BATH — Saturday, Aug. 1, is an important date for teenage patrons of the Patten Free Library.

Registration will open that day for the 33 Summer St. institution’s workshop on the Common Application for college

It’s also the day the library will begin accepting submissions for its annual teen writing contest.

The application workshop will be held for high school rising seniors in the Community Room from 6-8 p.m. Area college counselors will be available to help students learn about the Common Application website, and begin developing a personal profile.

Pre-registration is required, and the event is free. Students should bring a laptop or tablet computer, although some library computers will be available. Parents are also welcome to attend.

Plus, there will be pizza.

“This is our third annual ‘Pizza Pity Party,'” Roberta Jordan, Patten’s outreach and instruction librarian, said in a recent press release. “We’ve had a great response to this workshop over the last few years. … Of course, the free pizza also makes the reality of the college application process a little less painful.”

Registration can be accomplished by emailing rjordan@patten.lib.me.us, calling 443-5141 ext. 25, or logging onto goo.gl/forms/lNfV4N0TlY. Registrants are asked to provide their full name, email or phone information, and whether a parent will be attending.

Area teens can also focus their writing talents toward the library’s annual “Write On!” contest. Students in grades seven through 12 who attend Regional School Unit 1 schools or live in West Bath or Georgetown are eligible. Participants can submit as many as two original works in the short fiction and memoir categories.

“Teen writing contests are a very popular program in libraries across the country,” Jordan said. “We had excellent participation when we started this annual competition in 2013, and participation has increased steadily. It’s such a great opportunity for local students to gain recognition for their talents. We want to encourage a new generation of writers.”

First and second prizes will be awarded in both categories and in the grades seven to nine and 10-12 age groups. First prize is a $100 gift certificate, and second is a $50 gift certificate. Submissions will be accepted through Nov. 14, and will be judged by a panel of library staff and trustees, area educators and members of the teen library council.

Winners will be announced early in December, and guidelines can be found on the library website or by calling 443-5141, ext. 25, or emailing rjordan@patten.lib.me.us.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

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