Tuesday, November 5 is Election Day!
Voters in New York will help elect the next president and vice president of the United States, members of the U.S. Congress and the New York State legislature, district attorneys, judges, and other officials.
New York City voters will also have a say in city and state ballot proposals this fall.
We're proud that several of our branches will serve as polling sites on Election Day.
Do you know where you should vote? Please visit https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692) (TTY-212-487-5496 for the hearing impaired) to confirm the correct location for you to vote.
If you’re not sure that you are registered to vote, you can check your status here or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692).
Make sure that your voice is heard. Make sure that you vote!
FAQs About NYC Voting
How can I check my registration status?
- Visit the Board of Elections (BOE) registered voter search page.
- Call the Board of Elections (BOE) at 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692) (TTY-212-487-5496 for the hearing impaired).
How can I make a plan to vote?
To find your Election Day poll site, visit this webpage or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC.
If you have language or other access needs, know your rights. You have the right to bring an interpreter, or someone who will help you vote in general.
How to Watch the 2024 Presidential Election Returns
Watch the replay of our conversation with Steven M. Schneebaum, Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and learn about the Electoral College, how to watch and understand the 2024 election returns, and what to expect on Election Night.
Watch on Facebook.
Watch on YouTube.
For other non-partisan information, call or visit these organizations.
NYC Board of Elections: https://www.vote.nyc or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC
New York State Board of Elections: https://elections.ny.gov
NYC Votes: https://www.nycvotes.org
NYC Civic Engagement Commission: https://www.nyc.gov/site/civicengagement/our-programs/poll-site-language-access.page
League of Women Voters of the City of New York: https://linktr.ee/lwvnyc
VOTE411: https://www.vote411.org
Disability Rights New York: https://www.drny.org
Coalition for the Homeless: https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/get-help/know-your-rights/voting-rights
Queens Public Library’s voter education and engagement activities are made possible by the GoVoteNYC Fund in The New York Community Trust.
QPL Rally in Front of Flushing Library
Historic Day of Action Against Books Bans Held in New York, Brooklyn, and Queens Public Libraries
First-ever anti-censorship rally mobilizes scores of New Yorkers against the alarming rise of book bans
October 19, 2024—Today, The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library held the first-ever nationwide Freedom to Read Day of Action, a coordinated set of rallies held by almost 200 libraries in nearly all 50 states against book bans and censorship. The Freedom to Read Day of Action was organized in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.
In a remarkable show of united support for the freedom to read, thousands of people attended rallies held in New York City alone and over 6,000 people have already signed the Freedom to Read pledge, which launched this week. The pledge will remain open for signatures through Election Day.
“We are thrilled to have organized and celebrated the first-ever Freedom to Read Day of Action, and to have gathered and welcomed hundreds of book lovers and advocates across New York City. Public Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy, allowing us to exercise intellectual freedom and widen our perspectives and worldviews. As book bans continue to rise, it’s more important than ever to stand up for the freedom to read. Our action day sends a clear message: book bans have no place in the United States,” said Brooklyn Public Library Linda E. Johnson, Queens Public Library President Dennis M. Walcott and The New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx.
In addition to the turn-out for the Freedom to Read Day of Action and number of the Freedom to Read Pledge sign-ups, supporters elevated the issue of book bans to the forefront of public discussion with an outpouring of support on social media using the hashtag #FreedomToRead.
The latest data from ALA reveals the staggering rise of book bans since 2020, which has continued at pace. New data from PEN America found that book bans nearly tripled during the 2023-2024 academic year. The majority of the banned or challenged books are aimed at young people and are disproportionately written by or about people of color or people who identify as LGBTQ+.
“At a time when our nation and the world is full of division, there is one place in almost every community with a welcome for everyone,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “At the library, we can make ourselves at home with a familiar story – and we can step outside our comfort zone with a book about unfamiliar places, characters and ideas. There’s no limit to what we can learn, including how to participate in this democracy that gives us the freedom to read.”
About The New York Public Library
For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With over 90 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars. The New York Public Library receives millions of visitors through its doors annually and millions more around the globe use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology center located at the Queensbridge Houses, the nation’s largest public housing complex, and a community learning center at another public housing complex, the Ravenswood Houses. It also has five teen centers, two bookmobiles, and two book bicycles.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library’s online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.
Media Contacts
BPL: Fritzi Bodenheimer, fbodenheimer@bklynlibrary.org, 929-276-4232
NYPL: Sandee Roston, sroston@nypl.org, 212-621-0650
QPL: Elisabeth de Bourbon, edebourbon@queenslibrary.org, 917-650-3815
Book bans and challenges in the United States reached an all-time high in 2023 and are continuing at an alarming rate. It's more important than ever to stand united against censorship and protect the freedom to read.
New York City’s three public library systems — Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and The New York Public Library — have partnered with the American Library Association, Unite Against Book Bans, and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries to create a nationwide Freedom to Read Day of Action in support of this enduring, non-partisan American value.
On Saturday, October 19, libraries, bookstores, readers, and our allies across the country will unite against book bans and celebrate the power of books and the diverse ideas and points of view that they offer.
Get started before October 19! You can Sign the Freedom to Read Pledge and Start Promoting the Day of Action on your Social Media accounts.
There are many ways you can get involved on the Day of Action. Learn more about them below!
Day of Action Rally at Flushing Library
On Saturday, October 19 at 11am, join the QPL community on the Plaza outside Flushing Library for a special rally that will include readings from banned and challenged books, a Banned Books Giveaway, and other activities. Thanks to Penguin Random House for their generous donation of books.
After the rally, join us at Flushing Library for a Banned Books Storytime at 2pm.
Registration for the Day of Action Rally at Flushing Library is not required, but is encouraged. Register here: DayofAction.eventbrite.com
QPL Activities Across Queens
Join us at Central Library on Saturday, October 19 for a special Banned Books Giveaway at 12pm, and a Banned Books Storytime at 3pm. Thanks to Penguin Random House for their generous donation of books.
The Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center will also hold their 16th Annual Literary Arts Festival on October 19, with the theme "Power of the Written Word" and a special Banned Books panel discussion with Emily Drabinski, the immediate past president of the American Library Association. There will also be a Banned Books Giveaway. Thanks to Penguin Random House for their generous donation of books. Register for the Langston Hughes Literary Arts Festival.
QPL Mobile Libraries will be at the Queens Botanical Garden and Forest Park from 10am-1pm on Saturday, October 19. Stop by those bookmobiles for great Freedom to Read activities, including a Banned Books Giveaway at Forest Park! Thanks to Penguin Random House for their generous donation of books.
Learn More about all our Day of Action Special Events.
All QPL locations will have Day of Action activities for our customers, like our "Stand with Libraries Everywhere" Walls, where you can write encouraging words about the freedom to read; photo props you can use to take social media selfies; and much more.
Stand Up on Social Media
Starting at 10am on October 19, show your support for the freedom to read on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and more.
Use the hashtag #FreedomToRead to share why open access to books, information, and knowledge is important to you and your community, and why book bans are against everything we believe as a country of readers.
You can share our special Day of Action graphics, a picture of a banned or challenged book that means a lot to you, or a message that shows how much you oppose book bans.
Use the sample posts below, or write your own.
Tag NYC’s libraries in your posts as well!
Option 1: Share a Photo of a Book
Take a picture of a book (or a selfie with a book) that is meaningful to you.
Post the picture on your social media platform(s).
Use the hashtag #FreedomToRead and tag NYC’s libraries in your post!
Option 2: Day of Action Graphics
Download the special Day of Action graphics and share them on social media.
Use the hashtag #FreedomToRead and tag NYC’s libraries in your post!
Option 3: Message of Support
Even if you don't share a picture or use our graphics, we still want to hear your voice!
You can write a message or record a video that shows how much you oppose book bans and support the freedom to read, or use one of the sample posts below.
Don't forget to use the hashtag #FreedomToRead and tag NYC’s libraries in your post!
NYC Library Handles
X (Twitter):
QPL: @QPLNYC
BPL: @bklynlibrary
NYPL: @nypl
FACEBOOK:
QPL: QPLNYC
BPL: BrooklynPublicLibrary
NYPL: nypl
INSTAGRAM:
QPL: @qplnyc
BPL: @bklynlibrary
NYPL: @nypl
Sample Social Media Posts
📢 Join me and thousands of readers across the country for the #FreedomToRead Day of Action on Saturday, October 19! Show your support for the right to read, and let's unite against book bans! Find a Day of Action event near you. https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/day-of-action/
I’m joining @QPLNYC @bklynlibrary @nypl to stand against book bans and censorship. Here's the book I'm reading. What are you reading? #FreedomToRead
During today's Day of Action, I'm standing with NYC's public libraries to support the #FreedomToRead! Let's unite against book bans—everyone should be able to read whatever they want!
Books like this have the power to change lives. It's the #FreedomToRead Day of Action, and today I'm saying NO to book bans and censorship. Share your favorite book!
📚 It's the #FreedomToRead Day of Action! I’m standing against censorship of all kinds and celebrating the right to read what I want. Join me and thousands of readers nationwide!
Mayor Adams Breaks Ground on Major Renovation of Queens Public Library’s Hollis Library
Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl18RN5AxLE
Library’s Interior to be Transformed with New Reading and Multi-Purpose Rooms, Redesigned Entrance, and More
Administration Has Invested More Than $300 Million in City’s Libraries in Three Fiscal Years; Nearly $900 Million Committed in FY 2025 – FY 2028 Capital Plan
NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Queens Public Library (QPL) President Dennis M. Walcott, and New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley today broke ground on a $7.4 million project that will completely modernize the interior of the Hollis Library QPL branch with new reading rooms, more space for computers, and additional features for visitors and staff. Mayor Adams also celebrated three years of significant investments in the city’s libraries, with total investment in the city’s libraries approaching $900 million in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to FY 2028 capital plan.
“I am proud to be here to break ground on this major renovation of the Hollis Library, a $7 million project that will improve the library experience for this entire community,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City’s libraries are so much more than just a place to check out a book, particularly for low-income New Yorkers. From looking for a job, to staying cool in a heat wave, to getting online, our public libraries are the hearts of our communities. That is why our administration has invested more than $300 million in the city’s libraries over three fiscal years, with nearly $900 million committed in the 2025-2028 Capital Plan.”
“Our administration is focused on providing world-class libraries citywide, ensuring no neighborhood is left behind,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. “The renovations to the Hollis Library will provide the neighborhood with the state-of-the-art features that New Yorkers deserve. This is just one great example of how our library systems, with this fiscal year’s investments, are providing New Yorkers with access to knowledge and resources.”
“As we break ground on the major renovation of Hollis Library, we are reminded of all the ways that New Yorkers use their libraries in the internet age — not just for quiet study but for play, for caretaking, accessing social services, and so much more,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Our hardworking team at DDC is up to the task of delivering public spaces that meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers. CM-Build, which the governor has on her desk to sign into law, will help us renovate our aging civic buildings like libraries more quickly and affordably.”
“This DDC in-house design will completely overhaul the current interior into an environmentally-efficient, modern, and spacious library with more natural lighting, several reading areas, a multi-purpose room, more space for computers, and ADA-compliant restrooms,” said DDC Commissioner Foley. “In the future, we hope we can use a faster method of construction management for library renovation projects called CM-Build, which provides a lot more flexibility for dealing with issues that arise in the field after we start work. Once our construction reform bill, which was passed by the state Legislature, is signed in Albany, we’ll be able to complete projects like these even faster and more efficiently.”
“The upcoming transformation of Hollis Library represents our commitment to providing modern, inviting spaces that inspire people to learn, grow, and find success,” said Dennis M. Walcott, president and CEO, Queens Public Library. “I want to thank Mayor Eric Adams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and Councilmember Linda Lee for their substantial investment and for their constant support of our libraries.”
Improvements to the Hollis Library QPL branch, funded in part by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and New York City Councilmember Linda Lee, will include new insulated walls, new flooring and ceilings, and sleek, embedded light fixtures. The library’s entrance will be upgraded with a new reception area, and the façade will include large perimeter windows for extra lighting. The renovation will create three reading rooms — a main reading room with an area for teenagers, a children’s area, and a multi-purpose room with a visual and audio system. The design also allows for more computer space, with a capacity for 16 workstations. Wireless internet will also be available throughout the building. The interior renovation will follow the latest ADA-accessible standards, including upgraded restrooms.
The project will also replace and upgrade all building mechanical systems, including electric, fire-alarm, and plumbing. Additionally, the library’s interior and exterior lighting and mechanical systems will be made compliant with the New York City Energy Conservation Code. After the renovation, it is expected that the 1973-built library will be certified as LEED Silver for efficiency. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2026.
This announcement builds on recent work that DDC has done across the QPL system to upgrade and renovate buildings. Last week, DDC finished a $1.8 million roof renovation for QPL’s Laurelton Library branch. The library now has a multi-layer roof system for insulation and water protection for the next 15 years. The building’s façade was also restored with brick and marble replacements for a fresher look. The project was done nearly 10 percent under budget, saving taxpayers $160,000. DDC also recently completed a $2.2 million renovation of QPL’s Hillcrest Library. The project replaced the library’s roof and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Rendering of the Hollis Library Renovations. Credit: DDC
The Adams administration continues to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the city’s vital network of libraries, which serve as community hubs, cooling centers, resource sites, and more. In the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Budget, the city invested an additional $58.3 million in expense funding to the city’s libraries — allowing the city’s three public library system to resume Sunday service across all branches that previously offered it and open newly renovated locations across the five boroughs. Additionally, this summer, Mayor Adams and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced that $42.8 million will be baselined in budgets in years going forward to avoid any sort of service disruptions. Over the past three fiscal years, the administration has added more than $300 million in investments to the city’s three library systems, bringing the total commitment in the FY25 to FY28 capital plans to nearly $900 million.
“Hollis families deserve a spectacular, state-of-the-art library to call their own, and that’s exactly what we’re working to deliver, starting with today’s groundbreaking,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “I'm so proud to have allocated $1 million to this vitally important project, which will make a world of difference for this community, and to have put more than $26 million into the Queens Public Library system as a whole since taking office. Our libraries are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods, and it’s critical that we ensure every single branch sees the investment it needs to best serve our families.”
“Libraries are essential hubs that provide students, older adults, and families a place to socialize, access the technology, and receive supportive services they need to be successful,” said New York City Councilmember Linda Lee, chair, Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. “I am proud to join my colleagues in fully renovating and modernizing the Hollis Public Library for our community. Residents deserve to feel a sense of pride living in their neighborhood, and this investment to upgrade our community library will serve as another reason to be happy to call Hollis home.”
“The iconic Queens Public Library system is one of the biggest and busiest in the world. More than repositories of knowledge, its branches are hubs of community activity where job seekers receive career guidance, immigrants learn English, and children’s minds grow in Pre-K. I am proud that we reached a fiscally responsible FY 2025 to FY 2028 capital plan that invests almost a billion dollars in our libraries, opening the door to the renovation of the Hollis Library branch,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “We will create new reading spaces, a teen area and multipurpose room, and ADA accessibility upgrades. We will also add new computers, equipment, and furnishings to preserve the Hollis library as a neighborhood institution. Together, we will make these investments so that New Yorkers have the world class libraries they deserve.”
“The Queens Public Library at Hollis is a fantastic neighborhood resource, and I’m pleased to see local branch renovations and reopening across Queens,” said New York State Assemblymember David I. Weprin. “The improvements to QPL Hollis will boost services for children, teens, and adults. As the former chair of the Assembly Task Force for People with Disabilities, ADA compliance is very important to me and I’m glad that these critical infrastructure upgrades are being made to ensure accessibility for all at QPL Hollis. This effort will not only enhance the library’s functionality and accessibility but also provide a vibrant, welcoming space for the community to gather, learn, and grow. I look forward to celebrating the completion of these comprehensive renovations soon.”
“Public libraries create jobs, provide workforce development opportunities, support small businesses, and enrich our everyday lives as New Yorkers,” said New York City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, chair, Committee on Criminal Justice. “The investment to modernize the Hollis Library QPL branch will benefit thousands of residents at a time we see library usage rising, helping connect New Yorkers to vital services and programs.”
“We’re thrilled to have the long-awaited renovations to the Hollis Library QPL Branch,” said Martha Taylor, chair, Community Board 8. “Community Board 8 has advocated for the improvement of the library. We know that former board member Marc Haken, who fought tirelessly alongside us, would be proud to see this. These improvements will create a more modern, accessible space that reflects the spirit and resilience of our community, providing a welcoming environment for learning, connection, and growth.”
Media Contact
Mayor's Office: pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov
QPL: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska; ekern@queenslibrary.org
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A photo of the Sky Window displays at Baisley Park Library, created by QPL librarian Rose Kelly-Lyons.
Authors: Rosalba Giarratano, Rita Karl, and Rose Kelly-Lyons
Clouds come in all shapes and sizes, and observing them can be a fun family activity. But did you know that your cloud observations can help scientists?
Queens Public Library (QPL) is collaborating with the NASA GLOBE Clouds team to engage children and their families in learning to identify different types of clouds.
Turns out that while there are several satellite missions that collect data about clouds, NASA uses different perspectives to study the atmosphere. In other words, scientists need help from the ground. So, the NASA GLOBE Clouds team is always looking for as many ground cloud observations as possible to complement what satellites can see from above. Clouds are very important for our weather and our climate. For example, different types of clouds can either block or let pass different amounts of sunlight, affecting our temperature.
The GLOBE Observer app invites you to make observations of your environment (including clouds) that complement NASA satellite observations. By using the GLOBE Observer app, you are joining the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) community and contributing important scientific data to NASA and GLOBE, your local community, and students and scientists worldwide.
To share your observations of clouds using the GLOBE Observer app, you will need to identify the different cloud types you see in the sky. Distinguishing among cloud types and remembering the names associated with cloud types can be tricky. So, several QPL librarians and members of the NASA GLOBE Clouds team have been working together testing several resources to learn about clouds!
At Baisley Park in Queens, Children’s Librarian Rose Kelly-Lyons hosts storytime in the morning and gardening sessions in the afternoon. Throughout July 2024, Rose’s group read cloud-themed books in the morning and later practiced a cloud dance in the garden. After dancing, they looked up to the sky and identified which clouds they could see. When it was time to close up the garden, some kids played a card cloud identification game to continue learning about clouds.
The cloud dance Rose did with her group is based on the three main types of clouds. Here is a YouTube video of NASA GLOBE Clouds Project Scientist Marilé Colón Robles and her two daughters demonstrating the moves of the cloud dance. Rose expanded the dance by adding a clap for thunder and a squat for precipitation!
Rose was also able to spotlight the cloud dance in two other programs. Once in “Dance, Dance, Library,” a full hour of dance games. This was special as one child already knew it from the garden and demonstrated it for other children, right next to Rose. The other time was during a scheduled summer camp visit where the topic was “jobs in the library”. According to Rose, the cloud dance was a helpful way to get the wiggles out, advertise the gardening program, and bust misconceptions about what happens in a library. One camper was convinced that scientists couldn’t work in a library or even need a library. However, now all those campers appreciate the fact that librarians and scientists do have opportunities to work together.
Rose also placed a Sky Window at Baisley Park Library. It is at the right height, so when a child looks through it they are able to see the clouds outside and practice identification.
If you want to learn about clouds at QPL or beyond, Rose recommends observing the clouds while on a picnic, doing the cloud dance as a road trip group stretch (as she did with her friends), or combining both activities as a wake up transition technique (wake up, dance, and look out the window).
Now, Queens is home to people who speak many different languages. Below we are highlighting several resources available for you and your family to learn about clouds. Some of them are available both in English and in Spanish, and some storybooks and activity sheets are also available in Arabic, French, and German!
Thank you to the QPL librarians who helped with this project and provided resources: Rose Kelly-Lyons, Raquel Parrilla, Uriel A. Hernandez Bonifacio, and Oksana Kondrashrova.
A photo of one of the Sky Window displays at Baisley Park Library, created by QPL librarian Rose Kelly-Lyons.
Books:
● Do You Know That Clouds Have Names? (Arabic, English, French, German, Spanish)
● When Cloud Became a Cloud by Rob Hodgson (Book, eBook)
● Ploof by Ben Clanton and Andy Chou Musser (Book, eBook)
● Partly Cloudy by Deborah Freedman (Book)
● Little Cloud by Eric Carle (Book, eBook, Audiobook)
● Little Cloud and Lady Wind by Toni Morrison, Slade Morrison, and Sean Qualls (Book)
● The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola (Book, eBook)
● WorldCat GLOBE Clouds Books for Kids
● WorldCat GLOBE Clouds Books for Adults
Podcasts:
● Smologies: CLOUDS with Dr. Rachel Storer
● YouTube: How to Notice Changes Around us with The Community with NASA scientist Marilé Colón Robles
● BBC World Service: CrowdScience: What gives clouds their shapes?
Hands-On Activities:
● Estimating Cloud Cover Using Paper (English, Spanish, YouTube Demo Video in English)
● Making a Cloud in a Jar (YouTube Demo Video in English, Handout in Spanish)
● Cloud Fun: Observing, comparing, and make paper cumulus clouds (English, French, Spanish)
● Cloud Clues: Determining a Cloud’s Opacity (English, Spanish)
● Creating a Cloudscape (English, French, Spanish)
● YouTube: Cloud Dance Video (English, Spanish)
The Municipal Art Society of New York Names the Far Rockaway Library the City’s “Best New Building”
(Queens, NY – September 23, 2024) Commissioner Thomas Foley of the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott today announced that the new Far Rockaway Library has been named the City’s “Best New Building” by the Municipal Art Society of New York in its 2024 MASterworks Awards. DDC managed the design and construction of the $39 million library for Queens Public Library.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Municipal Art Society for bringing world-class architecture to Queens,” said DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley. “The new Far Rockaway Library carries on the tradition of more than 120 years of public library access at this site with a modern, accessible structure that’s twice the size of the former library and full of amenities for the community as well as public art. Thank you to MAS as well the Queens Public Library and the great DDC project team that managed this project in-house.”
“As soon as it opened its doors to the public, the new Far Rockaway Library instantly became an anchor for the neighborhood and an architectural sensation attracting people from near and far,” said QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “We are thrilled that it was recognized by the Municipal Art Society of New York for its spectacular design. Congratulations to Snøhetta for their brilliant concept and the Department of Design and Construction for delivering this iconic and inspiring building to the community.”
The Far Rockaway Library opened to the public on July 30, 2024, at a ribbon cutting ceremony with local elected officials and residents. Since then, more than 21,000 people have visited the branch, and nearly 23,000 item have been checked out, making the branch one of the busiest locations in the QPL system.
Located at the busy intersection of Central and Mott Avenues, it was designed by the renowned architectural firm Snøhetta under DDC’s Design and Construction Excellence Program, pre-qualifies firms to provide design services for public buildings projects, reducing the time required to procure design services while ensuring the highest levels of quality and professionalism in construction projects managed by the agency. The Program currently has 20 design firms, ten of which are certified Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs).
The new library is twice the size of the prior building and features a unique glass façade and central atrium space designed to let natural light penetrate deep into the building while giving customers views of the sky from within the building. A tall transparent glass pyramidal opening at the corner serves as the library’s main entry. The building’s interior spaces are arranged around the atrium, which serves as a meeting place, a point of orientation, and the focus of the branch’s activities. The façade is comprised of colored glass, with its colors gradually fading into one another, balancing transparency and translucency. The interior railing is made of dichroic glass, creating a kaleidoscopic effect in the atrium.
A teen room and computer area are located on the first floor, along with library offices, a book sorting area and a staff lounge and lockers. There is also a rear yard accessible to the public. The second floor, accessible by an elevator, has separate adult and children reading areas, and a dividable meeting room. Restrooms are available on both floors.
The building meets LEED Gold standards for environmental efficiency. The glass façade’s glazing reduces heat generated by the sun and lets in ample natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Other energy efficient features include daylighting and occupancy sensors that work with automated building management systems and an underfloor heating distribution system. The structure also has a blue roof that releases storm water from the site at a slow speed.
Inside the library, as part of the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art Program, Mexican artist Pablo Helguera created the “Feynman Code,” a tribute to the Nobel Prize-winner and theoretical physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988), who grew up in the neighborhood and attended Far Rockaway High School. One of his contributions to physics are the so-called Feynman diagrams, pictorial representations of the mathematical expressions describing the behavior of subatomic particles. For the Far Rockaway Library, Helguera created an alphabet where every letter is replaced by a Feynman diagram, and reproduced two phrases using this coding system: one by the 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson, “the brain is wider than the sky,” and one by Feynman himself: “I, a universe of atoms, an atom in the universe.” The project received an Excellence in Design Award from the Public Design Commission in 2019.
More than 21,000 people visited Far Rockaway Library since it opened on July 30, 2024
The project was funded through capital investments from Queens Borough President Richards, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, NYS Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato, the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the NYS Education Department, and the NYC Council Queens Delegation.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology center located at the Queensbridge Houses, the nation’s largest public housing complex, and a community learning center at another public housing complex, the Ravenswood Houses. It also has five teen centers, two bookmobiles, and two book bicycles.
About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Adams’ long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $33 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.
CONTACT:
DDC: Ian Michaels, 646-939-6514, michaelia@ddc.nyc.gov
QPL: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, 917-702-0016, ekern@queenslibrary.org
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Banned Books Week is September 22 through September 28, and the American Library Association has reported historic highs in the number of challenged and banned book titles.
It is more important than ever, as a community of readers who appreciate the depth, richness, and diversity of perspectives that all books offer, to stand united against censorship.
We encourage you to check out our booklists, our upcoming programs, and our Banned Books Library Card Design Contest—the winning selection will be featured on QPL’s first Banned Books Special Edition Library Card!
Learn more about how QPL is celebrating the freedom to read, during Banned Books Week and beyond.
Banned eBooks List: Always Available on OverDrive & Libby
QPL's 100 Most Popular Banned Books
Banned Books Library Card Design Contest
Banned Books Teen Takeover: QPL Teens Instagram
Banned Books Bookmark Shelf Talkers
Banned eBooks List: Always Available
The best way to fight censorship is to read banned books!
You can download these great eBooks, which will be available with no wait from September 22 through October 31, on OverDrive and the Libby app.
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
eBook | Audiobook
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
eBook | Audiobook
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
eBook | Audiobook
Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race
by Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, and Isabel Roxas (Illus.)
eBook | Audiobook
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson (Illus.)
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
eBook | Audiobook
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson
eBook | Audiobook
Sold by Patricia McCormick
eBook | Audiobook
QPL's 100 Most Popular Banned Books
Get inspired by our list of the 100 most popular banned and challenged books in circulation at Queens Public Library from 2012-2022.
How many of them have you read? Use our list to borrow them from your local library!
Banned Books Library Card Design Contest
Calling all local artists ages 13 and up!
Submit your original artwork that celebrates the freedom to read. Get creative and take a stand against censorship.
The winning artwork will be featured on QPL’s first Banned Books Special Edition Library Card, to be released in 2025.
The winner will also receive a $2,000 cash prize!
Our Banned Books Library Card Design Contest will run from September 23 to November 30, 2024.
Learn More & Enter Today!
Banned Books Programs
Here’s a selection of our Banned Books virtual and in-person programs, including movie marathons, book talks, storytimes, and much more!
Click the title of each program to learn more about it, and visit our online QPL Calendar to see the full list!
Banned Books Movie Festival: Freedom to Read, Freedom Between the Reels (In-Person)
Monday, Sept. 23; Tuesday, Sept. 24; Thursday, Sept. 26; Friday, Sept. 27, and Saturday, Sept. 28
Download the flyer for movie titles, times, and locations!
Art 2 Heart: Illustrating Banned Books (In-Person)
Monday, September 23, 3pm
Cambria Heights Library, 218-13 Linden Boulevard
Banned Books Week: September Movies at Forest Hills Library (In-Person)
Wednesday, September 25, 2pm
Forest Hills Library, 108-19 71 Avenue
Banned Books Bingo! (In-Person)
Wednesday, September 25, 3pm
Auburndale Library, 25-55 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Flushing
Culture Connection: Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books with Kirsten Miller and Tim Barnes (Virtual)
Wednesday, September 25, 6pm
Join us on Facebook and YouTube
Banned Books Storytime (In-Person)
Thursday, September 26, 11am
Cambria Heights Library, 218-13 Linden Boulevard
CLDC Banned Books Movie Festival: Captain Underpants (In-Person)
Thursday, September 26, 3pm
Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
Friends of Ridgewood Library Banned Book Giveaway (In-Person)
Thursday, September 26, 4pm
Saturday, September 28, 11am
Ridgewood Library, 20-12 Madison Street
Banned Books: Necklaces for Teens (In-Person)
Friday, September 27, 3:30pm
Woodside Library, 54-22 Skillman Avenue
Banned Books: Library Card Design Contest Workshop (In-Person)
Wednesday, October 2, 3:30pm
Monday, October 28, 3:30pm
Wednesday, November 13, 3:30pm
Ozone Park Library, 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard
Day of Action on October 19
In conjunction with the American Library Association, Unite Against Book Bans, and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, New York City’s public library systems—Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and The New York Public Library—are spearheading a nationwide day of action to rally for the freedom to read!
On Saturday, October 19, libraries across the country will gather their patrons and supporters to unite against book bans and demonstrate that the freedom to read is an enduring, non-partisan American value that must be protected.
Learn More about the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action, and how you can participate.
Banned Books Teen Takeover: QPL Teens Instagram
Teens will make their voices heard on our QPL Teens Instagram page!
Starting September 22, visit the QPL Teens Instagram page to see great content about banned books by the teens in our community—including Instagram Stories, Reels, polls, games, and much more.
Banned Books Bookmark Shelf Talkers
During Banned Books Week, when you visit our branches, be sure to look for our special Banned Books Shelf Talkers!
These visual displays will be in our book stacks and on our book shelves, indicating a book that has been challenged or banned.
It's an easy way for you to find banned books at the library, and make them part of your reading list.
Remember: the best way to fight censorship is to read banned books, and you will always be able to find them at Queens Public Library!
New York City’s Public Libraries Receive $4 Million Grant from Carnegie Corporation
Funding will help libraries meet the demand for English language and workforce development among adults and expand civic engagement programs and college and career coaching among teens
New York, NY– Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and The New York Public today announced they received $4 million from Carnegie Corporation of New York, significantly increasing their ability to assist the growing population of immigrants and asylum seekers as they navigate their way in the city, as well as expanding resources for teens to boost their civic engagement and help them develop the practical skills needed to prepare for college and today’s job market.
Grants to Brooklyn Public Library ($1M), Queens Public Library ($1.2M), and the New York Public Library ($1.8M) will help meet the demand for English language and literacy training among adults, alleviating wait lists of up to two years. Training will also include employment services such as learning the vocabulary needed to pass certification exams for vocational jobs. For teens, the support will expand existing services, including college counseling and workplace readiness; opportunities for civic-minded activities with peers; and access to safe gathering spaces.
By making this significant commitment, the philanthropic foundation established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie is honoring its founder’s legacy with renewed commitment to libraries as trusted public institutions that strengthen communities.
Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who educated himself by borrowing books and went on to build an unprecedented steel fortune, invested $56 million to fund the construction of 2,509 libraries worldwide, including 1,681 in the United States between 1881 and 1917. 65 of them were built in New York City.
Libraries are essential to an open society that values freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and continuous renewal. They provide access to knowledge and fact-based information and help people of all ages and backgrounds obtain the skills needed for greater socioeconomic mobility.
“In the words of Andrew Carnegie himself, ‘there is not such a cradle of democracy on earth as the free public library,’” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie and former head of the University of Oxford. “In honor of our founder and the enduring and crucial importance of libraries to a free, open, and educated society, Carnegie is delighted to support libraries and the essential infrastructure they provide for a strong democracy.”
For more than a century, Carnegie has been one of the largest philanthropic funders of libraries, from the early construction of community buildings to helping establish the endowment of the American Library Association and funding the nation’s first graduate library school. In more recent years, Carnegie’s support has focused on the large-scale digitization of significant library collections in the U.S, including the Library of Congress, and around the world.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Carnegie Corporation for entrusting Queens Public Library to carry forward its vision for our democracy,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “This generous gift will enable us to deepen the Library’s commitment to our immigrant communities and to our teens as they work to find success in their lives.”
“For many new immigrants, the neighborhood library is not only their first stop upon arriving in New York City, but a place they return to over and over again for free resources, employment services, community, and, of course, English classes and books. Proficiency in English is critical in modern American life, from riding the subway to finding healthcare, employment, and housing,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. “We extend our sincerest thanks to Carnegie Corporation of New York for this historic grant. When we welcome new immigrants and help them succeed, we build a better, stronger, more equitable community for us all.”
“The New York Public Library is grateful to continue its legacy partnership with Carnegie Corporation of New York. More than 100 years ago, Andrew Carnegie’s vision helped create New York City’s most used and loved civic institution, a vital engine of opportunity that makes knowledge and education accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status. Together, we will continue to be a public education resource and a force for unity in a vulnerable democracy,” said Anthony W. Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library.
The City of New York estimates that almost 1.8 million individuals are not proficient in English, and according to the Migration Policy Institute, a Carnegie grantee, 26.5 million individuals nationwide have limited proficiency in English. Numerous studies show that investments in English language training generate substantial public returns, yet a recent study published in the American Economic Journal says spending in this area has declined, resulting in an acute need. The same study found that among adult learners, annual earnings increased by $2,400 (56 percent) within two years of training, and tax revenues from those earnings covered program costs through a 6 percent return for taxpayers.
Below are details about the planned programming funded by the grant at each of the three systems:
Queens Public Library:
- QPL will add 40 additional ESOL classes across 10 libraries, serving 1,000 students. QPL’s waitlist is 2,000 people, and growing.
- QPL will also provide workforce training and certifications to approximately 560 English-language learners, so that they can earn industry-recognized workforce certifications and enter the U.S. workforce.
- QPL will add a Spanish-language Young Adult Literacy Services class at its location in the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City, providing young adults with instruction and related case management so that they can qualify for the high school equivalency exam and pass tests in ELA, math, science or social studies.
- QPL will expand its college readiness program by adding college coaches to provide individual coaching to 1,500 students, to help them complete a post-high school plan to further their education or seek employment.
Brooklyn Public Library
- BPL will offer drop-in Welcome ESOL classes to serve 1,200 English language learners at branches throughout the borough with sessions covering core skills for English language learning and key topics related to life in the city including transportation, food, health care, and community resources.
- BPL will expand 11-week, registration-based beginner ESOL classes; and launch new Intermediate ESOL classes for nearly 300 people who are ready for a more rigorous English language learning experience.
- BPL will expand the New Americans Navigation team to help 1,100+ new arrivals connect to services that meet basic needs (e.g. legal, housing, health) and strengthen partnerships with immigrant-serving organizations to provide more legal clinics and resource fairs at BPL’s 62 locations.
- BPL will hire its first Immigrant Job Support Specialist and first Immigrant Business Outreach Specialist to provide business and career services specifically for 1,900+ people. This includes offering one-on-one coaching, hosting employment fairs and entrepreneurship workshops, and connecting people with the resources available within the library and community.
- BPL will support employment needs with new job certification courses in the hospitality industry serving 40 people.
- BPL will provide increased language access through translation and interpretation during services and events.
The New York Public Library
- The grant will support 3,150 class seats within NYPL’s registration-based ESOL program and help launch classes at the soon-to-be-reopened Hunts Point Library, an original Carnegie branch in the Bronx.
- In addition to ESOL instruction, NYPL will provide adult learners with access to an array of complementary learning opportunities, from basic literacy instruction, to digital skill-building through our TechConnect programs, to dedicated resume support, coaching, and job search help from the Career Services team.
- NYPL will enhance its holistic teen services system-wide, which provide opportunities for teens to explore creative, academic, and career pursuits in cutting-edge spaces supported by expert staff.
- NYPL will refine its successful Teen Civics Ambassador (TCA) model and expand to two additional newly renovated Carnegie library sites: 125th Street Library in upper Manhattan and Hunts Point Library in the South Bronx.
- This expansion will bring the TCA program to an anticipated 18 locations total and increase the total number of Teen Civics Ambassadors to 38 positions.
- NYPL will launch a new studio mentor service at several branch libraries that provides teens with access to knowledgeable professionals who will inspire, teach new skills, and collaborate on creative projects such as fashion design, podcasting, and music production.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology center located at the Queensbridge Houses, the nation’s largest public housing complex, and a community learning center at another public housing complex, the Ravenswood Houses. It also has five teen centers, two bookmobiles, and two book bicycles.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library’s online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.
About The New York Public Library
For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With over 90 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.
CONTACT:
Celeste Ford (Carnegie Corporation of New York)
Fritzi Bodenheimer (Brooklyn Public Library)
Sandee Roston (New York Public Library)
Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska (Queens Public Library)
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Queens Public Library And 5pointzlic Developer Reach Tentative Deal For A New Court Square Branch
Jackson Avenue Residential Complex Set to Replace QPL’s Former Home at One Court Square
QUEENS, NY _ Queens Public Library announced today that its Board of Trustees last night unanimously approved the terms of a lease agreement for a new Court Square branch at the 5PointzLIC residential complex at 22-44 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
The provisions negotiated with the development’s owner, G-M Realty L.P., include a fifteen-year lease, plus a five-year renewal option, for a 4,500-square-foot space on the building’s second floor. The lease is expected to be finalized and executed in the fall, and the estimated two-year construction project for the library could start as early as next summer. The branch replaces QPL’s location at the former Citi building at One Court Square, which closed in February 2020 following a change in building ownership.
"The board’s vote to approve the terms of the lease for a new Court Square branch is a critical step toward bringing library service back to one of New York City’s most vibrant neighborhoods and providing a welcoming, dynamic space that is open to all for free,” said Dr. Earl G. Simons, Chair of Queens Public Library’s Board of Trustees. “On behalf of my fellow trustees, I would like to thank President Walcott and his team for their hard work and determination to uphold the Library’s commitment to identifying a new space for the branch.”
“We have continuously made clear our resolve to find another site for a library in this ever-growing neighborhood, and we could not be happier about the prospect of reestablishing our presence there,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “As we approach the finish line to a lease agreement, I want to thank the many individuals and organizations who have brought us to this point, including Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Council Member Julie Won, Community Board 2, and the Department of City Planning. We also are deeply grateful to the local civic leaders and to the public for their unwavering support and advocacy.”
The deal comes as the Adams administration and Council Member Julie Won advance the Long Island City Neighborhood Plan, a comprehensive planning process to develop a vision for the future of the area.
"Our administration is dedicated to providing New Yorkers with the best library systems in the world, and the deal for the new Court Square Branch is proof of our commitment," said Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Workforce, and Economic Development. "The new Court Square Branch's co-location at the 5PointzLIC residential complex also fulfills our vision for ensuring New Yorkers are close to amenities and necessities. From the FY25 budget's significant investment in the library systems to this announcement, the Adams Administration is doing everything it can to ensure New Yorkers can easily access books, computers, youth resources, and everything else our amazing libraries provide. This project also shows the promise of the Long Island City Neighborhood Plan, as this library, as well as the LIC planning process, can only be completed with the partnership of many parties across levels of government, the private sector, and other civic leaders."
“Long Island City families deserve high quality, state-of-the-art library space — something those living in the Court Square area have been missing for more than four years since their original library’s closure. But I couldn’t be more excited that this local lack of library services is coming to an end,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Thank you to all our city and community partners who worked collaboratively to begin restoring library services for these families. I look forward to construction beginning as soon as possible.”
“After years of advocacy, Court Square Library at the 5PointzLIC building is finally moving towards reopening,” said Council Member Julie Won. “Court Square is a rapidly growing neighborhood and this new library will give our neighbors access to countless books, technology, and vital, free programming. I look forward to working with our partners at the Queens Public Library and the City to ensure that this project stays on track and does not experience further delays.”
“As we collaboratively develop the Long Island City Neighborhood Plan, we’ve heard directly from the community about the importance of investing in infrastructure and services like libraries. The re-opening of the Court Square Library reflects our shared commitment to addressing these needs through holistic planning,” said Dan Garodnick, Director of the Department of City Planning. “We look forward to continuing to work together with Council Member Won, Long Island City residents, and community stakeholders to build a more vibrant and inclusive future for LIC.”
“We are excited to have Queens Public Library here at 5PointzLIC, and we are thrilled that the Court Square community will once again have a great library branch,” said G-M Realty President David Wolkoff.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a tech lab in the nation's largest public housing complex, five teen centers. It also has two bookmobiles and two book bicycles.
Contact: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, ekern@queenslibrary.org
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Every year, Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) celebrates the achievements of Hispanic Americans and their contributions to our nation and our culture.
Our theme “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together” embodies the essence of the Hispanic journey and pays tribute to the pioneering spirit of Hispanics and Latinos who have paved the way for future generations.
Explore our virtual and in-person programs, discover our special Hispanic Heritage booklists for all ages, check out our movie recommendations, download our informative Hispanic Heritage brochure, and don’t miss our Tapiz Cultural Art Exhibit at Central Library!
Hispanic Heritage Month Brochure
Hispanic Heritage Month: Movie Lists
Hispanic Heritage Month: Programs
Hispanic Heritage Month: Adult Books
Hispanic Heritage Month: Young Adult Books
Hispanic Heritage Month: Children's Books
Hispanic Heritage Month Brochure
Our special Hispanic Heritage Month Brochure contains many interesting facts about Hispanic countries from around the world!
Pick up a copy soon at your local QPL branch, or download a digital copy now!
Tapiz Cultural Art Exhibit
This vibrant art exhibition will showcase diverse, original artwork created by the Queens community. Our exhibit, centered around the theme “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together,” features pieces that beautifully capture memories, experiences, family histories, and personal stories.
Join us at Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, from Thursday, September 5 through Tuesday, October 8!
Hispanic Heritage Month: Movie Lists
Here are some great movie picks in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month!
Check out our lists, and then borrow the DVDs from the Library!
Hispanic Heritage Movies Part 1
Hispanic Heritage Movies Part 2
Hispanic Heritage Month Programs
We have nearly 100 wonderful virtual and in-person programs planned for this year’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, including concerts, book talks, art classes, panel discussions, storytimes, and so much more!
Here’s a selection of our programs. Click the title of each program to learn more about it, and visit our online QPL Calendar to see the full list!
Intro to Salsa Dance Workshop for Adults (In-Person)
Thursdays, September 12, 19, 26, 6:30pm
Hollis Library, 202-05 Hillside Avenue
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17, 6:30pm
Rochdale Village Library, 169-09 137 Avenue
Saturdays, October 5, 12, 19, 3pm
Bayside Library, 214-20 Northern Boulevard
Costa Rican Rainforest Macaw Craft for Early Learners (In-Person)
Friday, September 13, 11am
Astoria Library, 14-01 Astoria Boulevard
Hispanic Heritage Month Festival (In-Person)
Saturday, September 14, 11am
Langston Hughes Library, 100-01 Northern Boulevard, Corona
STEM Club for Kids: Celebrating with Costa Rican Crafts (In-Person)
Saturday, September 14, 2:30pm
Queensbridge Tech Lab, 10-43 41 Avenue, Long Island City
Pioneering Hispanic Accomplishments (Virtual)
Tuesday, September 17, 6pm
Join us on Facebook and YouTube
Hispanic Heritage: Toddler Time (In-Person)
Wednesdays, September 18 and October 2, 10:30am
Auburndale Library, 25-55 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Flushing
Read-Aloud with Local Children's Author Nathalie Alonso (In-Person)
Wednesday, September 18, 3:30pm
Woodside Library, 54-22 Skillman Avenue
Voices of Latin Music by Irene Failenbogen (In-Person and Virtual)
Wednesday, September 18, 6pm
Flushing Library, 41-17 Main Street
or join us on Zoom
Meeting ID: 837 1422 4225
Passcode: 0918
How to Make Latin Dishes with Tarsis Payano (Virtual)
Wednesdays, September 18-October 9, 6pm
Join us on Zoom
Culture Connection: Hispanic Heritage with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Tania León (Virtual)
Wednesday, September 18, 6pm
Join us on Facebook and YouTube
Soprano Celia Castro Celebrates Hispanic Heritage! (In-Person)
Friday, September 20, 2pm
Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
Wepa! Latin Dance For Kids with Urban Stages (In-Person)
Friday, September 20, 3pm
Sunnyside Library, 43-06 Greenpoint Avenue, Long Island City
Celebrate with Mariachi Tapatío de Álvaro Paulino (In-Person)
Saturday, September 21, 1pm
Elmhurst Library, 86-07 Broadway
Celebrate with David Cedeño and his Orchestra (In-Person)
Saturday, September 21, 2pm
Jackson Heights Library, 35-51 81 Street
Superstar Latinas in STEM (Virtual)
Tuesday, September 24, 6pm
Join us on Zoom
Meeting ID: 897 8004 7455
Passcode: 817980
Author Talk with Felipe Luciano (In-Person)
Thursday, September 26, 6pm
Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
Piñata Workshop for Families (In-Person)
Saturday, September 28, 2pm
Forest Hills Library, 108-19 71 Avenue
Saturday, October 12, 11am
Douglaston/Little Neck Library, 249-01 Northern Boulevard, Little Neck
Saturday, October 12, 2:30pm
Peninsula Library, 92-25 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Rockaway Beach
Mexican Bark Painting (In-Person)
Thursday, October 3, 3:30pm
Ridgewood Library, 20-12 Madison Street
Tapiz Cultural Artist Talk (In-Person)
Thursday, October 3, 5pm
Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
Literary Thursdays: Melissa Rivero, Author of Flores and Miss Paula (Virtual)
Thursday, October 3, 6pm
Join us on Microsoft Teams
Hispanic Heritage Bingo (In-Person)
Friday, October 4, 3:30pm
North Forest Park Library, 98-27 Metropolitan Avenue, Forest Hills
Latin American Cultural Milestones and Primacies (Program in Spanish) (Virtual)
Saturday, October 5, 2pm
Join us on Facebook and YouTube
Sunday Concerts at Central: William Cepeda's Afro-Rican Jazz (In-Person)
Sunday, October 6, 3pm
Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
Hispanic Pioneers Bingo (In-Person)
Thursday, October 10, 3pm
Ozone Park Library, 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard
Literary Thursdays: Javier Fuentes, Author of Countries of Origin (Virtual)
Thursday, October 10, 6pm
Join us on Microsoft Teams
Latin Dance for Kids with Cucala Dance Company (In-Person)
Saturday, October 12, 3pm
Fresh Meadows, 193-20 Horace Harding Expressway
Hispanic Heritage Month Booklists
Adult Books
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
Book | eBook | Audiobook
When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Aleph by Paulo Coelho
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue
American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures by America Ferrera
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan González
Book | eBook | Libro
The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
Book | Libro
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History by John Vasquez Mejias
Sacrificio by Ernesto Mestre-Reed
Book | eBook
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Flamin' Hot: The Incredible True Story of One Man's Rise from Janitor to Top Executive
by Richard P. Montañez
Book | Libro
Love Poems by Pablo Neruda
Delirium by Laura Restrepo
Book | Libro
Havana Year Zero by Karla Suárez
Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Más libros en español para adultos
Disrupción: más allá de la innovación de Mario Borghino
Mis recetas de cocina anticáncer de Odile Fernández Martínez
Foodtropia: cómo comer rico y sano de Paola Freire
Los 7 pasos para el éxito en el amor de Dra. Isabel Gómez-Bassols
Emma y las otras señoras del narco de Anabel Hernández
Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
La casa del placer de Zoé Valdés
El fixer de Miguel Ángel Vega
La invasión del pueblo del espíritu de Juan Pablo Villalobos
Young Adult Books
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (Illus.)
Book | eBook
The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila
Book | eBook | Libro
Más Freak de lo Normal (Libro) de Francisco Balbuena, Maximo Montero y Darwin Nuñez
¡Viva Lola Espinoza! by Ella Cerón
Book | Libro
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Book | eBook | Audiobook
Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Peña
Book | Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
Borderless by Jennifer De Leon
Book | eBook
Rima's Rebellion: Courage in a Time of Tyranny by Margarita Engle
Book | Libro
Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa
Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira
No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado
Book | eBook | Libro
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
Book | eBook | Libro
Road Home by Rex Ogle
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
Book | eBook | Audiobook
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
The Moonlit Vine by Elizabeth Santiago
Book | eBook
Northranger by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo (Illus.)
Book | eBook
We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sánchez
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
When We Make It: A Nuyorican Novel by Elisabet Velasquez
Book | eBook | Libro
Children's Books
Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Book | eBook | Libro
Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses by Jen Arena and Blanca Gomez (Illus.)
Book | eBook
Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar
Book | Audiobook | Libro
Only for a Little While by Gabriela Orozco Belt and Richy Sánchez Ayala (Illus.)
Book | Libro | Audiolibro
Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez
Book | eBook
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
Book | eBook
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros
Book | eBook | Audiobook
Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro | Libro electrónico
Stella Díaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez
Book | eBook
Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo
Book | eBook | Libro | Libro electrónico
Lucía the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza and Alyssa Bermudez (Illus.)
The Coquíes Still Sing
by Karina Nicole González and Krystal Quiles (Illus.)
Book | Audiobook
The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America by Jaime Hernandez
Book | eBook
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Book | eBook | Audiobook
Definitely Dominguita: Knight of the Cape by Terry Catasús Jennings and Fatima Anaya (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Audiobook
Mexikid by Pedro Martín
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina
Book | Libro
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro
Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez and Jaime Kim (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro | Audiolibro
Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Libro
Martina Has Too Many Tías by Emma Otheguy and Sara Palacios (Illus.)
Book | Libro
Coquí in the City by Nomar Perez
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Audiobook | Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
Your Mama by NoNieqa Ramos and Jacqueline Alcántara (Illus.)
Book | eBook
If Dominican Were a Color by Sili Recio and Brianna McCarthy (Illus.)
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Book | Audiobook | Libro | Audiolibro
Abuela’s Super Capa by by Ana Siqueira and Elisa Chavarri (Illus.)
Book | Libro | Audiolibro
Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor and Lulu Delacre (Illus.)
Book | Libro
Blancaflor, The Hero with Secret Powers: A Folktale from Latin America by Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio Garcia Sanchez (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Libro
Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes by Roseanne Greenfield Thong and John Parra (Illus.)
Book | eBook | Audiobook
Más libros en español para niños
Pele, King of Soccer/Pele, El Rey del Futbol de Monica Brown y Rudy Gutierrez (Illus.)
Te quiero de Glòria Fort
Little Sunny Sunshine/Sol Solecito de Susie Jaramillo
Dream with the Latinitas/Sueña con las Latinitas de Juliet Menéndez
Plátanos Go With Everything/Los plátanos van con todo de Lissette Norman y Sara Palacios (Illus.)
Libro | Audiolibro
¡1, 2, 3 Merengue! English-Spanish Instruments & Sounds Book de Delia Ruiz
y Graziela Andrade (Illus.)
My Town/Mi Pueblo de Nicholas Solis y Luisa Uribe (Illus.)
Libro | Libro electrónico | Audiolibro
Abuelas: Cada una a su manera de Bea Taboada