The New York Public Library is pleased to announce that 22 additional locations will reopen for grab-and-go service on August 3, bringing the total number of open Library locations up to 30. Read more about how to use our grab-and-go services below and find out how you can start reserving physical books today for contactless pickup at one of our open locations. Don't forget your mask! 

As we move forward with our gradual reopening, we remain committed to providing essential resources and programs digitally, from author talks to storytimes, our virtual summer camp for kids, and career help. Tune in online for new author talks and book discussions coming soon, featuring journalist Mark Gevisser, historian David A. Bell, and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson. Plus, discover webinars, book recommendations, a new episode of The Librarian Is In, and more.

In the Spotlight

More NYPL Grab-and-Go Locations to Open August 3

As we continue our gradual reopening, 22 additional grab-and-go locations will be open to the public starting on August 3. Our new grab-and-go service ensures that you can safely request items online and, once they are ready, pick them up from a library branch in your borough. You'll get an email confirmation when your book is available on the holds shelf, and then you'll be able to collect it with our contactless checkout—no stopping at the circulation desk required! Read on to find your closest grab-and-go location, learn about reserving library materials, and more.

What Is NYC Reading Now?

The Library has just released two new book lists: one shows the top 10 checkouts on our free e-reader app, SimplyE, since the temporary closure of our physical locations began in March; the other is a list of the most requested physical books since our gradual reopening began on July 13. These lists reflect both the diverse interests of our patrons and current events—they are stories that probe complicated relationships between people and illuminate today’s most important issues. What have you been reading?

LIVE from NYPL

The World’s Queer Frontiers: Mark Gevisser with Andrew Solomon

Tuesday, July 28 | 6 PM
In Mark Gevisser's new book, The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World's Queer Frontiers, the journalist explores the way conversations and action around sexual orientation and gender identity have come to divide—and describe—the world in an entirely new way over the last two decades. On Tuesday, July 28, Gevisser is  joined by Andrew Solomon to discuss the new book, the result of seven years of research into the scope of 21st-century identity.

Men on Horseback: David A. Bell with Annette Gordon-Reed

Thursday, July 30 | 8 PM
Princeton historian David A. Bell's new book, Men on Horseback, chronicles five revolutionary leaders—Pasquale Paoli, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Toussaint Louverture, and Simón Bolívar—who struggled with emerging ideas of authority amid revolutions in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bell's book was researched and written during his recent fellowship at the Library’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. He will join Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, and past Cullman Center Fellow, Annette Gordon-Reed to discuss these leaders, the rise of democracy, and the cult of the strongman.

Caste in America: Isabel Wilkerson

Wednesday, August 5 | 8 PM
 A new book from Pulitzer Prize–winning author and Library Lion Isabel Wilkerson examines what lies underneath the surface of American life. In Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Wilkerson uses intimate personal narratives and deeply researched history to trace the ties between caste in America and elsewhere in the world, and points to ways America can move beyond artificial and destructive human divisions toward hope in our common humanity.

For Kids & Teens

Meet Author Aida Salazar in a Special KidsLIVE! Online Program

Monday, August 3 | 11 AM
On Monday, August 3, join award-winning author Aida Salazar as she reads from her book The Moon Within, about a young girl learning to become a good ally and friend. Salazar uses this important story to speak about celebrating the things that make you unique and finding empowerment. After the reading, stay tuned for a Q&A with the author and NYPL's children's programming staff. This event is presented as part of the Library’s Summer Reading program.

Find More Fun Events & Activities with Our Virtual Summer Camp 

This summer, the Library is offering fun new activities for kids of all ages to complete at home. Download our weekly activity packets and then tune in for instructional videos from NYPL librarians and staff—there are new videos three times a week! Learn more about our virtual summer camp and other Summer Reading activities. 

Celebrating John Lewis

The late congressman John Lewis worked tirelessly for over 50 years to pave the way for change, organizing with Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders. Parents and educators can teach kids of all ages about his life and legacy with books, digital resources, and media that highlight his accomplishments and provide insight into the fight for civil rights in America. 

Watch NYPL Storytimes on TV

Dive deep into great books for kids with our new book talk segments on WNET. Our children's librarians have already made appearances to read some of their picks, including Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton and Don Tate, and Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. Plus, hear what other kids think about these titles. NYPL librarians will be a part of the series throughout the rest of the summer, so keep checking back!

More Programs

July Book Club Livestream: Colson Whitehead

Wednesday, July 29 | 7 PM
Join Colson Whitehead and All of It host Allison Stewart for a special livestream event to discuss his Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Nickel Boys, featured on the Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List. Find out how you can join in and participate in the live audience Q&A. Plus, stay tuned for our August book club pick!

New! Go Deep with Library Doc Chats

Wednesday, July 29 | 3:30 PM
Doc Chat is a new program series from the Library’s Center for Research in the Humanities at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. In each episode, a Library specialist and a scholar highlight evocative items from the Library’s collections and discuss innovative ways of interpreting and teaching with them. Join us Wednesday, July 29, for our first episode, when curator Julie Golia will be joined by Colgate University professor Dan Bouk to discuss a curious map and its unusual connection to the Red Scare of 1919–1920.

Webinar: How the Most Successful People Work from Home

Tuesday, July 28 | 6 PM
How do you do great work while sitting near the same spot where you watch Netflix? Drawing on 18 years of experience working remotely, plus original interviews with managers, employees, and free agents who’ve perfected their remote routines, author Laura Vanderkam will share strategies for productivity, creativity, and health in the "new corner office."

Webinar: Navigating the Workplace in the Age of Pandemic & Protest

Thursday, July 30 | 6 PM
The global pandemic has changed the way many of us work. At the same time, uprisings and activism have shone a spotlight on racial and other forms of inequality in the workplace. Join Melissa S. Fisher, anthropologist and author of Wall Street Women, in a discussion about how new physical and social geography constraints will reshape racial and gender relations at work in the months and years to come.

New & Noteworthy

The Baby-Sitters Club Books & Other Nostalgic Middle Grade Reads

With The Baby-Sitters Club now on Netflix, it's the perfect time to revisit some beloved young adult series from the 80s and 90s. If you're looking for some quick, light summer reads, a walk down this reading memory lane is only a few clicks away with your library card. 

The Librarian Is In, Episode 169: When Our Interests and Book Picks Collide

Frank and Rhonda discuss their picks for the month: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and Passing by Nella Larsen. Also discussed: Reese Witherspoon's book club, viral "freak out" videos, and the post office. Plus, find out what their August book club pick will be!

Books on Mindfulness & Meditation

Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. It's a technique that has been known for reducing stress and anxiety, as well as building beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns, and more. Find guides to help you practice meditation, all available as e-books!

Inspiring Wanderlust: Books That Will Take You Away Even if You Can't Go Anywhere

Feeling stuck at home or in your job and want to take a vacation? Here are 10 books that will allow you to travel the country and the world wherever you are. 

What Geraldine Brooks Is Reading

Explore this recommended reading list from award-winning author Geraldine Brooks.

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