On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the Tri-State area.
The impact of the superstorm was immediate and devastating across New York City, especially on the Rockaway Peninsula, where people lost electricity, water, and heat for several days and thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed, including homes, essential businesses, and five QPL locations.
Within two days of the storm, our Far Rockaway Library opened without electricity to distribute emergency supplies, and soon became one of the centers of the recovery effort, collecting and distributing essentials such as food, water, clothing, and holiday gifts.
We also set up trailers to serve as temporary libraries, and our book bus helped people recharge their cell phones and electronics, borrow books, and get critical information about emergency housing, FEMA grants, and other sources of aid.
Help us commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy by taking a look back at how our staff worked to serve and uplift our community during this unprecedented crisis.
Photo Album
Browse our Facebook anniversary photo album of pictures taken during our Sandy relief efforts and recovery.
Learn About Sandy
Check out books and other resources in our collection about Hurricane Sandy and the lessons learned in its aftermath.
Queens Memory Project: Oral History
When first responder Odelmo Paltooram visited Central Library to donate his digital photos of a post-Hurricane Sandy Rockaways, he sat down with QMP Director Natalie Milbrodt to describe the photos (and his experiences) one by one.