Our city went through a lot this year. As 2020 comes to an end, many of us are likely looking ahead to what will hopefully be better days. However, reflecting upon the challenges we've endured, I am reminded of this city's true character, and why I am still so proud to call it my home. New York City has always been rich with energy, diversity, culture—that will never change. But perhaps even moreso, New York City is defined by the collective spirit of its people: strong, resilient, courageous, and able to get through even the darkest times—with patience and fortitude.

Though uncertainty remains, we here at the Library want to see through the final month of this year with an ode to our great city—or as our lions might aptly say, a roar for NYC. Read on to discover our list of books we love about New York City for all ages, plus online programs, activities, and more. I hope these offerings help you find joy and strength as we continue to forge ahead toward the new year, together.

Yours,

Tony

Anthony W. Marx
President, The New York Public Library

Roar for NYC

Just Released! 125 NYC Books We Love

New York City is the literary capital of the world—and, in many books set here, it's often a character in its own right. To close out the Library’s 125th anniversary year, we're paying tribute to the city with a new book list of 125 NYC Books We Love. Our love letter to the city we call home—and the great writing it has inspired—offers reads for kids, teens, and adults. From fiction and poetry to history and photography, there's something on the list for everyone. Discover which titles are available in accessible editions and world languages. Plus, download the list and find upcoming programs and resources that delve deeper into the history of the city, its cultural output, and the magical moments that make New York the icon that it is.

Robert B. Silvers Lecture: The Future of New York

Tuesday, December 8 | 8 PM​

Two enduring city institutions, The New York Public Library and The New York Review of Books, join forces for an evening of conversation featuring New Yorkers and NYRB contributors Molly Crabapple, Deborah Eisenberg, Michael Greenberg, and Hari Kunzru. In a conversation moderated by Jana Prikryl, they will discuss the resilience of New Yorkers and speculate how the city will come back from its setbacks in 2020. While there is no shortage of uncertainty surrounding 2021, there is always room for hope.

 

Simply New York: Writing the City

Thursday, December 10 | 8 PM​

From Washington Irving onward, novelists, poets, playwrights, and essayists have been wrestling with the contradictions, competitions, and contortions of life in New York. Novelist Issac Fitzgerald leads a panel of native, transplant, and part-time New Yorkers, including Susan Choi, Marlon James, and Min Jin Lee, to discuss the simultaneous and ongoing process of being molded by the city that they continue to reflect in their work.

Life Lessons from the Bronx: Desus & Mero with Lovia Gyarkye

Monday, December 14 | 8 PM​

The hosts of the Bodega Boys podcast and the Showtime late-night series Desus & Mero have penned their own love letter to New York with their new book, God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx. Join Desus Nice and The Kid Mero as they look back on what this year has been like for New York and spread some love for their city.

Start Reading Now: Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

For the month of December, our joint book club with WNYC will be reading the modern New York-noir classic Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem. For a limited time, download the novel, about a detective at a small-time agency and his search for his mentor's killer, on the Library's free e-reader app SimplyE—no holds or waiting required! Follow along as our librarians lead discussions throughout the month. Plus, tune in on Thursday, January 7 at 7 PM for a livestream conversation with Lethem himself.

SimplyE for iOS | Simply E for Android

Shop the Library, Support the Library: The New York Collection

Bring the city home with the Library Shop's New York collection. With its iconic skyline, storied history, and rich cultural life, there’s no place like New York. Celebrate this vibrant, diverse metropolis with gifts for every city lover, whether they’re a proud resident, a seasoned visitor, or someone who dreams of bright lights and city sights. Make your purchase by December 15 to ship in time for the holidays.

For Kids & Teens

We're Readin' Here! NYC Storytimes for Kids

The Library is excited to announce a new series of NYC-themed virtual storytimes, streamed every weekday in December! Join our expert librarians for stories about the city we call home, as well as literacy tips, songs, rhymes, crafts, and activities for the whole family. Plus, check out all our storytimes to get your young ones excited about books, literacy, and learning!

Calling All NYC Teens: College Search 101

Thursday, December 3 | 4 PM​

Wondering what colleges to apply to? Trying to figure out the difference between a public or private college? Not sure if college is right for you at all? Join NYPL's experts, who will help assess your needs and what post-secondary education options are out there for you. We’ll discuss the goals and aspirations you have for life after high school, talk about the different kinds of colleges you can apply to, and narrow down the schools that can help you achieve your goals.

NYPL's Teen Reading Ambassador Program

The Library is looking for creative teens to write and put together a magazine geared toward kids ages 6–12. Once a week over a five-month period, participants will connect and collaborate online to write and design a magazine that will help younger kids develop their own love of reading and books. Applications close before midnight on Friday, December 11.

More Events

LIVE from NYPL | To Be a Man: Nicole Krauss with Judith Thurman

Wednesday, December 9 | 8 PM​

Nicole Krauss, a 2009–10 fellow at the Library's Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, joins author Judith Thurman to discuss Krauss's latest book, To Be a Man, and the everyday messiness of love, death, sex, power, and alienation that informs her characters' lives. 

Doc Chat: NYC Protest Photography Under the Lens

Thursday, December 3 | 3:30 PM

What do photographs of 20th-century protests in New York tell us about protesters' demands, tactics, and political motivations—and what do they obscure? In today's Doc Chat, Julie Herrada, curator of the Joseph A. Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan, joins us to examine a series of photos from a 1934 May Day protest in New York City preserved in the Library’s Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy. Herrada and NYPL librarians will ask what stories these images can tell us about New York, labor, photography, and the Library, nearly a century after they were taken.

How to Create Your Best Content

Thursday, December 3 | 6 PM

Have you ever wished you had a good way to consistently generate ideas for your content? Join Michael Roderick, Small Pond Enterprises CEO and expert in referrability and reliability, who will share his tried and true methods for generating content ideas that will be a big hit with your audience.

Job Fair: How to Get Hired with Workforce1

Friday, December 4 | 12 Noon​

Representatives from New York's Workforce1 centers, which connect qualified workers with job opportunities across the city, will help review current openings you can apply to while sharing helpful tips for making the most of Workforce1. You'll get to hear from and connect with the Workforce1 specialists who have the ability to hire you, plus learn about how the application process works and what hiring managers look for in a candidate. 

Craft Your Narrative: Writing Workshops for New Americans

Starting Monday, December 7​

The Library is excited to offer free writing classes, led by Ilan Stavans, the Lewis-Sebring Professor in Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College, to inspire immigrants to tell their own stories. In three 90-minute sessions, participants will read and respond to short immigrant narratives and participate in writing exercises to strengthen their craft. 

Conversaciones comunitarias de COVID-19: salud mental, equidad y resiliencia | COVID-19 Community Conversations: Mental Health, Equity & Resilience

Tuesday, December 8 | 1:30 PM

La pandemia de Covid-19 es una experiencia traumática compartida en todo el mundo que perturba y afecta a nuestras familias, amistades, y comunidades. En Nueva York y a nivel nacional, las personas de color se ven afectadas de manera desproporcionada por COVID-19. Únase a la Biblioteca y al Departamento de Salud e Higiene Mental para una presentación virtual informativa de 90 minutos sobre dolor, trauma y resiliencia. Las personas que facilitarán el programa también hablarán sobre habilidades de afrontamiento relevantes y recursos disponibles.

You're Invited: Holiday Open House

Sunday, December 13 | 1 PM​

The Library continues our time-honored tradition of the Holiday Open House with the first-ever virtual edition, featuring storytimes, a puppet show, collection tours, choir performances, and plenty of holiday cheer! Tune in for a special holiday dance party playlist, downloadable kids crafts, and cocktail and cookie recipes from the Library's archives. We hope this year's virtual Holiday Open House will bring joy and festive entertainment to you and your loved ones.

New & Noteworthy

Gothamist | Dear NYC: Gems from NYPL

The Library has partnered with Gothamist to send a month-long love letter to NYC, sharing NYC-related items from the Library’s research collections to bring new life to gems from the city’s history, and paying tribute through photos, essays, and submissions from you.

Agree to Disagree: A New York State of Mind

Bacon, egg, and cheese or a bagel with schmear? Williamsburg Bridge or Manhattan Bridge? Bodega cat or pizza rat? Sound off and see what your fellow New Yorkers have to say. We might disagree on pretty much everything, but we all love NYC. 

Celebrating Central Park in Books

New York City has many wonderful parks, and the most famous one of all is Central Park. The park is the setting for lots of terrific stories: explore some of the many great titles with this curated list that looks at the fictional and real tales Central Park has to offer.

Picture Books About Famous New Yorkers

New York is a diverse city filled with incredible people. From Simon and Garfunkel to Langston Hughes, get introduced to a few of our star residents with these kid-friendly picture books.

ICYMI: Black Friday Travel Deals from NYPL

Just because Black Friday is over, don't think you've missed out on the best deal around! For an unlimited time only, take advantage of a FREE all-inclusive imagination vacation from The New York Public Library.

New Interview: NYPL President Tony Marx on Leading the Library

NYPL President Tony Marx was interviewed by the Native Influence about the role of the Library and its future. 

The Librarian Is In Book Club: American Primitive by Mary Oliver

 In this episode, Frank and Rhonda discuss Mary Oliver's book of poems, American Primitive, featured on the Library's anniversary list of 125 Books We Love. 

Sign up for NYPL Connect today and get the latest updates on Library resources available to you during our temporary closure sent straight to your inbox.