The New York Public Library Kicks Off Its Second Annual World Literature Festival In Honor of Immigrant Heritage Week Beginning April 11

MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert Sherwood, robertsherwood@nypl.org

Assets: 

World Literature Festival images here.

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APRIL 7, 2022—In honor of Immigrant Heritage Week, The New York Public Library will launch its second annual World Literature Festival (www.nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival)—a series of programs, author talks, multilingual storytimes, poetry workshops, and book recommendations that celebrate the diverse communities of New York City. Beginning April 11 and running through the end of the month, the Festival highlights the extensive resources available at the Library and reflects the many cultures and languages of its patrons.

The Library’s World Languages collection, which features books in over 60 languages available online and at branches throughout the system, is the cornerstone of the World Literature Festival. Patrons interested in reading stories from around the world can find book recommendations in a variety of languages curated by NYPL’s expert librarians and posted throughout the month at nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival. Books are available to download using the Library’s e-reader app, SimplyE, or available for checkout at local branches.

The Festival will also host a dynamic schedule of events online or in-person featuring international writers, including panel discussions Poetry Across Languages with Fady Joudah, Tomás Q. Morín, and Niina Pollari on April 11, Cultures in Translation with Jean Kwok, Etgar Keret, and Ingrid Rojas Contreras on April 14, and Japanese Crime Fiction: How It Caught The World with Allison Markin Powell, Marie Iida, and Juliet Grames on April 20. A selection of programs with authors from around the world, called In Conversation, will also be presented in the writer’s language. Conversations include:

• On April 12, Puerto Rican poet, fiction writer, academic, and multi-award-winning author Mayra Santos-Febres will discuss her work as a writer and supporter of international literature. (This conversation will be held online in Spanish.) Patrons can register for the event here. 
• On April 13, Korean author Un-su Kim will discuss his award-winning book The Cabinet (This conversation will be held online in Korean.) Patrons can register for the event here. 
• On April 19, acclaimed French novelist Patrick Deville will be joined by celebrated translator José Manuel Fajardo. (This conversation will be held online in French.) Patrons can register for the event here.
• On April 23, prolific author and longtime New Yorker Liu Yong will discuss his extensive background writing motivational nonfiction, novels, children’s fables, and art treatises that has influenced generations of Chinese culture. (This conversation will be held online in Mandarin Chinese.) Patrons can register for the event here. 
• On April 28, Ukrainian author Boris Palant will discuss his book Bill of Rights, a legal analysis of the most famous cases heard by the US Supreme Court, in addition to discussing the history and significance of the document. (This conversation will be held online in Russian.) Patrons can register for the event here.

The Library’s signature LIVE from NYPL series, which brings together distinguished writers, artists, and scholars for conversations, will also host two special online events:

•  Alien Nation: True Tales of Immigration on April 14, 7 pm. Sofija Stefanovic and friends celebrate immigrant lives in America in this special program marking the publication of a new anthology inspired by Joe’s Pub’s long-running storytelling series “This Alien Nation.” Patrons can register for the event here. 
• Bernardine Evaristo and Brit Bennett: Transatlantic Conversations April 26, 1 pm. The Booker Prize–winning novelist and The New York Times bestseller share stories from their lives in letters. Patrons can register for the event here.

For children, the Festival will also feature bilingual storytimes hosted throughout the month by librarians from branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Parents and caregivers can also access previously recorded videos of storytimes in Ukrainian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and French at www.nypl.org/littlelearners, as well as audio recordings of multilingual storytimes at www.nypl.org/storyline.

For more information about the events and activities at the Library’s World Literature Festival, visit www.nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival.

About The New York Public Library
For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at www.nypl.org/support.