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Our New Archives Website & Renovated Space2016-08-30Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott has announced the launch of the Queens Library Digital Archives website and the renovation of the Archives reading room at Central Library. He was joined at a ceremony at Central Library on August 30 by New York City Council Member Daneek Miller, New York State Senator Leroy Comrie, Queens historians, researchers and members of the community. Since 1912, the Archives at Queens Library, formerly known as the Long Island Division, has collected and preserved over 50,000 items and resources that document the social, economic and political history of the four counties that had comprised Long Island—Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Nassau and Suffolk—prior to the consolidation of New York City in 1898. “Researchers and the public who are familiar with our collections have long awaited their availability online, and I’m glad to say their patience has been well rewarded,” said President Walcott. “The digital archives website and the relocation and renovation of the archives space will give the public a new level of access to our collections and services, and help them discover a treasure trove of historical information about their families, their neighborhoods and the development of the great borough of Queens.” The website, http://digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org, includes 12,000 items from the library’s archives collection, including maps, books, musical scores, newspapers, information relating to the New York World’s fairs, and thousands of historical and recent photographs that offer a vivid record of life in Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau and Suffolk counties. The newly renovated space for the archives is located on the lower level of Central Library, and features climate-controlled storage units to better preserve the valuable, interesting and informative items that are in the care of Queens Library. “Queens’s history is one we can all be proud of and this renovated facility and website will allow people to have greater access to what makes our borough unique,” said Council Member Miller. “I would like to congratulate President Walcott and everyone at the Queens Library for making these important resources more readily available to our communities.” The new website offers multiple ways to access the collections. In addition to keyword searches, users will be able to search by neighborhood, material type and collection name. High-resolution images of detailed items like maps are a highlight of the site, making it possible to zoom in to the smallest details. Queens Library staff demonstrated the features of the Digital Archives website at the celebration at Central Library, followed by a tour of the new Archives space. |
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TEMPORARY CLOSING2016-08-12
Starting Monday, August 15, a mobile library will provide limited library service at McGoldrick every Monday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience. Customers are invited to use nearby community library locations; please visit queenslibrary.org/ql_findabranch. |
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NEW COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR JOINS QUEENS LIBRARY2016-08-10
She joins Queens Library from Phil and Company, a public relations firm specializing in non-profits, and advised such clients as the Museum of the City of New York and Union Theological Seminary. Prior to that, she was a Vice President in the city practice at Rubenstein Communications, where she managed public relations for The Frick Collection’s original expansion project, and also represented Hunter College, the Museum of Modern Art, Friends of the High Line and Pickard Chilton, a New Haven-based architecture firm, proactively publicizing their programs and accomplishments.
Before working in the private sector, de Bourbon served for 12 years in various communications roles in New York City government under former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, most recently as the Director of Communications at the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. At LPC, she managed the agency’s media relations, internal communications, website, social media channels and publications. “The work of the Director of Communications connects everyone at the Library to the communities we serve,” said Dennis M. Walcott, Queens Library President and CEO. “I look forward to Lisi’s immediate impact on our organization, and I join the rest of our staff in welcoming her to Queens Library.” |
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A New Way to Track Our Capital Projects2016-07-05Queens Library has launched an online capital projects tracking tool to provide comprehensive information about the progress of capital improvements to its libraries. The Capital Projects Tracker is available at www.queenslibrary.org/capital. Queens Library is the only one of New York City’s public library systems to offer such detailed, transparent information online. Dennis M. Walcott, President and CEO of Queens Library, said: “There are nearly 100 active Library capital projects on any given day in Queens and more in development, ranging from technology upgrades to interior renovations to expansions to brand new facilities, all planned to realize first-class library service. In our outreach and engagement with stakeholders, we have heard a desire to learn more about these projects. We are deeply committed to transparency and communication with our customers and the public. In response to your requests for more information about capital projects and to provide a window into the process, we have created an online Capital Projects Tracking Tool.” In FY '17, Queens Library received the largest capital funding in a single year in its history—$50.9 million. The funds are badly needed to build and renovate libraries. At the same time, the unprecedented investment underscores an increased obligation to report out to the public and various funding stakeholders. The Capital Projects Tracker lists which projects are funded, who funded them, what upgrades are planned, and what stage projects are in, plus information about how the capital process works. Anyone can click on any Queens Library location to see information about active, completed, and future capital projects for that library. Information will be updated quarterly. “We hope the Capital Projects Tracker will facilitate an ongoing conversation about meeting capital needs at a time when the demand for Library programs and services is greater than ever,” said Dennis M. Walcott. |
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Archives at Queens Library Closed Temporarily2016-06-20The Archives at Queens Library, located within the Central Library at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, is moving to newly renovated space in the same building. The Archives will be closed to customer service through the end of July while they move. The public is invited to visit the Archives in their new home, beginning in August. It will feature new décor and climate-controlled storage for the valuable, interesting and informative collections in their care. The mission of the Archives is to preserve the history of the four counties of Long Island, with a special emphasis on Queens. Their collections include many thousands of photographs, books, journals, maps, genealogy resources such as census records and old phone books and artifacts of historical value. Many are one-of-a-kind. A selection of photographs are available digitally. Go to digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org. |
