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There is still time this May to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We recognize contributions to our collective culture, history, and advancements in the United States.

Below are some highlights of electronic resources selected by librarian Thomas Maxheimer, manager of Ridgewood Library, and his husband E.K. Tan, a professor of comparative literature at Stony Brook University.

Children's Books: 

Kids’ books are not only for kids. There is nothing more pure and reassuring as a great children’s book.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look 

Have you heard of Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Alvin Ho is similar if not even more fun to read. Alvin is an Asian American second grader who happens to be a bit of a scaredy cat. If it turns out you like Alvin, it’s a series, so there are many more to enjoy.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng 

When I was growing up we watched Carl Sagan videos in science class and used his textbooks to learn about the stars, planets, outer space, and our own humanity. This book has been compared to Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. 

Check out a collection of Asian American children's literature here.

Adults' Books 

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

This is poet Cathy Park Hong’s latest collection of essays since her debut work Dance, Dance Revolution. In this collection, Hong brings together memoir and cultural critique to engage in serious issues relating to the identity, history, and politics of Asian America in a nation that continues to struggle with the status of immigrant families.

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Charles Yu’s second novel takes a satirical approach to unveil Hollywood’s race problem through the perspective of a protagonist who happens to be an Asian extra. This story of the the “Generic Asian man” not only critiques Hollywood’s perpetuation of Asian stereotypes in the industry and the American society in large, but it also stresses the importantance of being more than just this stereotype through the wise advice of the protagonist’s own mother.

Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran

Sigh, Gone is Phuc Tran’s coming-of-age memoir that documents his life growing in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the 1980s. As an immigrant growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood and a new culture, Tran finds solace in literature, punk rock, and art as he struggles with feelings of isolation, challenges of immigration, and teenage angst.

The Leavers by Lisa Ko

This finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction is a story of longing and belonging. Told from the dual perspective of Polly, an undocumented Chinese immigrant woman in New York, and her son Deming/Daniel, the novel examines the truth behind Polly’s disappearance when her son is at the tender age of eleven and Deming’s struggle to reconcile his mother and his own past as he matures into adulthood as Daniel Wilkinson.

No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal

Set in a suburb outside Cleveland, this novel tells the story of a community of South Asian Americans learning how to find a balance between their Eastern traditions and beliefs and their desires to embrace the American optimism of success and freedom. The novel offers vignettes about multiple characters of different generations in the community to depict their individual and collective attempt to become a part of American society.

The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris

Daughter of an esteemed economist from Jamaica and a cancer researcher from India, Kamala Harris discusses her commitment to social and political justice in the United States in her book. During challenging times when truth is under attack and the nation is divided, she seeks truth as the common denominator to unify the nation.
 

QPL’s eBook collection is at your fingertips and we’re pleased to have the following recent award winners available for you to check out from anywhere! 

2020 Pulitzer Prize Winners:

Pulitzer Prize in Poetry: Jericho Brown’s The Tradition 

Beauty abounds in Jericho Brown’s Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection, despite and inside of the evil that pollutes the everyday. A National Book Award finalist, The Tradition questions why and how we’ve become accustomed to terror: in the bedroom, the classroom, the workplace, and the movie theater. From mass shootings to rape to the murder of unarmed people by police, Brown interrupts complacency by locating each emergency in the garden of the body, where living things grow and wither—or survive. In the urgency born of real danger, Brown’s work is at its most innovative. – Copper Canyon Press 

Pulitzer Prize in Fiction: Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys 

When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers. – Penguin Random House 

Edgar Allan Poe Award Winners: 

Edgar Award for Best First Novel: Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek 

How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies? In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they’re part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it’s clear the explosion wasn’t an accident. A powerful showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Chapter by chapter, we shift alliances and gather evidence: Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owners, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? Could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn’t safe?  – Macmillan 

Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel of 2019: Elly Griffiths' The Stranger Diaries  

Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House. Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favorite literature. To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary: Hallo Clare. You don’t know me. Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?  - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

Mary Higgins Clark Award: Carol Goodman’s The Night Visitors 

Alice gets off a bus in the middle of a snowstorm in Delphi, NY. She is fleeing an abusive relationship and desperate to protect Oren, ten years old, a major Star Wars fan and wise beyond his years. Though Alice is wary, Oren bonds nearly instantly with Mattie, a social worker in her fifties who lives in an enormous run-down house in the middle of the woods. Mattie lives alone and is always available, and so she is the person the hotline always calls when they need a late-night pickup. And although according to protocol Mattie should take Alice and Oren to a local shelter, instead she brings them home for the night. She has plenty of room, she says. What she doesn't say is that Oren reminds her of her little brother, who died thirty years ago at the age of ten. But Mattie isn't the only one withholding elements of the truth. Alice is keeping her own secrets. And as the snowstorm worsens around them, each woman's past will prove itself unburied, stirring up threats both within and without. – Harper Collins 
 

For the third year, Queens Public Library has awarded the Go the Extra Mile (G.E.M.) Award to our volunteers who go above and beyond in their service and embody the Library’s mission “to transform lives by cultivating personal and intellectual growth and by building strong communities.”

Four of our volunteers have received G.E.M. Awards, and three have been recognized as Honorable Mentions. Learn more about them below.

Thank you to them, and to every QPL volunteer, for their service!

2020 G.E.M. Volunteer Award Recipients

Ariana Islam, Library Aide, Broadway Library
"Ms. Islam joined Broadway Library shortly after Steinway Library closed for renovation. Her contribution was essential and indispensable. The staff rejoiced upon her arrival each day! She was exceptionally dynamic, eager, motivated, and sharp. Her work was on-point, accurate, precise, and detailed. She worked tirelessly to assist the staff with absolutely every assignment necessary. She would complete an assignment in record time and ask for more. She assisted with everything from backyard gardening to shelving books to tracking down missing books to supporting children’s programs. Ms. Islam’s insightful reflections on her generation—Generation Z—greatly helped us improve Broadway’s teen collection and programming. At summer’s end, she gifted the staff a heartfelt thank-you card and yummy treats. In part, she wrote 'All of you feel like part of my family. Thank you for being so nice. I love you all.'”—Abigail Goldberg, Assistant Community Library Manager, Broadway Library

May “Hui-Chien” Ding, Clerical Aide/ESOL Conversation Group Facilitator, Flushing Adult Learning Center
"Hui-Chien started as an ESOL student in 2011. Seeing that she was an excellent student, helping other students who were having trouble in our English program, we asked her to take the formal training to become a Clerical Volunteer. She assists staff during registrations and computer orientations. She also became an ESOL Conversation Group Facilitator, helping students who have had very little schooling in their native country. When our volunteer facilitator program changed from one day a week to two, she willingly agreed. When we lost another evening volunteer, she also helped in that class. And when we needed a Saturday volunteer, yes, she helped during that class too! Last year, we lost half our paid administrative staff. Without a volunteer like Hui-Chien, we wouldn’t have been able to sustain the same level of service. Hui-Chien willingly steps in when we need extra help. She is a team player and, most importantly, she does it all with enthusiasm and a smile on her face."—Gary Beharry, Supervising Museum Instructor, Adult Learner Program

Rezwanuddin “Rezwan” Ahmed, Chess Club Leader, Flushing Library
"Rezwan is without parallel. Not only is he deeply interested in chess as a game, but he’s gone above and beyond in finding opportunities to improve and strengthen our Chess Club every week. Typical Chess Club volunteers commit 2 hours a week, and aren’t expected to have more than a basic understanding of chess gameplay. Rezwan has a deeper understanding of chess than most people, but that’s not all—without being asked, he stepped up when we needed a leader for our Chess Club and we were short on staff and volunteers. He keeps the club going when we’re not able to directly supervise it on busy Saturdays, recruits additional volunteers, and designed an ongoing series of strategy classes that have a devoted following, not least because he's an inspiring and talented teacher. All this while remaining courteous, friendly, and polite to our customers! He’s here every single Saturday without fail...except for once...when he was defending his doctoral thesis! (And he even apologized for taking the day off!)—Red Coffey and Angela Perez, Children's Librarians, Flushing Library

Anita Harvey-Edwards, Homework Helper, Rosedale Library
"Ms. Anita joined us to provide homework help for our younger customers, especially those whose parents couldn’t help them due to a language barrier. The children themselves were limited in the English language, thus affecting their reading comprehension. Ms. Anita helps them both with reading and with their homework. She does this with love and care, and the children and their parents are so endeared to her. She extended her work to parents who were willing to learn English as well and schedules time with them to come in while their children are at school. One parent in particular had a very challenging situation; she didn’t speak a word of English and her native language is Arabic, so Ms. Anita used online sources, including the Library’s Rocket Language and Transparent Language databases. She also taught another Spanish-speaking parent how to speak English. Ms. Anita even comes in when she is not 100% feeling well so her students will not miss out on learning. Recently, at our Spelling Bee contest, two of her students participated and won prizes. Ms. Anita shows so much respect to both customers and staff. She sure is an asset to the Rosedale community."—Olga Gordon-Murray, Community Library Manager, Rosedale Library

2020 G.E.M. Volunteer Award Honorable Mentions

Caroline LaMarr, Library Aide, Pomonok Library
"Since I started here, I have not come across a volunteer who is as dedicated and consistent to their branch as Ms. LaMarr. She takes pride in ensuring that the library DVDs are always kept in perfect condition. She shelves them, organizes them, and repairs any damage to cases or labels. Ms. LaMarr also loves to water and maintain the many plants that we have here at Pomonok. If she misses a regular workday, she will come in on another day just to take care of the plants. She knows that the day after a holiday closing, our workload will be more than usual, so she takes it upon herself to come in the day after any library holiday. She will come in the day after Christmas, New Year’s, and any and every holiday to make sure we have extra help. Ms. LaMarr is very friendly and is a familiar face to many of our customers. She also recommends books and DVDs to them. She has been volunteering here for so long and we love her commitment and dedication."—Nadia Mubarez, Pomonok Library

Oluwapelumi Fasola, Homework Helper, Central Library Teen Space
"Mr. Fasola deserves this recognition because staff and customers alike have a tremendous amount of appreciation for the work that he does in the Teen Space. He has developed quite a following of customers who come to him for assistance with specialized examinations, including the TASC, Regents, and SAT. Mr. Fasola has so much patience with customers, he explains complex math problems in a language that it is easy for them to understand, and he does not hesitate to go over the content with them for however long is necessary for the material to sink in. Mr. Fasola is frequently here with children and teens well after his scheduled time to leave has come and gone. Many of the students, and the parents of the students that he works with, come in and ask for him specifically. I believe that Mr. Fasola’s presence in the Teen Space reinforces our mission of 'cultivating intellectual growth.' Our customers have an invaluable opportunity for test review and learning thanks to him."—Christiana Parish, Assistant Community Library Manager, Central Library Teen Space

Israel Weiss, Tabletop Gaming Aide, Queensboro Hill Library
"For months, the Queensboro Hill Teen Tabletop Gaming Club was merely a placeholder on the calendar. Then Israel Weiss walked in and asked about volunteering at Queens Public Library. Perhaps out of desperation, I asked if he knew anything about tabletop gaming. His eyes lit up. I told him not to get his hopes up that anyone would come to the gaming club. His first day, I drafted two tweens to participate. Israel taught them Catan, and they were hooked. They returned with friends. The group grew to seven. After a few months, they asked if we would add another day, so more could come. 'Yes!' Israel agreed. Watching him run the games is delightful. The tweens love him—more accurately, they love teaming up against him. They've even tweaked cooperative games to find a way to make him 'lose.' Israel tolerates it all with excellent humor. He makes every game accessible. He even sat down with me and taught me to play Catan, going over my 1,000 confused questions with no hint of impatience. He seems 'unfazeable,' which is exactly what this group of tweens needs. He is always pleasant, always punctual, always looking to help. We are so glad he chose to walk into our library. We wish every library could have an Israel Weiss."—Amber Loveless, Assistant Community Library Manager, Queensboro Hill Library

The Queens Memory COVID-19 Project Seeks to Collect Personal Stories About Life at the Epicenter of the Pandemic

Queens Residents Can Contribute Stories of How They Live, Work, Learn, and Help One Another During This Unprecedented Time

Queens, NY (April 17, 2020)—Queens Memory—a community archiving program supported by Queens Public Library and the Queens College Library—today announced the launch of the COVID-19 Project. This borough-wide campaign, created in partnership with technology nonprofit Urban Archive, will be collecting personal stories about life at the epicenter of the pandemic.

As conditions are changing rapidly around the world, the project aims to reconstruct the state of mind and reality people experience from one day to the next, making a lasting record of how we are living, working, learning, and helping one another in Queens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants can contribute stories in a variety of formats, including phoned-in audio testimonies using a toll-free number (855-QNS-LOVE), photo and written submissions through Urban Archive, and long-form remote interviews conducted by Queens Memory staff and volunteers.

“Queens remains the epicenter of the pandemic in New York City, with many residents working on the front lines and providing essential services to community members. The stories they are sharing with us today will be an invaluable resource to those in the future trying to understand this turbulent time in world history,” said Natalie Milbrodt, QPL’s Coordinator of Metadata Services and the founding Director of the Queens Memory Project. “We are very fortunate to be working with our colleagues at Queens College and Urban Archive as well as with talented volunteers across the city who are helping us with this ambitious project.”

“It’s important to document this period in time for the sake of history. The Queens College Library is proud to partner with the Queens Public Library and Urban Archive to create a permanent record of life during the pandemic that will benefit researchers for years to come," said Kristin Hart, Chief Librarian at the Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library. “In addition to collaborating on the borough-wide outreach campaign, our archivists have sprung into action to record interviews with diverse members of the Queens College community who have their own unique stories to tell.”

Interviewees from Queens College thus far include President-Designate Frank H. Wu, the first person of Asian American descent to be appointed Queens College president; Distinguished Professor of Sociology Samuel Heilman, a leading authority on Orthodox Judaism and among the first persons affected by the spread of the pandemic in New York; and Lecturer in Italian Nicola Lucchi, of the Department of European Languages and Literatures, whose family hails from Italy’s Lombardy region, the area most severely affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in that country.

“The heart of this project is to record and reflect on the real-time impact of life at center of the pandemic in a city that influences the world,” said Sam Addeo, Director of Community and Development at Urban Archive. “Urban Archive is honored to be a part of this project, not only supporting Queens institutions, but residents themselves who have the opportunity through this work to share their stories and uplift their neighbors during this challenging time.”

Submissions will become part of the Queens Memory digital collections at QPL and the Queens College Library and will be shared through the Urban Archive platform.

The archival products of these efforts will be available in full to researchers online thanks to a team of remote metadata librarians. The team will also produce the next season of the Queens Memory Podcast with 10 episodes featuring interviews gathered over 10 weeks of their active outreach campaign.

For more information and to submit stories, please go here.

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 multiple languages, technology and digital resources, and more than 87,500 educational, cultural, and civic programs a year. It consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology lab, two universal pre-kindergartens, and two teen centers.

About Queens College
Queens College enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. With its graduate and undergraduate degrees, honors programs, and research and internship opportunities, the college helps its nearly 20,000 students realize their potential in countless ways, assisted by an accessible, award-winning faculty. Students from across the country and around the world are attracted to study at the Aaron Copland School of Music. Its renowned faculty and alumni include nationally recognized composers, conductors, and performers who have received over 100 Grammy Awards and nominations. Located on a beautiful, 80-acre campus in Flushing, the college has been cited for 28 consecutive years as a Princeton Review “Best College,” as well as being ranked a U.S. News and World Report “Best College” and Forbes Magazine “Best Value College,” thanks to its outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages, and relatively low costs. Visit their homepage to learn more.

The Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library at Queens College aims to make information and ideas understandable and accessible to all members of the college community. It contains over 800,000 books and provides access to thousands of electronic journals and other digital resources. There are spaces for classes and special events, individual and group study, and research and technology support is available to all students and faculty. Rosenthal Library is also home to the Queens College Makerspace, Queens College Archives, and the Louis Armstrong Archives. The library’s Master Space Plan outlines new and exciting developments to come.

About Urban Archive
Urban Archive is a technology nonprofit that promotes historical research and discovery. Our mission is to extend the reach of cultural organizations by providing them with collaborative tools to share local history. To connect with Urban Archive, follow @UrbanArchiveNY on Instagram and Twitter and launch the Urban Archive app, available for free in the App Store. For more information please visit urbanarchive.nyc.

Contact: Queens Public Library—Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska; Queens College—Maria Matteo; Urban Archive—Sam Addeo

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Our digital resources present the perfect opportunity to learn a new language or skill or to become well-versed in a new subject area. No matter what you’re interested in, we speak your language – and we have something for you. Here are a few of the ways you can learn from home. 

Language Learning:

Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages is an award-winning online language-learning system. Queens Public Library cardholders can use this interactive website to learn conversational language at their own pace. Customers can stream content from the website or download content for easy access on all MP3 compatible devices. Available languages include Spanish (Latin American), Arabic, French, German, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, English, English (Spanish Speakers), English (Japanese Speakers), and American Sign Language.

Transparent Language Online
Research-based and experience-driven, Transparent Language Online is a language-learning program that provides an effective, fun, and engaging experience for language learners of all levels. Combining top-of-the-line courses with lots of great, supplemental resources for over 90 languages, plus ESOL courses for speakers of many languages, Transparent Language Online is the ultimate language-learning system. Queens Public Library cardholders can access it using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by downloading the Transparent Language app.

The Great Courses:

This series on RBDigital introduces Queens Public Library cardholders to topics in areas including economics and finance, food and wine, health, fitness, and nutrition, history, hobby and leisure such as genealogy and photography, literature and language, mathematics, music and fine arts, philosophy, professional and personal development, science, and travel. These multi-lecture courses are taught by experts and can be watched at your own pace. Dive in and learn something new!

Brainfuse:

Try Brainfuse HelpNow for live online tutoring for all ages. Brainfuse provides free, on-demand, easy, and engaging eLearning for all levels. HelpNow's features include:

• Homework Help: Interact with live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests
• 24-Hour Writing Lab: Submit essays and other forms of writing for constructive feedback.
• Homework Send Question: Submit your homework questions for expert guidance.
• Adult Learning Center: Access a library of rich adult learning content (GED) and live, professional assistance in resume/cover letter writing, U.S. citizenship prep, MS Office Essential Skills Series, and more.
• Foreign Language Lab/Spanish-Speaking Support

Cell-Ed:

Cell-Ed lets adults acquire literacy, language, and workforce-ready skills for free on their own time. With Cell-Ed, your cell phone becomes your teacher. You can study anytime on your phone, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, with 3–5 minute lessons; complete courses in 5–20 hours; and talk and text with a coach when you need help. Cell-Ed courses include:

• English on the Go: Choose from high beginner to advanced levels (and beginner levels for Spanish speakers)
• Work Ready: Gain key skills from applying for a job to communicating effectively at work.
• Civics and Citizenship: Learn how to apply for and pass the U.S. naturalization exam.
• Skill Builder: Improve reading, writing, social studies, and math skills.

Cell-Ed is generously funded by the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation.

Additional Free Resources:

BBC Languages
BBC Languages provides an excellent language-learning resource for the general public at no cost and includes 40 languages. This is an archived website, so content is not updated, but it is still very useful for language learning.

Duolingo
Duolingo is a free language-learning platform that includes a language-learning website and app, as well as a digital language proficiency assessment exam. The website and app offer 85 different language courses in 24 languages.

Technology Skills:

Try these free online tutorials to learn new technology skills. Get comfortable with computers and much more in these interactive experiences.

We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during these difficult days. It’s normal to be fearful amid the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.  Every day we hear about more and more people testing positive for coronavirus and we are more restricted in where we can go and what we can do. It is also hard to feel connected at a time when we are all so isolated.

The Library would like to suggest some resources that we hope will help. 

Talking or texting through your feelings about what’s happening now might be helpful.

• NYC WELL - This is an important service allowing everyone to text, email, or chat with a counselor 24/7 for free. Go to www.nyc.gov/nycwell  and follow instructions in order to:
  • TALK - Call 1-888-NYCWELL.
  • TEXT - Text WELL to 65173.
  • CHAT - Go here.

• The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene put out this informative one pager on how to cope with stress during disease outbreaks, which you can print out and/or share with your family and friends.

• For some of us, it might be difficult to explain the ongoing situation to our children or grandchildren. Encourage your kids to share their feelings. Please remember, keeping the TV on all day can be stressful to us as adults, but it is even more stressful for kids to hear repeated negative news. Children might also sense the way adults react and behave. Hopefully one day, our kids will not remember the virus specifically, but how the family time was spent. If you’re inside with your child all day, try to spend quality time together—get out those board games, color, read, work on puzzles, listen to music, cook or bake, and enjoy each other’s company. Visit our list of resources for parents and caregivers.

• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. Visit their website or call the NAMI helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). Or, are you in a crisis? Talk with someone at the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741.

• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a partnership with Headspace, an online healthcare company specializing in meditation, allowing New Yorkers to get free meditation, sleep, and movement exercises and resources. Visit www.headspace.com/ny to learn more.

• Home is not always safe. If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic or gender-based violence which can include sexual violence, human trafficking, stalking, elder abuse, and intimate partner violence, help is available. Visit nyc.gov/nychope to find resources. You can also call the NYC Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 1-800-621-4673 (HOPE) or 911 in an emergency. To access services, contact the Family Justice Center (FJC) in your borough Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. through 5 p.m: NYC Family Justice Center, Queens: 718-575-4545. During off-hours and weekends, victims and survivors can access help and resources by calling the 24-hour hotline or texting 844-997-2121 if you cannot safely call.  Learn more about domestic violence from The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV).

• If you or a family member are disabled and need COVID-19 related medical advocacy or support, you can call the National Disability COVID-19 Healthcare Support and Advocacy Hotline at 1-800-626-4959.

The best way to protect yourself from the new coronavirus and COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

• Practice social distancing: Stay at least six feet away from others. The virus is thought to be transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes within close proximity of others. Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

• Clean your hands often: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings. CDC posted instructions on its website and released a video on its YouTube channel on how to make a simple cloth mask yourself.

• Do not put others at risk of infection: every New Yorker must stay at home from work, unless they are an essential worker, by orders of Governor Cuomo.

• If you’re experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and don’t feel better after three to four days, call a doctor or 311. Don’t go to the emergency room unless it’s an actual emergency.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces: Wipe down tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks every day.

• Stay informed: Get the latest information and updates about the coronavirus crisis from reliable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the City of New York, the State of New York, the World Health Organization, or your local health department.

Older adults can break the isolation of this time by participating in Queens Public Library's Mail-A-Book teleconferences to chat, play bingo, learn about art, and so much more. Check out our videoconferences too. Contact Madlyn.S.Schneider@queenslibrary.org for registration for any program. Visit our calendar for a list of upcoming programs. The Mail-A-Book service is temporarily unavailable, but teleconferences continue along with new videoconferences.

Join us for the history of photography and a series on impressionists.

You can also experience teleconferences from around the country. Try learning a new skill from the safety and comfort of home. We are here to help keep you connected and informed, and have curated a list of some programs for you to try in addition to offering our own programs. We have also curated a list of trusted sources of information. 

• Virtual events on Zoom (Senior Planet) 
• Virtual teleconferences (Covia Well Connected)
• YouTube videos to learn a variety of skills (GCFLearnFree.org) 
• YouTube exercise videos 

Information

• Guidance for Older Adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 
• Resources from LiveOn NY
• SNAP Info and More (Access NYC) 

Continue to check this page as we add new resources. You may also be interested in our Virtual Arts & Culture Resources, how to Bring QPL Home With Our Digital Resources, and At-Home Ways to Keep Your Mind and Body Healthy During The Covid-19 Outbreak.

While you can't go to the museum, concerts, or the opera in person right now, you can visit them virtually! Queens Public Library has compiled a list of some of the free resources to keep you connected to arts and culture during this time. We will update this page as more experiences become available.

• Concerts from the Chamber Music Society
• Concerts to stream, compiled by NPR
• Guggenheim - Photos of the Guggenheim, through the Google Arts and Culture project
• MCNY - Go inside the Museum of the City of New York, through the Google Arts and Culture project 
• Met 360 - Videos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art 
• Metropolitan Opera - Nightly streaming of operas from the Met's archives
• New York Genealogical and Biological Society - Free geneaology webinars
• Videos from Actors Fund
• Virtual museum tours selected by Curbed 
• Virtual museum tours selected by Hyperallergic
• Virtual museum tours selected by Travel + Leisure

While school is suspended, the Library has databases and resources that your child can use to continue learning. We’ve also curated some resources on helping children cope right now. If you need free Wi-Fi or meals, both are also available through Spectrum and the Department of Education, respectively. Plus, check out our virtual storytimes. 

Educational Resources

Check out our teen resources.

For younger school-age children, visit our databases page, especially:

• Biblioboard, a primary source database featuring historical books, articles, images, maps, documents, and more.
• BookFlix, an online literacy resource from Scholastic. 
• Brainfuse HelpNow, which provides free, on-demand, easy, and engaging eLearning, including tutoring and homework help,
• Britannica Elementary, a site that lets you look for people, places, and things, with video and games. 
• Britannica Academic, which includes Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam Webster's Collegiate dictionary. 
• Britannica School, which is for all grades and all reading abilities. 
• Kids InfoBits, a collection of more than 550+ age-appropriate magazines for kids grades K-5.

Other Resources:

• "Fighting Climate Change," an interactive educational resource from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
• Scholastic Home Base, games and stories from your kids’ favorite books
• Scholastic Learn At Home, day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing

Wi-Fi

Spectrum is offering households with K-12 and college students free Wi-Fi access and broadband (high-speed internet) for the next 60 days. For information, call 844-488-8395 or go to spectrum.com.

Coping Skills

• How To Talk To Your Kids About Coronavirus
• How to De-Stress Your Kids
• Encouraging Healthy Habits During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Meals

Free meals will be available Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 1:30pm at 400 locations across the city. Visit here for more information on which locations will offer meals.

Facebook Live Virtual Storytimes

Enjoy these storytimes with our librarians and other readers, and thank you to all the authors and publishers who have given us special permission to read their books!

You can rely on the library as a source of entertainment, knowledge, and more, no matter where you are.

Here are just some of the things you can do from anywhere using our digital resources.

Check out an eBook and browse thousands of available titles.

Watch streaming videos from five different channels of video content, including concerts, movies, and educational lectures.

Read eMagazines, with hundreds of choices from dozens of genres.

Listen to your favorite songs, artists, and albums.

Join QPL Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels for his Instagram Live Quarantine DJ sets.

Enjoy our Facebook Live storytimes for kids and our other FB Live events.

Share your story of what it’s like to be in Queens right now with the Queens Memory COVID-19 Project.

Join us for our Virtual Programming and Events.

Vote in our April 2020 YA Battle of the Books.

Explore free eLearning with Brainfuse HelpNow and Cell-Ed.

Learn a new language.

Participate in online projects and lend your talents to help others as a Virtual Volunteer.

Become a member of QPL @ Night, our new group designed for young adults and millennials.

Chat with or email one of our librarians.

Explore the QPL Digital Archives.

Listen to one of our podcasts, including the Queens Memory podcast and the Voice of Queens Teen Podcast.

Explore our Aviary platform of audio and video recordings, including the Hip Hop in Queens and Queens Memory Project LGBTQ+ History collections.

Watch our Author Talks.

Listen to the stories behind the Flushing Library Common Thread Community Story Quilt.

Read newspapers, encyclopedias, and more using our Research Databases.

Learn about the 2020 Census.

Please visit our other QPLAnywhere Resources for Parents, Older Adults, Virtual Arts & Culture from other institutions, and Keeping Your Mind and Body Healthy during this challenging time.