The Library is here for you. As New York City seeks to turn the corner on this difficult moment, The New York Public Library is pleased to announce the restoration of near full service at all available locations. We are excited to welcome patrons back into our branches so we can expand on the critical ways we supported New Yorkers throughout the pandemic and ensure our communities are poised to succeed as we recover and rebuild. We hope to see you soon at a branch near you—don't forget your mask!

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In the Spotlight

All Available NYPL Branch Locations Now Open

Starting today, The New York Public Library has restored near full service at all available locations in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island (not including branches currently undergoing improvements or in use by the City). We now offer general library use and seating, unlimited browsing, computer access, and more. In-person programs and classes will start returning soon and expand over the coming months. Please note that masks are still required at all locations.

Now Open! Rooftop Terrace at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)

Visit the Library's recently renovated Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) to discover our all-new rooftop terrace, among many other amenities. Our completely transformed central circulating branch, located in the heart of Midtown, features eight floors of services for all ages, including dedicated spaces for kids and teens, five floors of browsable bookshelves, the Thomas Yoseloff Business Center, and more! 

NYPL Bookmobile Service Is Back in the Bronx

As part of our service restoration, the Library is excited to announce the return of NYPL Bookmobile service. Currently, patrons can find one of our Bookmobiles operating in the Bronx, with service in Manhattan and Staten Island coming soon. Stay tuned for details. NYPL Bookmobiles are a driving force for reading—offering library card signups, books to browse, reading recommendations, and more—all outdoors! 

Expanded Service at NYPL Research Centers 

As The New York Public Library restores service across all available locations, our research centers have expanded onsite access. While research appointments will still be required to use many collections, select public reading rooms have reopened for quiet study, work, and computer use—including the iconic Rose Main Reading Room at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Visitors to the Library for the Performing Arts are welcome to use the new Outdoor Reading Room and borrow from circulating collections, and at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, exhibitions are now available for walk-ins on Fridays and Saturdays and with timed tickets Tuesdays through Thursdays.  

LIVE from NYPL: Outdoors in Bryant Park!

The Library's premier event series, LIVE from NYPL, is excited to resume in-person programs with a lineup of free outdoor conversations in Bryant Park. The talks, which explore U.S. history and politics, will take place in the Bryant Park Reading Room, located in the park behind our Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street, near 6th Avenue. Weather permitting. Limited seating available on a first-come basis.

Kai Bird and Alexis Coe on Jimmy Carter's Unfinished Presidency

Wed, Jul 7 | 5 PM | Bryant Park

Peter S. Canellos on John Marshall Harlan, the Great Dissenter

Wed, Jul 14 | 5 PM | Bryant Park

Jelani Cobb on the Kerner Commission Report

Wed, Jul 21 | 5 PM | Bryant Park

Emily Bass and Sheri Fink on America's Fight Against AIDS in Africa

Wed, Jul 28 | 5 PM | Bryant Park  

For Kids & Teens

Summer Learning 2021: Join Our Virtual Summer Camp!

The Library's six-week Virtual Summer Camp, part of the Library’s all-new Summer Learning program, is in full swing! Kids and families can drop in online anytime to find fun at-home activities and crafts that will keep literacy and STEAM skills sharp all summer long. This week, go on a neighborhood safari, find nature in surprising places, and travel through time with maps. Plus, kids can earn badges as they track their reading and activities with our online reading portal, Beanstack!

KidsLIVE: Ibi Zoboi

Wed, Jul 7 | 3:30 PM | Online
Join NYPL librarians for a conversation and Q&A with acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi about her book, My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich. 

Rockness Music: Outdoor Rock Concerts for Kids

Mon, Jul 12 | 3 PM | Stapleton Library
Mon, Jul 26 | 3 PM | Stapleton Library
Stapleton Library presents a series of family-friendly outdoor rock concerts with Rockness Music! During the show, kids can join in with the band and participate in sing-a-longs, big movement, and dramatic play.

KidsLIVE: Ellen Hagan

Wed, Jul 14 | 3:30 PM | Online
Author Ellen Hagan joins NYPL librarians for a conversation and Q&A about her book, Reckless, Glorious, Girl, what inspires her, and what it's like to be a writer.

More Events & Resources

July Book Club: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

This July, the Library's virtual book club with WNYC is reading Zakiya Dalila Harris's debut novel, The Other Black Girl, a thriller about two young Black women who meet—and are pitted against each other—amid the starkly white backdrop of the New York City book-publishing world. You can start reading the book now using the Library's free e-reader app, SimplyE, available for iOS and Android devices. Throughout the month, you'll be able to join librarian-led discussion groups and share your thoughts on Twitter, culminating in a livestream conversation and Q&A with the author herself, hosted by WNYC's Alison Stewart!

Immigrant Writing Workshops with Restless Books

Mondays in July | Online
The Library is partnering with Restless Books for a series of free writing classes to inspire immigrants to tell their own stories. Classes are conducted in English and will meet weekly online for three 90-minute sessions. Participants must attend all three sessions.

Language Conversation Groups

Practice conversation skills in a wide array of languages—including Español (Spanish), 中文 (Chinese), বাংলা (Bengali), kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole), and more—with your fellow New Yorkers and expert librarians from branches across NYPL, including our Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL).

New & Noteworthy

Thank You for Standing Up for NYC Libraries

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson, and the City Council are restoring full funding for New York's public libraries. This significant investment from City leaders underlines what you already know: that public libraries are the heart of a fair and equitable city, and are crucial to NYC's recovery. Thank you for signing a letter to let City leaders know how important our public libraries are for all New Yorkers.

9 New Poetry Collections to Savor This Summer

This summer, dive into some poetry! These new poetry collections will open readers up to both longtime masters of the art like Joy Harjo and daring new voices like Threa Almontaser.

Views from the Digital Collections: Madison Square Garden

Home to the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden has been the site of historic sports matchups and legendary performances by some of the greatest artists of the last century. The arena we know today, however, is not the same venue that opened to the world in 1874. Take a look through MSG’s history with NYPL's Digital Collections.

The Librarian Is In Podcast: Memorial by Bryan Washington

Frank and Crystal read Bryan Washington's Memorial, about a couple that finds themselves questioning their relationship after a death in the family. Plus, they talk about the film adaptation of Somerset Maugham's The Painted Veil and Crystal shares a new ASMR challenge. 

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