With Election Day just four weeks away, The New York Public Library is proud to release our 2020 Election Reading List. Featuring nearly 200 titles for adults, teens, and kids selected to illuminate issues at stake in the upcoming election, the list is just one way in which we are committed to fostering civic engagement at this important moment. With the deadline for registering to vote in New York State coming up this Friday, October 9, please check out our NYPL Voting Guide, which brings together in one place everything you need to know about making sure your voice is heard on Tuesday, November 3.

For 125 years, the Library has played a key role in supporting New Yorkers and our democracy through free and open access to information for all. Join us in continuing this important tradition by using this reading list and the accompanying resources, and sharing them with your communities. As New Yorkers face extraordinary challenges, it’s never been more important to make an informed decision and make sure all voices are heard. 

Tony

Anthony W. Marx
President, The New York Public Library

Election Countdown

NYPL's 2020 Election Reading List

The New York Public Library is proud to release our list of essential election reads to shine a spotlight on the issues at the heart of the November 3 election. Curated by staff from across the Library, the books on this list offer illuminating and engaging explorations of key voter issues, from climate change, foreign policy, and education to healthcare, political polarization, and movements toward greater justice and socioeconomic equality. Discover books for adults, kids, and teens, a range of titles in Spanish, and information on how to find e-books from the list on SimplyE, the Library’s free e-reader app. Read as if your vote depends on it. 

NYPL's Voting Guide: Make Your Voice Heard

With the November 3 election just four weeks away, the Library is here to help you find all of the resources you need to be an informed voter. This Friday, October 9, is New York State's deadline to register to vote. Find out how to register or update your voting information, plus find resources for voting by mail, looking up your local representatives, and researching the issues that will affect you.

Take the Census Today

Help ensure that your community's votes and voices matter. Take the 2020 Census before October 31 to help New Yorkers get the number of representatives we deserve to communicate our needs in Washington, DC—and to help secure the federal funding vital to the programs New Yorkers need. Right now, New York City's response rate is only 61 percent. That means we risk losing the representation we deserve in Congress and a portion of the federal funding that we need. Complete the 2020 Census today—and make sure your friends and family know what's at stake for their community.

Shop the Library, Support the Library

Show your commitment to voting with our newest line celebrating the power of civic engagement. Find totes, pins, socks, and more urging voters to make their voices heard. Each purchase supports the Library, and select purchases also support PEN America's Free Speech 2020 campaign.

LIVE from NYPL: Election Edition

How to Report the Truth: Leonard Downie Jr. with Judy Woodruff, Kevin Merida & Elizabeth Green

Thursday, October 8 | 8 PM
​Legendary Washington Post editor Leonard Downie has commanded national interest with his coverage on everything from presidential impeachment trials to domestic terrorist threats. Downie will join journalists Judy Woodruff, Kevin Merida, and Elizabeth Green for a discussion about the search for truth and how journalism can transcend the complicated moment in which it finds itself.

Women at the Forefront of Climate Justice

Tuesday, October 13 | 8 PM​
Join the contributors to All We Can Save: The Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis for an illuminating discussion on climate change. Marine biologist and writer Ayana Elizabeth Johnson will speak to leading women in fields from journalism to economics to find a way forward for climate justice in America. 

Political Roundtable with The New York Review of Books

Thursday, October 15 | 7 PM
Examine the current state of politics with contributors to The New York Review of Books. A cluster of crises, ranging from the epidemiological to the financial, racial, and electoral, now pose grave challenges to an increasingly polarized public. New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, Pamela S. Karlan, codirector of the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic at Stanford Law, Columbia University's Mark Lilla, and Yale University's Timothy Snyder will come together to debate how Americans can best meet these challenges. 

For Kids & Teens

Power to the Youth: Your Voice, Your Vote

Wednesday, October 7 | 4:30 PM
Hear how young people are getting involved and getting out the vote for 2020! Youth leaders Hawa Cham, Aniyah Danforth, and Pinnacle Garcia will join community leaders for a conversation on societal change and the vital roles kids and teens can play in our future.

Get Involved: Election Resources for Teens

Voting in federal, state, and local elections is an important civic duty. If you have recently become eligible to vote, make sure your needs and issues are being represented, and that you can have a positive impact on your community’s future. Plus, find out the critical roles you can play in the democratic process, even if you’re not yet 18. Do your part, and check out all the ways you can get #VoteReady this fall. 

KidsLIVE: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Anika Aldamuy Denise & Tania de Regil

Tuesday, October 13 | 3:30 PM
Join authors Anika Aldamuy Denise and Tania de Regil for a special KidsLIVE event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! Tune in for a discussion about their books, Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré and A New Home. Plus, learn about the process of writing a book, becoming an illustrator, and more!

Applying to High School During COVID-19

Wednesday, October 7 | 6 PM: SHSAT and Specialized High School Admission
Thursday, October 8 | 5 PM: Special Arts High School Admission
Our experts are here to guide students applying to specialized high schools during this challenging time. On Wednesday, October 7, the Library partners with The Princeton Review to take a look at the New York City Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) and the application process. Then, join us on Thursday, October 8, for a presentation about applying to New York City’s music, art, and performing arts public high schools.

More Resources & Events

This Is What Democracy Looked Like

Wednesday, October 14 | 1 PM
Dive into the Library's collections with author Alicia Cheng. Her book, This Is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot, uses NYPL resources to discuss the ways the American ballot has changed over the years and how ballot design has affected past elections. Cheng joins us as part of our new Work/Cited series, which will showcase scholarship supported by the rich collections of The New York Public Library and offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the finished product was inspired, researched, and created. Don't miss the first installment!

The Language of Thieves: Martin Puchner with Sarah Weinman

Wednesday, October 14 | 8 PM
Award-winning author Martin Puchner, a 2017–18 Cullman Center Fellow, discusses his new book, The Language of Thieves, with author Sarah Weinman. Together they discuss Rotwelsch, a secret language that the Nazis tried to eliminate, examining its connection to Puchner's own family and its powerful legacy of tolerance and resilience. Copresented by LIVE from NYPL and the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.

Charla con la autora: Veronica Cervera de “La Cocina de Vero” | Author Talk: Veronica Cervera from "La Cocina de Vero"

Martes, 6 de octubre | 6 PM
¡Celebra el mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana con nosotros! Venga y participe en una charla con la autora y bloguera Veronica Cervera quien nos hablará sobre sus libros: “La Cocina cubana de Vero” y “La cocina cotidiana de Vero”. 

Doc Chat: Poetry & Revolution on the Lower East Side

Thursday, October 8 | 3:30 PM
In this installment of Doc Chat, learn about the Lower East Side's literary history with Granary Books' rare books specialist Mary Catherine Kinniburgh. Plus, find out how you can explore the small press and mimeograph revolution of the 1960s and 70s using Library resources.

Winmo: The Free Tool for Business Research and the Advertising Industry

Thursday, October 8 | 6 PM
Looking for brands to sponsor your event, contact details for them, or more information about who manages a particular brand? Join us for this webinar to learn how to use Winmo, a premium database the Library offers for free, and reach your business goals. 

Make Smart Investment Decisions

Wednesday, October 14 | 12 Noon
​Making smart investment decisions can make a big difference in your retirement years. With some basic understanding of investment products and risk and return, you can take steps to grow your retirement nest egg. Alan E. Sorcher covers investment products, risk and return, and how fees can impact your portfolio. Learn how to spot the red flags of fraud and find free resources on the SEC’s online portal for individual investors.

New & Noteworthy

October Book Club Announcement: Luster by Raven Leilani

You can now download Raven Leilani's debut novel, Luster, on our free e-reading app, SimplyE, ahead of our October book club with WNYC. The New York Times bestseller, released in August, follows a young Black woman who becomes involved with an older white man who is in an open marriage. Download the book now to read along with our librarians and join in on Twitter discussions. Plus, get the chance to ask the author about her work in a special livestreamed event on Wednesday, October 28—and keep an eye out for her LIVE from NYPL conversation with Kiley Reid on Monday, November 16!
Download on SimplyE for iOS | Download on SimplyE for Android

NYPL Recommends: Election Edition

Wednesday, October 7 | 12:30 PM
Tune in as our expert librarians take questions from readers about what to read next. Plus, join them as they welcome a special guest from our research division to talk about the books featured on our 2020 Election Reading List.

Family, Friends & Mooncakes: Books to Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival | 家人，朋友和月餅：慶祝中秋佳節的書籍 | 가족, 친구, 송편: 추석을 기념하는 책 | 家族、友達、団子：お月見の本

On October 1, millions of people across the globe from China, Korea, Japan, and beyond celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival. Learn more about the mythology, folklore, and symbolism behind the holiday with these children's books.

The Finer Things Club: Biographies & Memoirs

Check out these nonfiction recommendations for your next book club. From Sandra Cisneros to Malala Yousafzai, there's a wide array of fascinating books to choose from.

From Hispanic to Latine: Hispanic Heritage Month and the Terms That Bind Us

A brief history of the evolving language used to identify people with ancestry from Spanish-speaking territories or from countries south of the U.S.-Mexican border.

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