for permission before petting the dog.
3. Be kind to the therapy dog. Do not pull its tail or ears. Do not put your face in the dog’s face, or lay on the dog.
4. Only one child reads to the dog at a time. Your reading group should include only the dog’s handler, the therapy dog, the child reader, and the parent/caregiver. This arrangement makes for a much more enjoyable reading experience for the child.

For more information:

Contact the Children’s Desk, 512-218-7002.

Exercise your brain this summer! Join us for a fun reading challenge and exciting events. LEARN MORE >

Building up our community–a new focus for new times

Well done, friends–you earned more than a million points, and unlocked donations from Friends of Round Rock Public Library to two local service organizations: the Round Rock Area Serving Center and the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.

Thanks for flexing so well while we worked to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. You did something new, and you did something really good for our community! And a special thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the way.

Watch this page for updates as the 2021 Summer Reading Program comes together–

Feedback or Suggestions?

We love your suggestions, comments, and offers to help. Please keep in touch!

2020 Summer Reading Sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors for helping us build a community of readers!

As we respond to the economic fallout of the COVID19 pandemic, we are especially mindful of the organizations who have long supported Round Rock’s readers.

We thank the sponsors who have stepped this year, and for many years in the past.

• Friends of the Rock Public Library has made this program possible, and is funding the donations we’ll be making to the Round Rock Area Serving Center and the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. In sort of a reverse-sponsorship, Friends is also purchasing gift cards from some of the local businesses who have been long-time sponsors of the Summer Reading Program. These gift cards will be used as drawing prizes.

The Friends functions as sort of a booster club for the library, extending the library’s impact on the community. We are so grateful for the extraordinary ways they have stepped up this very unusual year.

• Huntington Learning Center will match the Friends of the Rock Public Library donation to the Round Rock Area Serving Center if we reach our community goal of reading.
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative has provided some offline activities for kids, which the library will distribute as possible.
• Sweet Eats Fruit Farm has provided some passes for children, which the library will distribute as possible.
• Fun 2 Learn Code provides free computer program classes for kids during summer and throughout the school year.
• Texas author P.J. Hoover is providing a free virtual book club for tweens and teens.
• Students from Texas State University Round Rock’s Teacher Education program will host a fun-filled virtual afternoon of math and literacy.

We are leaving our 2019 sponsors visible as an extended thank you. Many of them expressed a willingness to continue supporting the library this summer, but because of the pandemic and the resulting loss of volunteers and in-person gatherings, we could not accommodate their generosity. We are grateful to them for supporting reading in Round Rock!

Kids 2019 | Teens 2019 | Adults 2019

2019 Kids’ Sponsors

Thank you for providing programs:

• Austin Community College Hands-on Science
• Central Texas Food Bank
• Favor Delivery 
• Friends of the Round Rock Public Library 
• Fun 2 Learn Code  
• Author Mari Mancusi 
• Mathnasium Round Rock
• Primrose School of Round Rock at Forest Creek
• Round Rock Drums
• Spanish Schoolhouse
• Sunlight Media LLC
• Texas Commission on the Arts

Thank you for providing prizes in 2019:

• Chili’s Grill and Bar
• Chuy’s Tex-Mex
• Corner Bakery
• Culvers
• Friends of the Rock Public Library
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Round Rock Donuts
• Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department
• Texas Roadhouse
• Texas Stars Hockey
• Whataburger

 Thank you for providing raffle prizes for our top readers in 2019:

• Altitude Trampoline Park – Round Rock
• The Austin Aquarium
• The Austin Steam Train Association
• The Austin Zoo
• Austin’s Park & Pizza
• Catch Air Round Rock
• Chaparral Ice
• Corner Bakery
• Dart ‘Em Up
• Friends of the Round Rock Public Library
• HEB Grocery Stores
• Inner Space Cavern
• Mathnasium Round Rock
• Mighty Fine Burgers
• Monster Mini Golf
• Round Rock Express
• Round Rock Honey
• Slap Box Pizza
• Spare Time

Thank you to our 2019 teen sponsors!

• Culvers
• Friends of the Round Rock Public Library
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Plato’s Closet
• Playaway
• Pluckers
• Premier Martial Arts
• Round Rock Express
• Round Rock Donuts
• Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department
• Rudy’s  Country Store Bar-B-Q
• Texas Roadhouse
• Texas Stars Hockey

In 2019, our adult program was supported by:

• Friends of the Round Rock Public Library
• City of Round Rock–Downtown
• The Yoga Room
• Star Coffee
• Painting with a Twist
• Favor Delivery 
• Round Rock Honey