There are 65 locations.
You can sign up for a library card in-person or online.
You may obtain a free library card if you live, work, go to school, or own property in New York State. Children 11 years old and younger must have a parent or guardian who resides at the same address sign for permission to get a library card.
If you are at least 12 years old, you can sign up for a library card online, click here to begin.
To sign up for a library card in-person, please go to the check-out counter at your local library with proof of identification and address.
Children 11 years old and younger must have a parent or guardian who resides at the same address sign for permission to get a library card.
If you are 12 or older, you may now register online to obtain a Queens Public Library card.
Library cards expire every 5 years.
If you have had a card before and it is lost, stolen or expired, please visit any Queens Public Library location and speak to a Customer Service Representative.
Queens Public Library does not charge late fees on overdue books. If a book is lost or not returned, you will be charged the price of the item.
Other items: Lost Library card replacement fee $2; Missing item label $1; Non-NYS resident library card: one year $50; Returned check fee $25; Lost video/DVD case $2; Lost CD $1.
The price of the item.
Children and young adults up to age 21 are eligible to read down their fees in the library. For every 1/2 hour of reading they receive $1.00 to be used toward fees on their library card.
Most items may be borrowed for 21 days. Most best sellers, CD's, magazines, videogames and other high-demand items may be borrowed for 7 days.
The service was created to connect Queens Public Library users with books they want to read but are not found in our online catalog. All suggested books that are approved for purchase will be put on hold when they arrive for the person who made the first suggestion for the book.
That depends on the availability of the book. We make no promises regarding delivery time but, on average, most books will be ready to pick-up in 7-10 business days after approval. Any orders not filled within 90 days will be automatically canceled (except for books in languages other than English, which can take much longer).
ISBN is an abbreviation for International Standard Book Number. It can be found in the product details section on such sites as Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. It can help to eliminate confusion between different editions of a book or different books with the same title. The ISBN is especially helpful for books not written in English. Most books have 2 ISBNs, one 10 digits and the other 13 digits. We prefer the 13 digit ISBN. The ISBN is not required because not every book has one.
Since every Queens Public Library branch has its own budget and collection development plan, we want to make sure that the Suggest-A-Purchase budget is not spent on items already on order. Items still not available in our catalog 30 days after release are usually safe from redundancy. This policy also decreases any confusion about who is first in line to reserve the title.
While Queens Public Library would love to provide an online suggestion service for every format, budget and staff limitations keep us restricted to our most popular formats; books, DVDs and CD audiobooks. We do plan on expanding the service when the necessary resources become available.
Queens Public Library orders materials from approved vendors (i.e., Ingram and Baker & Taylor) who give us discounts, free shipping, tax exemption, and other benefits specific to public libraries. Amazon.com and other online retailers do not offer the same level of service. Most importantly, online retailers demand payment up front and will not invoice us in the manner that New York City and New York State require.
Most commonly, books that exceed our budget or are more appropriate for an academic library (i.e., textbooks). While our discounts and budget can change, it is safe to assume that most books with a retail price over $60 will likely be rejected. Also, books that are designed to be written in, cut up for crafts, contain posters or stickers, or have special packaging will not be ordered.
Queens Public Library is able to request books from other library systems via interlibrary loan. There is a separate form for that service.
The current limit is 5 unresolved suggestions. A suggestion is resolved when you receive an email saying whether or not it will be purchased. Please bear in mind that all of your suggested books could arrive together, which may not be convenient for you. Please use your discretion and best judgement when using the Suggest A Book service; people who abuse the service may be blocked from submitting further suggestions.
The Suggest-A-Book service is for stand-alone books, not series. Each Queens Public library is responsible for maintaining their fiction series books. Please use our catalog to see which libraries carry the series and contact them. For a new series, please contact your home library. If the book you want is more than six months old, you may also request it on interlibrary loan here: https://queenslibrary.org/research/interlibrary-loan.
- Search for an audiobook or get it from one of the featured carousels, and go to its detail page.
- Depending on the item’s availability, you will be shown either a “Borrow” or “Hold” option.
- If you select “Hold,” you will be placed on a waitlist until the item becomes available.
- If you select “Borrow,” you should be able to listen to the audiobook.
- Search for a video or get it from one of the featured carousels, and go to its detail page.
- Depending on the item’s availability, you will be shown either a “Borrow” or “Hold” option.
- If you select “Hold,” you will be placed on a waitlist until the item becomes available.
- If you select “Borrow,” you should be able to watch the video.
- Search for any eMagazine or get it from one of the featured carousels, and go to its detail page.
- Select the “Borrow” option.
- You should now be able to read the eMagazine.
- Go to “My Account” and open the “Downloads” section where you will see all your currently borrowed items in the list.
- All the returnable eMaterials will have a return option.
You should receive an email notification from the vendor when a hold becomes available.
Certain ePub files are formatted in a way that prohibits the user from changing the font size.
You may see blank pages after you finish a chapter in the QPL app. Please allow your device to load the chapter before advancing to the next page. If this does not solve the issue, close the book by selecting My Books and then select Read.
You may see an eBook not rendering correctly if the text is set to white and the background to black. Some books in our collection have been formatted to override the user's background selection. This places white text over a white background. The best way to remedy this issue is to avoid using the black background option on this particular eBook.
If you check out and download an eBook in another app, it may be locked to that app. You will not be able to download the eBook in QPL’s app, even though the title appears on your list of checked out items.
If you would like to read the eBook in the QPL app, return the item in the other app and borrow it again using QPL. Be aware that the eBook may be on hold for another customer, and you may have to wait for it to become available again.
We only allow five activations per user. If you are logged in on five or more devices, please log out of those devices and try again. If you still get the error, please contact us via our Contact-Us form.
Please refresh your download lists and try again. If you still get this error, it means that the downloaded item has expired, and you have to borrow this item again in order to access it.
Please log out and try to log back into the app. If you still get the error, please contact us via our Contact-Us form.
It means that you have already returned the item. If you would like to access this item, please borrow it again. Please be aware that the item may be on hold for another customer and you may have to wait for it to become available again.
- Search for an eBook or get it from one of the featured carousels, and go to its detail page.
- Depending on the item’s availability, you will be shown either a “Borrow” or “Hold” option.
- If you select “Hold,” you will be placed on a waitlist until the item becomes available.
- If you select “Borrow,” you should be able to read the eBook.
Yes, you will need to sign in with your library card and use it as identification. If you don't have a card and need to get one, visit https://www.queenslibrary.org/get-a-card
Visit queenslib.org/qplprint to upload your files.
Files must be stored on the local device you are using. For example, if you are trying to send files to print from an Android device, you must first download from Google Drive to your device before selecting them to upload to QPL’s OneDrive.
Enter your library card number in the first name field and your last name in the last name field. Staff will be able to use your library card number to contact you when your print job is ready.
You can print up to 20 pages per day.
No. Your documents will print in black and white.
Documents will print on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.
Please upload in Word, PDF, or other commonly used formats.
Please contact the location you are printing to directly.
Allow two days for your printing to be ready for pick up. QPL staff will contact you when your printing is available.
Please pick up your printing within seven days of it being ready or it will be shredded.
Please bring an ID. Your library card is an acceptable form of ID.
You can search by title, author, subject, keywords, publisher, ISBN, UPC, and call number.
We can! Visit the Job & Business Help section of our website to learn more.
Check our hours here.
We can! Visit the Learn English section of our website to learn more.
Click on 'Login' at the top of any page. Have your library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) ready.
The Archives is open seven days a week year-round. A reference librarian is always available to assist customers. The Archives is accessible only to people who are using its materials and they must obtain a pass from the Information Desk located at the Library’s main entrance. You can also visit the Digital Archives website.
Please visit our Ask A Librarian webpage.
Please visit our Ask A Librarian webpage.
Central, Flushing, Kew Gardens Hills, and Hunter's Point mobile library are open 12-5 on Sundays.
Call or visit in person during library hours. See here for hours of each location.
Call, come in person, or reach us through Contact Us.
You can speak to an employee in person, on the phone, or through Contact Us
Most of our locations are handicapped accessible. The following locations have partial accessibility: Baisley Park, Broadway, Elmhurst, Lefferts, Pomonok, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, Rosedale, Steinway, Windsor Park. Astoria and Queens Village have no handicapped accessibility.
You may renew most items by phone or online 24/7. By Phone: 718-990-8508. Online: Click on "Login" at the top of any page. Have your library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) ready. Then, go to the "View Account Overview" page to see your current checked-out materials and renewal options. To obtain a PIN, stop by any Queens Public Library location. All materials except for interlibrary loan and reference materials may be borrowed up to three times. Materials that have been requested by other customers are not renewable.
Please visit the Immigration Assistance section of our website to learn how we can help.
Please visit the For New Americans section of our website to learn how we can help.
Yes—please visit the For Older Adults section of our website.
Yes—please visit the For Teens section of our website.
Yes—please visit the For Kids section of our website.
Please visit the Get Your High School Diploma section of our website to learn how we can help.
Please visit the Learn a Language section of our website to learn how we can help.
Yes—please visit the Computers and Wi-Fi section of our website to learn more.
Please visit the Technology Help section of our website to learn how we can help.
Please visit the Consumer Health Resources Center at Central Library in Jamaica or email our Medical Librarian.
Yes, all events at Queens Public Library are free.
You can find a list of programs at all locations online or in the Queens Public Library Magazine.
You can register in person, online, or by phone.
Call 718-990-0728 for further assistance.
Click here to view our calendar of our events. You can filter by 'Audience' type and find programs for Kids, Teens, Adults, and Family.
For a printed list of our events, pick up the latest Queens Public Library Magazine at your local library or view it here.
Queens Public Library is over 100 years old. Read more about our history here.
Visit the "Support the Library" section on this website on the many ways to give.
Pets and other animals are not allowed in the Library, unless it is a service animal assisting a person with a disability.
The good news is that modern-day libraries are the community centers of their neighborhoods—places where people gather to get information, connect with each other, and more. The “bad” news is sometimes they can get a little loud! Currently, Central Library, Flushing Library, and Forest Hills Library have designated quiet areas. If it gets too loud at your local library, please feel free to ask a staff member for help.
The Queens Public Library Foundation (the Foundation), which is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation, is the fundraising arm of the Queens Public Library. Incorporated in 1988, the mission of the Queens Public Library Foundation is to raise funds from foundations, corporations, and private individuals to support the tens of thousands of free programs and services offered by the Queens Public Library.
Your gift to the Foundation is welcomed and much appreciated. To make a donation, please visit the Support the Library section of the Queens Public Library website or mail a check made out to the Queens Public Library Foundation to 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432. All donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
When making a donation, please make your check out to Queens Public Library Foundation and specify in the memo line of your check which community library you would like to support. If making a donation online, please choose which community library you would like to support in the “Where to Direct Donation” section.
Thank you for your interest in donating books to the Queens Public Library. The Library accepts donations of materials, including books in good condition, providing the materials are delivered to the Library when it is open to the public. You are welcome to donate materials to any Queens Public Library location. Please contact your local library for more information. The Queens Public Library Foundation does not accept donations of books.
You can contact the Queens Public Library Foundation at 718-480-4273 or email foundation@queenslibrary.org. The Foundation’s address is 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432.
Customers with a valid Queens Public Library card can request books and photocopies of articles (up to 30 pages) through Interlibrary Loan. We do not borrow or lend CDs, DVDs, videos, audiocassettes, films, microfiche, microfilm, entire journals, or magazines.
There are several reasons for this:
- That particular library does not participate in Interlibrary Loan (such as the research collections of the New York Public Library).
- The book is part of a reference or archival collection and will not be lent out.
- The library charges a fee for lending. However, Queens Public Library will borrow the book if the customer is willing to pay.
- At the time that the request was made, the book was already checked out by the lending library's customer.
- The book is missing or lost.
If the book is sent to our Interlibrary Loan unit, it will be returned to the lending institution. Not all of these books are forwarded to the Interlibrary Loan unit. There are also instances when the book is not found by Queens Public Library staff, so there are no guarantees. You are responsible for any fines and fees the owning library charges.