The Library has long offered a safe haven for newcomers. Especially in these critical times, it is our renewed mission to welcome and provide opportunities to those who need them most—including new immigrants, non-native English speakers, and others who seek the tools they need to contribute to our society.

Opening New Doors
New York City is home to more than 3 million people born outside of the U.S., and half of all New Yorkers speak a language other than English. By supporting New Yorkers from all backgrounds, the Library plays a key role in upholding the ideals of an inclusive, civic-minded, and informed society.

This year, the Library has continued to further the best of these democratic traditions. To meet the growing demand for English language learning, we expanded our English for Speakers of Other Languages courses to offer more than 12,000 seats. Our students came to the Library from over 90 countries, speaking more than 50 native languages, to help build their language skills over the 10-week intensive ESOL courses. Attendance also increased at the Library’s drop-in speaking groups, with more than 20,000 English language learners attending in FY17.

Citizenship support is another way the Library has been an essential resource for newcomers. Since 2016, the Library has helped more than 5,200 immigrants on their path to becoming U.S. citizens. This year, attendance more than quadrupled in our citizenship programs. And in July, NYPL again hosted a United States naturalization ceremony in our iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, where nearly 200 new Americans took their Oath of Allegiance.

This holiday season, The New York Public Library has a big goal: We're raising $530,670 to ensure that all neighborhood branches can offer the free materials, educational programs, and classes that people depend on. We need your help to raise these essential funds—will you donate today? Every dollar helps. Thank you for supporting our libraries and the people they serve.