Posts by The Library Stories Project

It's no fun feeling disoriented in school, Yuridia recalls, so she was thrilled to get extra help from a free tutor at the Port Richmond Library to understand and finish her homework.

Behind every great book lies a deeper story. This week, NYPL Board Member Gordon Davis tells the story of his parents, Allison Davis and Elizabeth Stubbs Davis, and how they came to research and write "Deep South," a seminal anthropological study of racism in the American south in the 1930's.

Salesman Paul Couvertier figured he might need a half hour to prepare a resume when he stopped in one day at Aguilar Library. However, by the time he was finished, he had spent two hours getting all the forms together for his application.

When Alina Baez became a mother, she signed up for the Family Literacy Workshop at the Bronx Library Center and started discovering tips for building a strong platform for language and learning.

As he prepares for the release of his documentary on The Green Books, Calvin hopes to share with current and future generations the impact that a small group of people can have when they come together to create a resource for the common good.

For hip hop dancer Maria Fraguas Jover, researching at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is a transformative experience.

With the help of NYPL’s StartUp competition and the resources at the Science, Industry & Business Library, Steve founded Quikicks, a line of hands-free footwear that allows the user to step in and out of their shoes with ease.

Khadijah Haman loves the Library for all the resources it offers for her baby. As the mother of a young child, she has observed the gap between educational opportunities for the rich and the poor—and how the Library helps bridge that gap.

When Alyona Glushchenkova first came to the US, she had limited English skills and no one to help her with the transition — until she discovered the Library’s range of free ESOL and career classes.

Mercury Rodriguez, a custodian at NYPL’s Kingsbridge Library, loves his job.

Ben West, founder and director of UnsungMusicalsCo., is on a mission to give new life to the lesser-known authors and works of American musical theater.

As a student in NYPL’s free ESOL classes, Raul Flores is proud to say that he has gone from knowing just a few basic English phrases, to being able to converse comfortably with other English speakers.

With the help of the Library’s free TechConnect classes, Mary Ellen learned the skills necessary to take her school’s website to the next level.

Myles Dawson, a Junior Scholar at NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, has a dream: to change the world through comic books.

After coming to the United States in 2014, Yerfi Saldana found that his limited English skills were holding him back, both professionally and personally.

As a member of the team at AskNYPL, Matthew fields research questions both big and small from curious people all over the globe — questions that even the internet cannot answer.

Learn about how Tahmin is using technology to impact her community, and the sense of pride and purpose it brings her, in this week’s Library Story.

During her songwriting process, Sara comes to the Library to discover the rich histories and traditions that have shaped folk music around the world.

As a personal financial counselor for the Library’s Money Matters program, Steve Poppel encounters people from all walks of life.