Press Release | July 28, 2021
One of the designs for the new Rego Park Library.

Queens Public Library, City and Elected Officials Reveal Design for the New Rego Park Library

Rego Park, NY (July 28, 2021)—Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott was joined today by NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, State Senators Toby Ann Stavisky and Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., New York City Council Member Karen Koslowitz and community leaders to unveil the design for the new Rego Park Library.

DDC presented plans for the new, state-of-the-art building at 91-41 63rd Drive, which will replace the current 7,500-square-foot one-story facility that opened in 1975. The new 18,000-square-foot two-story library, with estimated design and construction costs budgeted at $33.2 million, will more than double the size of the original library and will feature separate reading rooms for children and teens, as well as additional space for computer access and for educational programs and community activities.

Designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architects, the new library will offer greater access to free resources, technology and opportunity to the growing Rego Park community and beyond. It will incorporate innovative design, visual comfort including glare control, balanced acoustic design, natural light, ergonomics, weather and water tightness, ease of maintenance and use, and energy efficiency.

The Rego Park branch is among the busiest in the borough, serving – under regular circumstances – nearly 200,000 people a year and lending about 190,000 items each year. It reopened for to-go service last August, after QPL temporarily closed the Library’s physical locations in March 2020 to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The branch expanded service for computer use, browsing and in-person reference on May 24. Since then, Rego Park has been among the top 10 QPL branches for check-outs, number of visitors and computer sessions.

The project, which is being managed by DDC, is anticipated to begin construction in winter 2022 with an estimated completion date of summer 2025.

“The Department of Design and Construction’s outstanding design reflects the progress we have made towards providing this growing community a much larger, modern library with spaces that will uplift and inspire our customers as they access a world of free information, resources, services and opportunity,” said QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “I want to extend my deepest thanks to Council Member Karen Koslowitz for her decades-long advocacy and financial support for a new library, and to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and his predecessor Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz for securing the funds needed to build it.”

“DDC’s design for the new Rego Park Library greatly expands the available space and takes into account environmental sustainability and user comfort to create a friendly and enriching environment for both adults and younger people,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer. “Libraries are centers of learning as well as valuable community spaces and this project achieves both of those goals.”

"The residents of Rego Park have been waiting for the construction of a new library for a very long time, but thankfully we're here today to see this next step forward," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr. "The designs revealed today show the new Rego Park library will be a first-class facility that will meet and exceed the educational, cultural and occupational demands of this vibrant community. Libraries are community hubs that are centers of learning, literacy and culture, and the new Rego Park library will certainly fulfill this promise."

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “I am proud to have played a role, as the former Borough President, in helping to bring a new, modern library to the neighborhood. This larger, upgraded facility will provide a safe place for children and teens. When this makeover is complete, it will give our seniors and everyone else in the surrounding area greater access to computers, community activities and, of course, thousands of entertaining and educational books to read.”

“Queens Public Library (QPL) has been serving our borough for well over a century,” said State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “During the COVID-19 pandemic I was proud to take part in their Virtual Read Along series, which was just one example of the creative ways the Library continues to engage and interact with the community. With this new state-of-the-art facility, I believe QPL’s potential impact on Rego Park and the surrounding community is limitless.”

“I am proud to stand here today with my friends at Queens Public Library and DDC to unveil the new design for the Rego Park Library,” State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. said. “Whenever a library undergoes a complete makeover it is a chance to update and improve an important community resource. I look forward to being back here to open the new branch and check out all of the amazing upgrades, while also welcoming the community back.”

“Rego Park desperately needs an enlarged library. This was also the case over twenty years ago when I was able to get an approval for a new library. Over the years, the project was unable to get underway because the financial goalposts kept changing and additional funding had to be secured,” said Council Member Karen Koslowitz. “Today, I can say with confidence, thanks to the support of four past and present borough presidents, four past and present council speakers and Mayor de Blasio, this library project is finally on its’ way to completion.”

“I truly appreciate the time and effort that Queens Public Library and the Department of Design and Construction has put into the design for our new library,” said District Manager for Queens Community Board 6 Frank Gulluscio. “We enthusiastically look forward to the project coming to fruition for our community.”

“The students, families and staff of P.S. 139 are all very excited about the plans for our new local public library and we extend a very heartfelt thanks to all that are making this possible,” said Eleuterio Rolon, Jr., Principal of P.S. 139 in Rego Park. “Our local library has always been an important part of the community and we look forward to many more years of partnership for the benefit of all of our students.”

About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in multiple languages, technology and digital resources, and more than 87,500 educational, cultural, and civic programs a year. It consists of 66 locations, including 62 branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology lab, and two teen centers.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15.5 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.

Contact:
Queens Public Library—Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, 917-702-0016, ekern@queenslibrary.org
NYC DDC—Shoshana Khan, 718-391-1251, KhanSho@ddc.nyc.gov

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Tags

Rego Park
Books | July 20, 2021
Book images: Listening, Any Way the Wind Blows, The Turnout

                                         Spotlight on New Books for July/August 


Check out the library’s newest arrivals for adults, teens, and children. Enjoy critically acclaimed selections such as historical nonfiction, a YA novel about an apocalypse, and a picture book about listening. 

July 6, 2021
Any Way the Wind Blows (YA)  
by Rainbow Rowell      Book eBook
Bestselling author Rowell concludes her Simon Snow trilogy with a return to England for the characters, who must decide what comes next. 

July 6, 2021
This Is Your Mind on Plants (adult)
by Michael Pollan  
In this book of participatory journalism starred by Kirkus and BookPage, bestselling author Pollan explores and questions the world of three mind-altering drugs: caffeine, mescaline, and opium. 

July 13, 2021
Carry On (adult)
by John Lewis and Kabir Sehgal   Book  eBook 
This collection of wisdom from the late Congressman John Lewis offers his thoughts and reflections on experiences from his legendary life as a civil rights icon. 

July 13, 2021
Listen (children) 
by Gabi Snyder and illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Starred by Kirkus, this picture book invites children to focus mindfully on the sounds they hear during their everyday routines. 

July 27, 2021
World in Between: Based on A True Refugee Story (children) 
by Kenan Trebincevic and Susan Shapiro 
This is the riveting account of a Muslim boy’s journey from Bosnia to the United States – and everything he feels and learns along the way.

July 27, 2021
Walls (YA)
by L.M. Elliott
Starred by Kirkus, this historical novel explores the friendship between two teens who are cousins on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall. 

August 3, 2021
All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler (adult) 
by Rebecca Donner   
Mildred Harnack’s great-great niece shares the story of Harnack’s incredible leadership in the resistance to the Nazis in this biography starred by Publishers Weekly.

August 3, 2021
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood (children) 
by Kwame Mbalia 
Editor Kwame Mbalia, author of bestselling middle-grade novels, compiles stories that celebrate all of the joys of black boyhood in prose, poems, and comics. Booklist and Kirkus both starred this collection. 

August 3, 2021
The Turnout (adult)
by Megan Abbott 
Bestselling author Abbott probes the inner workings of a family-run ballet studio just as an accident threatens its production of The Nutcracker in this novel featured on many lists of the most-anticipated books of 2021. 

August 17, 2021
Cazadora (YA)
by Romina Garber 
Starred by Kirkus, and on Book Riot’s list of Must-Read 2021 YA Fantasy as well as Hip Latina’s list of Must-Read Books by Latinx Authors Out in 2021, this fantasy sequel to Lobizona is a world drawn from Argentine folklore.
 

News | July 20, 2021
QPL Logo

Update: July 20, 2021, 11:00AM

Mobile Vaccination Opportunities Outside Select QPL Branches

The Library is partnering with the City to offer mobile COVID-19 vaccination services outside several of our branches.

If you haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine yet, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. You’ll be making yourself safer and helping to end the pandemic. The Pfizer vaccine will be given. This is for anyone 12 and older and no appointment is necessary!

Dates, Times, and Locations:

Tuesday, July 6 – Saturday, July 10, 8am-6pm *
Outside South Ozone Park Library (128-16 Rockaway Boulevard)
* Due to Tropical Storm Elsa, the vaccination van outside South Ozone Park Library will be closed on Thursday, July 8 and Friday, July 9. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Monday, July 12 – Saturday July 17, 8am-6pm
Outside Rosedale Library (144-20 243 Street)

Monday, July 19 – Saturday, July 24, 8am-6pm *
Outside Arverne Library (312 Beach 54 Street), Kew Gardens Hills Library (72-33 Vleigh Place in Flushing), and St. Albans Library (191-05 Linden Boulevard)
* The vaccination van outside Kew Gardens Hills Library will be closed on Friday, July 23. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Monday, July 26 – Saturday, July 31, 8am-6pm
Outside Corona Library (38-23 104 Street), Ridgewood Library (20-12 Madison Street), and South Hollis Library (204-01 Hollis Avenue)

 

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Update: July 1, 2021, 6:00PM

Updated Mask Protocols

The Library had planned to make masks optional for fully vaccinated individuals starting July 6. However, in response to the rapidly evolving public health landscape and after reviewing new health and safety protocols adopted by the City, we will continue to require masks for all individuals in our locations for now. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: June 24, 2021, 12:00PM

Updated Protocols and Services Starting July 6; Most Library Locations Will Be Open July 12

As we continue to respond to the evolving situation in our communities, we are happy to announce service updates and changes to our policies and protocols. Given improved public health conditions in the city and in accordance with new State and CDC guidelines, we look forward to reintroducing a more familiar library experience next month.

Beginning Tuesday, July 6, we invite you to enjoy unlimited browsing and open seating at our libraries, without time limits or distancing requirements. Computers will be available for one-hour reservations, as they were before the pandemic. Note that masks will be optional for staff and customers who are fully vaccinated and required for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

In addition to these changes, we are excited that we will be reopening nearly all remaining library locations on Monday, July 12, and expanding hours. Several branches—Flushing, Glendale, Ozone Park, Pomonok, Queens Village, South Jamaica, Steinway, and Woodhaven—will be unavailable to open on this date due to construction, needed repairs, or their temporary use for other purposes, for example, serving as vaccination sites for the City.

Our Central Library and Middle Village locations, currently open for to-go service, will start offering the expanded services—unlimited browsing, open seating, computer use, and general library use—on Monday, July 12. Mask and distancing protocol changes will take effect at Central and Middle Village on Tuesday, July 6.

We are working on plans to begin gradually restoring some indoor public programs and classes this summer. Our virtual programs and resources are still here for you.

We know how much you rely on the library for inspiration, discovery, connection, and growth, and we are eager to see you soon as we open more of our doors and allow you greater use of our spaces and services.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: June 9, 2021, 1:00PM

Mobile Vaccination Opportunities Outside Select QPL Branches

The Library is partnering with the City to offer mobile COVID-19 vaccination services outside Cambria Heights Library, Central Library, Rochdale Village Library, and South Ozone Park Library.

If you haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine yet, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. You’ll be making yourself safer and helping to end the pandemic. The Pfizer vaccine will be given. This is for anyone 12 and older and no appointment is necessary!

Dates, Times, and Locations:

Outside Cambria Heights Library (218-13 Linden Boulevard) and Central Library (89-11 Merrick Boulevard):
Wednesday, June 9 – Saturday, June 12, 8am-6pm

Outside Rochdale Village Library (169-09 137 Avenue) and South Ozone Park Library (128-16 Rockaway Boulevard):
Monday, June 14 – Saturday June 19, 8am-6pm

 

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Update: May 27, 2021, 3:00PM

Browsing, Computers, and In-Person Reference at 11 More Locations Starting Monday, June 7

QPL is pleased to announce that 11 more libraries will move from to-go service to Stage 2 of our Reopening Plan.

Starting June 7, the following additional locations will offer browsing, computer usage, and in-person reference:

We anticipate reopening all available QPL locations for at least limited service by mid-July. Some locations—those undergoing construction or repair work or being used as vaccination sites, for example—will not be available for reopening at that time. We will provide additional details soon.

Please note that currently:

  • Customers should limit visits to 30 minutes or less.
  • A limited number of customers will be permitted in the library at a time.
  • No seating will be available except at public computers.

During your visit, you may browse materials, place requests for materials, pick up requested materials, receive reference services, use the computer and printers, pick up remote printing jobs, and use the restroom.

For everyone’s health and safety, face masks are required when entering and inside the library, and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people.

For more information, frequently asked questions, or to see a full list of Stage 2 libraries, visit our reopening website.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: May 13, 2021, 7:30PM

Browsing, Public Computers, and In-Person Reference at 12 More Locations Starting Monday, May 24

QPL is excited to announce that after careful planning and consideration, 12 more libraries will move from to-go service to Stage 2 of our Reopening Plan.

Starting May 24, the following additional locations will offer browsing, public computer usage, and in-person reference:

We will keep you updated about additional locations that will gradually begin to offer these services as well.

As we start this new phase of service and are able to offer more services to you safely, please note:

  • Customers should limit visits to 30 minutes or less.
  • A limited number of customers will be permitted in the library at a time.
  • No seating will be available except for public computers.

During your visit, you may browse materials, place requests for materials, pick up requested materials, receive reference services, use the computer and printers, pick up remote printing jobs, and use the restroom.

For everyone’s health and safety, face masks are required when entering and inside the library, and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people.

For more information about the other QPL branches offering Stage 2 Service, and other frequently asked questions, visit our reopening website.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 29, 2021, 10:30AM

Browsing, Computers, and In-Person Reference at 14 Locations Starting Monday, May 10

QPL is excited to announce that after careful planning and consideration, 14 libraries will move from to-go service to Stage 2 of our Reopening Plan.

Starting May 10, the following locations will offer browsing, computer usage, and in-person reference:

We will keep you updated about additional locations that will gradually begin to offer these services as well.

As we start this new phase of service and are able to offer more services to you safely, please note:

  • Customers should limit visits to 30 minutes or less.
  • A limited number of customers will be permitted in the library at a time.
  • No seating will be available except for public computers.

During your visit, you may browse materials, place requests for materials, pick up requested materials, receive reference services, use the computer and printers, pick up remote printing jobs, and use the restroom.

For everyone’s health and safety, face masks are required when entering and inside the library, and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people.

For more information and frequently asked questions, visit our reopening website.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 17, 2021, 10:00AM

Whitestone Library Has Reopened

We’re pleased to report that following its closure, Whitestone Library, located at 151-10 14 Road, has reopened for to-go service. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 15, 2021, 4:00PM

Five More Locations Will Open for To-Go Service Starting Wednesday, April 21

Five more QPL locations will offer to-go service beginning Wednesday, April 21! To-go service allows you to request materials in advance either online, using our app or by phone and to pick them up at one of these locations.

You can make requests now in advance of our reopening! Visit queenslibrary.org, use our mobile app or call Telephone Reference at 718-990-0728. Remote printing requests are also available at to-go service locations and will be available at these five locations soon.

You can also return materials to locations offering to-go service.

The following branches will open for to-go service three days a week starting Wednesday, April 21.

These new locations will be open for service Wednesday through Friday during the following hours:

  • 10am-5pm, Wednesday and Friday, with a one-hour closure for cleaning from 1-2pm
  • 12-7pm Thursday, with a one-hour closure for cleaning from 3-4pm

Currently, the following branches are open and offering to-go service Monday through Saturday:

Remember that, for everyone’s health and safety, face masks are required when entering and inside the library and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people.

For more information about to-go service, watch our video on our reopening page.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 15, 2021, 12:00PM

Astoria Library Has Reopened

We’re pleased to report that following its closure, Astoria Library, located at 14-01 Astoria Boulevard, has reopened for to-go service. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 14, 2021, 2:00PM

Whitestone Library Closed Until Further Notice

Whitestone Library, located at 151-10 14 Road and currently providing to-go service, will be closed until further notice due to a case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 10, 2021, 11:00AM

Astoria Library Closed Until Further Notice

Astoria Library, located at 14-01 Astoria Boulevard and currently providing to-go service, will be closed until further notice due to a possible case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: April 8, 2021, 9:30PM

COVID-19 Vaccination Site Updates at Flushing and Ozone Park

As you may remember, the City has been working with us to convert some of our locations into COVID-19 vaccination sites. Ozone Park will open on Friday, April 9 and Flushing is already open. Ozone Park will be initially operating Friday to Monday from 9am to 5pm and will later expand to six days a week. Flushing is open six days a week from 12pm to 7:30pm and closed on Tuesdays.

To learn how to schedule a vaccination appointment, please visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page or call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).

As previously indicated, books and other materials as well as printing requests that were on hold at Ozone Park can now be picked up at South Ozone Park.

For a list of all our to-go service locations, visit here.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: March 24, 2021, 7:30PM

Ozone Park Library to Serve as NYC COVID-19 Vaccination Site

New York City will be opening a new COVID-19 vaccination site at Ozone Park Library, located at 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard.

Library service will be unavailable at this location while the Library serves the City in this new role.

Ozone Park Library’s last day of public service will be Saturday, March 27, from 10AM to 5PM. You can pick up any library materials or remote printing requests currently on hold at Ozone Park through that time.

If you are unable to pick up your requested materials at Ozone Park, they will be available at South Ozone Park Library (128-16 Rockaway Boulevard) starting Friday, April 2.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for your patience and understanding. We made the decision to temporarily suspend library service at Ozone Park so that it could open as a vaccination site only after careful consideration of a number of factors, including the high need in the community and our ability to offer resources at nearby branches. As we work towards our city’s recovery, we recognize that the sooner more people are vaccinated, the sooner our libraries can fully reopen and the better for the public we serve and for our city as a whole.

To learn how to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in New York City, please visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page or call 877-VAX-4NYC.

We will share more details as they become available.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: March 9, 2021, 4:00PM

Flushing Library to Serve as NYC COVID-19 Vaccination Site

New York City will be opening a new COVID-19 vaccination site at Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main Street.

Library service will be unavailable at this location while the Library serves the City in this new role.

Flushing Library’s last day of public service will be Thursday, March 11, from 12PM to 7PM. You can pick up any library materials or remote printing requests currently on hold at Flushing through that time.

If you are unable to pick up your requested materials at Flushing, they will be available at Queensboro Hill Library (60-05 Main Street in Flushing) starting Monday, March 15.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for your patience and understanding. We made the decision to temporarily suspend library service at Flushing so that it could open as a vaccination site only after careful consideration of a number of factors, including the high need in the community and our ability to offer resources at nearby branches. As we work towards our city’s recovery, we recognize that the sooner more people are vaccinated, the sooner our libraries can fully reopen and the better for the public we serve and for our city as a whole.

The Flushing Library vaccination site will be open six days a week, from 12PM to 8PM, by appointment for eligible Queens residents. Additional days and appointments will become available as supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine increase citywide. Scheduling of vaccine appointments at Flushing Library for eligible New Yorkers should begin later this week.

To learn how to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in New York City, please visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page or call 877-VAX-4NYC.

We will share more details as they become available.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 30, 2021, 10:00AM

East Flushing and Rochdale Village Have Reopened

We’re pleased to report that following their closure, East Flushing Library, located at 196-36 Northern Boulevard, and Rochdale Village Library, located at 169-09 137 Avenue in Jamaica, have reopened for to-go service. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 27, 2021, 6:00PM

East Flushing Closed Until Further Notice

East Flushing Library, located at 196-36 Northern Boulevard and currently providing to-go service, will be temporarily closed for to-go service and returns on Thursday, January 28 until further notice due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 25, 2021, 1:00PM

Rochdale Village Closed Until Further Notice

Rochdale Village Library, located at 169-09 137 Avenue in Jamaica and currently providing to-go service, will be temporarily closed for to-go service and returns on Monday, January 25 until further notice due to a possible case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 21, 2021, 2:00PM

Flushing and Ridgewood Will Reopen Friday, January 22

We’re pleased to report that following their closure this past Tuesday, Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main Street, and Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison Street, will reopen for to-go service on Friday, January 22. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 19, 2021, 3:45PM

Flushing and Ridgewood Closed Until Further Notice

Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main Street, and Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison Street, will both be temporarily closed for to-go service and returns on Tuesday, January 19 until further notice due to a possible case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 6, 2021, 7:00PM

Central Library Will Reopen Thursday, January 7

We’re pleased to report that following its closure on Tuesday and Wednesday, Central Library, located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, will reopen for to-go service on Thursday, January 7. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: January 5, 2021, 2:30PM

Central Library Closed January 5 and 6

Central Library, located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, will be closed for to-go service on Tuesday, January 5 and Wednesday, January 6 due to a positive case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Telephone reference will not be available. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org/about-us/contact-us/ask-a-librarian/chat for live chat reference, or call 718-990-8508 for automated assistance with your account.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: December 27, 2020, 9:00PM

Ridgewood Library to Reopen Monday, December 28

We’re pleased to report that following its closure last week due to a positive case of COVID-19 involving a staff member, Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison Street, will reopen for to-go service on Monday, December 28. Please check here for hours of service.

For a list of all locations with to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Thank you for your patience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: December 20, 2020, 6:30PM

Ridgewood Library Temporarily Closed Until Further Notice

Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison Street, is temporarily closed for to-go service until further notice due to a positive case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: December 19, 2020, 11:00AM

Long Island City Library Closed December 19 and 21

Long Island City Library, located at 37-44 21 Street, will be closed for to-go service on Saturday, December 19 and Monday, December 21 due to a possible case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: December 13, 2020, 6:45PM

Flushing Library Closed Monday, December 14

Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main Street, will be temporarily closed for to-go service and returns from Monday, December 14 until Friday, December 18 due to a positive case of COVID-19 involving a staff member.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please visit https://www.queenslibrary.org or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: November 17, 2020, 7:00PM

Twelve More Locations Will Open for To-Go Service Starting Monday, November 30

Twelve more QPL locations will offer to-go service beginning Monday, November 30! To-go service allows you to request materials in advance either online, using our app, or by phone at 718-990-0728, and to pick them up at one of these locations.

You can make requests starting Tuesday, November 24 in advance of their reopening!

The following branches will open for to-go service on Monday, November 30. (These locations will not be taking returns until they open for to-go service.)

Currently, the following branches are open and offering to-go service:

Remember that, for everyone’s health and safety, face masks are required when entering and inside the library and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people. Bathrooms, browsing, and public computers are not available during to-go service.

For more information about to-go service, visit our reopening webpage.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: November 16, 2020, 4:00PM

Computer Appointments on Pause

To keep you safe as concerns about the coronavirus rise, we are pausing our recently announced plan to offer computer appointments.

For the time being, the only service available at open libraries will continue to be to-go service, which allows you to request materials in advance either online, using our app, or by phone and to pick them up at one of 23 QPL locations.

We appreciate your understanding and patience, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: November 10, 2020, 7:00PM

Public Computer Appointments Coming Soon to Select Locations

Queens Public Library will be expanding our available services by offering public computer appointments at select to-go locations, starting Monday, November 23. We will start taking reservations on Monday, November 16.

To make an appointment, you will be able to reserve a slot online or call the branch where you’d like to use a computer. You will also be able to print from public computers. More information, including how to make appointments online, will be available soon on the QPL website and via email.

Our Locations Offering Computer Appointments Starting November 23:

Visit our reopening website for a list of all our locations open for to-go service and returns.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: November 4, 2020, 8:30PM

Central and Flushing Libraries Will Open for To-Go Service Starting Monday, November 16

We are pleased to announce that Central Library and Flushing Library will offer to-go service beginning Monday, November 16. To-go service allows you to request materials in advance either online, using our app, or by phone at 718-990-0728, and to pick them up at one of these locations. You can make requests starting Tuesday, November 10 in advance of Central and Flushing's reopening!

You can also return materials to locations offering to-go service. For a full list of these locations, and for more information about to-go service, visit our reopening website.

Remember that, for everyone’s health and safety, facemasks are required when entering and inside the library and you must stay at least six feet apart from other people.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: October 23, 2020, 8:30PM

Forest Hills and Rego Park Will Reopen Monday, October 26

We are pleased to share that Forest Hills Library, located at 108-19 71 Avenue, and Rego Park Library, located at 91-41 63 Drive, will reopen to the public for to-go service on Monday, October 26.

With to-go service, you can reserve materials and pick them up at a library branch. Call 718-990-0728, visit our website, or use our mobile app to request materials. We are now taking requests for these locations.

For more information, visit our reopening website.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: October 14, 2020, 5:00PM

Ozone Park Library Opening for To-Go Service October 19

We are excited to announce that Ozone Park Library, located at 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard, will be opening on Monday, October 19 for to-go service and returns. Customers can start selecting Ozone Park now as a pickup location for their future requests.

To-go service allows you to request materials in advance through our app, website, or by phone at 718-990-0728 and pick them up at the designated library.

Visit our reopening website for more information and to see a list of all QPL branches open for to-go service and returns.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: October 7, 2020, 5:00PM

Forest Hills and Rego Park Branches Closed Until Further Notice

Forest Hills Library, located at 108-19 71 Avenue, will be closed until further notice for to-go service and returns in response to heightened concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Rego Park Library, located at 91-41 63 Drive, will be closed until further notice for to-go service in response to heightened concerns about the spread of COVID-19. You can still return library materials at this branch.

Please visit our website or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: October 4, 2020, 10:00PM

Kew Gardens Hills Library Closed Until Further Notice

Kew Gardens Hills Library, located at 72-33 Vleigh Place, will be closed until further notice for to-go service and returns in response to heightened concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Please visit our website or call 718-990-0728 for assistance.

Thank you for your understanding. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: September 21, 2020, 5:00PM

More QPL Branches Opening for To-Go Service September 28; No Fines or Fees Until January 2021

We are excited to announce that seven more branches will be opening on Monday, September 28 for to-go service. In total, 22 QPL branches will be open when these seven reopen.

The seven branches are:

On Tuesday, September 22, customers can start selecting these branches as pickup locations for their future requests, but they will not be open for to-go service until September 28.

Starting Monday, September 21, you can return your library materials to Fresh Meadows, Langston Hughes, and Sunnyside, but they will not be open for to-go service until September 28.

The branches that are currently open for to-go service are:

To-go service allows you to request materials in advance through our app, website, or by phone at 718-990-0728 and pick them up at the designated library.

We are also happy to announce that there will be no fines and fees on any library materials checked out this year until January 4, 2021 at the earliest. Additionally, all blocks on library cards with fines and fees of $15 have been lifted until further notice.

For more information, visit our reopening website, where you can watch videos about how to-go service works and how we are keeping our customers safe, read about our reopening plan, and get answers to frequently asked questions.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: August 3, 2020, 12:00PM

To help keep our customers informed, we’ve compiled this list of print and electronic books in English, Chinese, and Spanish about the history of pandemics and the current COVID-19 crisis. We also have a list of health websites and research articles for you to explore.

And remember: 15 QPL branches are now open for to-go service!

 

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Update: July 27, 2020, 2:00PM

More QPL Branches Opening for To-Go Service August 10

We are excited to announce that eight more branches will be opening on Monday, August 10 for to-go service. In total, fifteen QPL branches will be open when these eight reopen.

The eight branches are:

UPDATE 8/27: We’re pleased to report that, after necessary maintenance, Whitestone Library is now open for to-go service!

The branches that are already open for to-go service as of July 13 are:

To-go service allows you to request materials in advance through our app, website, or by phone at 718-990-0728 and pick them up at the designated library. For libraries opening for to-go service on August 10, you may begin to request materials on August 4. You may also return materials to locations offering to-go service.

For more information, visit our reopening website, where you can watch a video about how to-go service works, read about our reopening plan, and get answers to frequently asked questions.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Queens Public Library

 

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Update: June 25, 2020, 10:00AM

QPL’s “To-Go” Service Starts July 13 at 7 Branches

Dear Queens Public Library Customer,

I am very pleased to announce that Queens Public Library will reopen seven branches across the borough with “to-go” service and returns six days a week, starting on Monday, July 13. Nine additional locations will accept returns around the clock, seven days a week.

These initial steps to gradually reopen our physical locations while protecting the health and safety of our staff and the public are part of the Library’s reopening plan, QPL’s Path Forward in the Era of COVID-19.

The following seven branches will provide to-go service for customer pickup of materials in a designated area of each building and will accept returns at their exterior return machines. Materials can be requested online, through the QPL app, or by phone, starting July 6.

The hours at each of these locations will be: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (with a one-hour closure from 1 to 2 p.m. for cleaning); 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday (with a one-hour closure from 3 to 4 p.m. for cleaning).

In addition to their geographic location, the seven sites were selected for their size, layout, and condition as we assess whether and how the new service model and operating procedures, including physical distancing and other safety measures, would work in other libraries.

The following group of nine locations will accept returns at external return machines or book drops but remain closed to the public. They will be open to staff for fulfilling materials requests and supporting our other functions.

In addition, our Mail-a-Book home delivery service will resume.

Each of the buildings that will be in use during this stage will undergo extensive cleaning, and spaces will be configured for physical distancing. In accordance with expert recommendations, all returned materials will be set aside, or “quarantined,” for 96 hours before they are put back into circulation.

All staff and visitors will be required to wear masks and practice physical distancing. Hand sanitizer will be available at all open branches. At this time, there will be no on-site public programs, browsing, meeting room availability, seating, public computers, or in-person reference service, and book donations will not be accepted.

Customers can check out materials without accruing fines until October 1, 2020 at the earliest, and fine-based library card blocks will be temporarily lifted. Applications for library cards will be accepted online only, and cards can be picked up at one of the locations offering to-go service.

Depending on the experiences of the initial locations and as circumstances allow, we will gradually and carefully open more branches and provide additional services. In the meantime, we remain committed to offering virtual programs, eBooks, and other online resources, which we know have been vital for many of you.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we navigate our new realities together. The Library’s incredible staff are working hard to prepare for this next step, and we look forward to welcoming you back safely.

Best wishes,
Dennis M. Walcott
President and CEO, Queens Public Library

P.S. You can also visit our Reopening website to watch our instructional video about to-go service, get answers to frequently asked questions, and find out how we’re protecting everyone’s health and safety.

 

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Update: June 4, 2020, 11:00AM

A Plan to Reopen Our Physical Locations

Dear Customers,

In the past three months, New York City has endured unprecedented heartache, economic hardship, and turmoil as we confront the COVID-19 pandemic and the manifestations of racial injustice across the country and here at home. It is at times like these when we especially miss being able to offer a welcoming physical place where people can gather, connect and celebrate the richness of our diversity, and where we can look them in the eye and ask what we can do to help.

It seems that the world now demands even more of us than the one we left behind when we temporarily shut the doors of our 66 locations on March 16. Since then, we have strengthened our resolve to meet our mission, delivering critical services and resources remotely and offering everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the chance to realize the promise of their lives.

At the same time, we have been thoughtfully and carefully formulating a plan for our locations’ eventual reopening, keeping at the forefront of our minds the health and safety of the public and our staff.  While we are still working through many of the details, I would like to share with you how and when in-person service is expected to resume.

We, along with the Brooklyn and New York public library systems, aim to start reopening our physical locations in mid-July, barring unforeseen circumstances. Our plan will be continuously refined as we open each branch, and informed by city, state and federal guidance, executive orders, and laws, information and recommendations from public health authorities and the experiences of other organizations around the world.

The Library will reopen its locations for public service in stages, starting with six to eight branches where customers can make returns and pick up requested materials in a designated area of each building.

Prior to their reopening, the buildings will undergo extensive cleaning, and our staff will configure spaces for social distancing. In accordance with the latest guidance, all returned materials will be set aside, or “quarantined,” for a period of time based on national standards before they are put back into circulation.

All visitors will be required to wear masks, and we will provide masks to people who do not have them. All Queens Public Library staff also will be required to wear masks, and hand sanitizer will be available at all open branches. At this time, there will be no public programs, browsing, meeting room availability, chairs and tables for public use, public computers, or in-person reference service. Book donations will not be accepted.

We will continue to increase our collection of ebooks and other digital resources, and to offer virtual programs, services, activities, and events on our social media channels and other platforms. As we learn from the initial branch reopenings, we will gradually open other locations and expand services. Again, I want to reinforce that the health and safety of our customers and our staff are our top priorities, and we are undertaking this process slowly and with the utmost caution.

We realize that there are many questions and issues that still need to be addressed, and we will share more details and updates with you as soon as we have them. Until then, we look forward to seeing you again as we face—and rebuild—this new world together.

Take good care, and thank you for being part of the Queens Public Library community.

Best wishes,
Dennis M. Walcott
President and CEO, Queens Public Library

 

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Update: March 15, 2020, 5:00PM

To the Queens Public Library Community,

Starting Monday, March 16 and until further notice, Queens Public Library will be closed to the public in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of our staff and the public we serve.

To ensure you can continue to learn and grow with the library, we are expanding our collections of digital materials, which are always available, including thousands of free eBooks, audiobooks, eMagazines, songs, movies, and videos.

We ask that you keep the items you have checked out until we reopen or announce other options. Note that all due dates will be automatically extended and late fees will be suspended during the closure.

Please keep checking the QPL website and social media channels for new content as well as for updates about our plans to reopen.

We know how much our communities depend on our libraries and thank you for your understanding during this challenging time.

Dennis M. Walcott, President and CEO, Queens Public Library

 

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March 12, 2020

Queens Public Library is suspending all programs, events, classes, community room requests, and workshops from Friday, March 13 through at least the end of the month.

We, along with the Brooklyn and New York public libraries, are taking this step to limit the number of public gatherings throughout our respective systems in an effort to help the City slow the spread of the coronavirus.

QPL continues to carefully monitor the rapidly evolving information and guidance about COVID-19 from the New York City Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you, your families, and our staff stay informed and healthy, and to respond to the situation as needed.

To limit the spread of the coronavirus, we have

  • Significantly increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces like door handles and knobs, tabletops, counters, check-out and check-in machines, elevator buttons, and computer equipment at all of our locations.
  • Stepped up the number of times we service our public restrooms each day.
  • Removed all toys from the children’s areas in our libraries.
  • Encouraged our customers, staff, and the public to wash their hands properly, get the flu vaccine, cover coughs and sneezes, avoid touching their faces, stay at home if they feel sick, and contact their medical provider if they have traveled to certain countries.

We also are purchasing substantially more eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming films. If you would prefer not to visit our locations in person at this challenging time, you can reach one of our librarians over the phone or online through our Ask-a-Librarian service.

If you do visit, we ask that you consider practicing “social distancing” and limiting contact with others by:

  • avoiding handshakes
  • using our check-out machines
  • giving yourself ample space in our computer and seating areas
  • sharing your library card number verbally instead of providing your physical card.

There is a great deal of false information on social media and certain online news sites about how COVID-19 is transmitted and who has been affected. Below are reliable sources of the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and how to stay safe during this difficult time.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The federal agency, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides updates about the government’s response, answers to frequently asked questions, and resources and guidance for employers, schools, households, and travelers.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
The mayoral agency is monitoring the City’s response to the outbreak and updating the public about symptoms, prevention, and the number of cases in the five boroughs.

New York State Department of Health
The state agency is monitoring the spread of the disease across the state of New York and its response to the outbreak.

World Health Organization
The United Nations agency monitors public health around the world and educates people how to achieve good health.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as the situation with COVID-19 unfolds. Please visit this page for updates. We are more committed now than ever to serving our communities and the people of Queens and beyond, no matter who you are or where you are from.

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Coronavirus COVID-19 Queens Public Library health
Press Release | July 16, 2021
QPL Logo

Flushing Library Update

Flushing, NY (July 16, 2021)—Queens Public Library officials today notified elected leaders and community members that the Library’s Flushing branch, the busiest in the United States, will be closed until further notice when the City ends its vaccination operation there later this summer due to the failure of the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

The heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system became inoperable in late May, and despite multiple attempts and approaches, the Library and the City determined it could not be repaired.

Queens Public Library is working on an expedited basis with the City to replace the Library’s HVAC system, originally installed in 1998 when the then-newly constructed building opened for the first time. The design, engineering, and installation work may need to be completed in phases, taking many months. In the meantime, the Library and City are exploring temporary cooling and heating options.

In addition, the City has been planning to begin work on a new, additional public elevator in the building, potentially in the fall, which will necessitate a closure of the branch.

“We know very well that the library is the center of community life in Flushing and that it is an invaluable resource. So many people have been looking forward to the library’s reopening and unfortunately it is unclear when this will be possible,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “Replacing the HVAC system will take considerable time — it is an extremely complicated system — and we are working with the City to determine the best plan of action for installing a new one, and to evaluate options for a temporary solution. This work, along with the construction of a new, second public elevator, is enormously complex. We look forward to updating the community with further details as they become available."

On background, only for attribution to QPL officials:

  • In FY 2019, Flushing Library drew 1.7 million visitors, circulated 1 million items and brought in 184,000 program attendees.
  • Flushing Library closed in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It opened as a fulfillment center for requests in July 2020 and began providing to-go service in November 2020. The City converted the library into a vaccination site in March 2021, becoming its second busiest.
  • Flushing Library is a vital community resource. It is the first stop for New Americans. It buzzes with activity every day, from the moment the building opens to the moment it closes.
  • People from all five boroughs routinely visit to pick up materials in dozens of languages and dialects, read, study, gather with one another, or attend one of the hundreds of topnotch English classes, GED prep courses, technology workshops, job readiness classes, and other programs offered there each year.
  • The City of New York owns the building, and the agreement between the City and the Library governing the administration of the public libraries in Queens explicitly provides that the City, at its own expense, is responsible for such repairs or restoration as may be reasonably necessary in order to keep the library buildings in proper condition.
  • The building, completed 23 years ago in 1998, is the third to be built on the site — the first was a gift of Andrew Carnegie.
  • The building includes a 227-seat auditorium, a multi-purpose room for 150, conference rooms, exhibition areas, an Adult Learning Center and an International Resource Center.
  • It comprises 77,000 square feet, and required 28 million pounds of concrete, 1 million pounds of re-bar and steel, 30,000 linear feet of piping and more than 450,000 linear feet of electrical wiring in its construction.
  • The HVAC system is original to Flushing Library. It is enormously complicated, and consists of several components that together generate 2.4 million BTU (British Thermal Units)/hour. A major component of the system failed, rendering the system inoperable.
  • When the temperatures rose on several days in late May, the City installed portable air conditioners, which proved to be insufficient and did not keep the temperature and humidity within acceptable limits for the staff and the public.
  • The City was forced to relocate its vaccination operation to large buses parked outside the building, and staff are using the building as a staging area and are using its bathrooms.
  • The City has started moving its vaccination operations to an adjacent synagogue and plans to vacate the library later this summer.
  • Barring a change to state law or an emergency declaration that suspends existing procurement rules, the City will be constrained by law to using the traditional design-bid-build project delivery method used on the majority of City construction projects.

Contact: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, ekern@queenslibrary.org

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Flushing
General | July 08, 2021
Pride Together with rainbow hands

Pride Month may be over, but our resources list is here to stay! Here’s a sampling of the resources we’ve compiled in the areas of advocacy and services, archives and museums, arts, culture & media, healthcare and research, and legal. We’ve even included information on Pride flags. For our complete resources list, visit queenslib.org/pride2021. Our website includes booklists for all ages! 

Advocacy & Services: 

The Center
The Center fosters a welcoming environment where everyone is celebrated for who they are. They offer the LGBTQ communities of NYC advocacy, health and wellness programs; arts, entertainment and cultural events; recovery; parenthood; and family support services.


Hetrick-Martin Institute 
Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.  Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth between the ages of 13 and 24 and their families. Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, Hetrick-Martin seeks to foster healthy youth development. Hetrick-Martin’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models.


LGBT Network: Q-Center  
The Queens LGBT Center (Q-Center) is the LGBT Network's community center located in Long Island City. The Q-Center offers a range of services for LGBT people of all ages, and a safe space for LGBT people to build community.

 

Archives & Museums: 


Library of Congress LGBT Resources Portal 
The collections of the Library of Congress contain many books, posters, sound recordings, manuscripts, and other material produced by, about, and for the LGBTQ community. The contributions of this community are preserved as part of our nation’s history, and include noted artistic works, musical compositions, and contemporary novels. The Library’s American collections range from the iconic poetry of Walt Whitman through the manuscripts of the founder of LGBTQ activism in Washington, D.C., Frank Kameny.

NYC LBGT Historic Sites Project
The Project’s groundbreaking work documents historic sites connected to New York City’s LGBT community, giving life to its oft-untold history and influence on America.

NYC Trans Oral History Project 
This is a collective community archive working to document transgender resistance and resilience in New York City. They work to confront the erasure of trans lives and to record diverse histories of gender as intersecting with race and racism, poverty, dis/ability, aging, housing, migration, sexism, and the AIDS crisis.

Arts, Culture & Media 

Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance 
The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance creates, produces, presents, and supports the development of cutting-edge and challenging works in contemporary dance and all creative disciplines that are empowering to women, Latinos and people of color, and the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community.

NewFest: NY LGBTQ Film Festival
New York’s LGBTQ Film Festival features over 160 films, panels, and parties, and attracts over 14,000 attendees from around the globe every October. Their annual celebration of the year’s best LGBTQ film and media has grown to become a vital part of New York City’s cultural landscape, and one of the world’s premier gatherings of LGBTQ filmmakers and artists.

Stonewall Inn
The place where Pride began! 


Flags


Pride.com’s Complete Guide to Queer Pride Flags
Many flags represent LGBTQ+ Pride and more are always being created. Get familiar with them.

Healthcare & Research 

amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research  
amFAR’s top research priority is the pursuit of a cure for HIV/AIDS. In 2014, they launched the Countdown to a Cure for AIDS, a research initiative aimed at developing the scientific basis of a cure by the end of 2020. To that end, they initiated a multi-year $100 million investment strategy designed to advance a range of scientific approaches with the potential to achieve HIV remission or cure.


Callen-Lorde Health Centers   
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center provides sensitive, quality health care and related services targeted to New York’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities — in all their diversity — regardless of ability to pay. To further this mission, Callen-Lorde promotes health education and wellness, and advocates for LGBTQ health issues.


VillageCare 
VillageCare is a community-based, not-for-profit organization serving people with chronic care needs, seniors and individuals in need of continuing care and rehabilitation services, and persons living with HIV/AIDS, as well as other chronic diseases, for over 40 years.


Legal 

LGBT Bar NY Podcast (NYC LeGAL)
The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York (LeGaL) was one of the nation’s first bar associations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) legal community and remains one of the largest and most active organizations of its kind in the country. Serving the New York metropolitan area, LeGaL is dedicated to promoting the expertise and advancement of LGBT legal professionals while serving the larger community.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, and public policy efforts.

UnLocal’s Queer Immigrant Justice Project 
UnLocal's Queer Immigrant Justice Project helps with LGBTQ+ immigration issues. Contact them if you have been a victim of crime, abuse, human trafficking or any other form of violence as an immigrant.
 

Press Release | July 01, 2021
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson, and the NYC Council agree on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Photo courtesy of John McCarten and the New York City Council.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson, and the New York City Council agree on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Photo courtesy of John McCarten and the NYC Council.

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Statement By NYC's Library Leaders on the FY 22 City Budget

July 1, 2021—Today, Brooklyn Public Library President Linda E. Johnson, The New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx, and Queens Public Library President Dennis M. Walcott issued the following statement in response to New York City’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget:

“In an understandably uncertain budget year, we are incredibly thankful to Mayor de Blasio, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Finance Chair Daniel Dromm, Cultural Affairs and Libraries Chair Jimmy Van Bramer and all the members of the administration and City Council for keeping New York City’s public libraries strong as we all move forward into our next chapter. Libraries—welcoming spaces where everyone can come together to learn, grow, and unlock doors of opportunity—will continue to be critical to New York’s recovery and reawakening, so it is a win for the people of our city that our partners in government recognized their critical role and found a way to avoid devastating cuts that would have profoundly impacted public service.

“The over $22 million previously proposed cut in operating money at stake would have meant reducing our collections budgets, shortening library hours, and operating below pre-pandemic levels, right when our City needs us most. As we reopen all of our remaining locations in July and work towards full expansion of service, we are so grateful for the resources to ramp up to the level of service New Yorkers need and expect. We are also grateful to the tens of thousands of supporters who signed letters and called their elected representatives urging support for libraries during the budget process, and shared how libraries were essential sources of information, education, and support throughout the pandemic. We offered virtual programming, grab-and-go service and even served as vaccination hubs and testing sites.

“The commitment shown to our libraries by Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Johnson, Finance Chair Dromm, Cultural Affairs and Libraries Chair Van Bramer, the budget negotiating team and the entire City Council is deeply appreciated, and will allow us to continue to provide vital services to New York City’s diverse communities.”

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General | June 29, 2021
Pride Together with rainbow hands coming together

This Pride Month, Queens Memory presented a program on LGBTQ+ Voices in Libraries. At the LGBTQ+ Voices in Libraries panel, moderated by Marissa Richardson, the assistant manager at Auburndale Library and chair of the LGBTQ + Allies Committee at QPL, LGBTQ librarians and an ally talked about their experiences showing LGBTQ customers they are welcome in the library. 

Crescent Isaac-Muhammad, an ally who is a customer service specialist at Long Island City Library, shared how becoming an ally has changed the perspective of those around her, including her own family members, and made them more comfortable to talk to her and more accepting of others. Muhammad explained that it is intimidating not to be included and that once they showed the library was a LGBTQ supporter with book displays, customers felt more comfortable. 

Asher MacInnis-Call, a non-binary librarian who is the assistant manager at Kew Gardens Hills, talked about using signals to show you’re a safe person or place. They described these signals as breadcrumbs, such as clothing or buttons showing LGBTQ symbols such as the trans flag. MacInnis-Call also talked about the importance of assuring intersectionality by being intentional and not just showing white cis LBBTQ authors, but including neurodiverse, disabled, and ethnically and racially diverse perspectives. “Ask colleagues what’s missing,” they encouraged their peers. They spoke about the overwhelming interest at Queens Public Library in the LGBTQ committee when it started, an interest that was so large that the committee’s first meeting had to be moved to another room to fit all those present. 

Policies are just as important as the attitude that you project. Training about why policies are important can be crucial to help people understand why such policies matter. MacInnis-Call discussed situations when someone’s ID may not match their presentation, and the importance of using the name that they gave. Thomas Maxheimer, the manager of Ridgewood Library, speaking from the house of a relative who had previously not welcomed him in many years because he is gay, shared that the LGBTQ committee is working to achieve a written policy to use a person’s preferred name on their library card; many librarians do this already to be inclusive and welcoming. One written policy the committee has already successfully changed was to remove the Mr./Ms. designation from the library card application. 

Muhammad spoke about the value of the library’s implicit bias training and that it could help prevent people from having unhelpful reactions to customers. MacInnis-Call emphasized that we can’t make the public safe for everyone, but we can make ourselves safe people for others. It only takes one person to make you comfortable, Muhammad said, sharing an experience she had with a transgender customer after making a Pride book display. The more diverse experiences you are exposed to, the more you see that experiences are not universal, MacInnis-Call said. Maxheimer shared that kids come out to him in the library, knowing from the symbols on his ID that he is a safe person. 

The panel encouraged others to start LGBTQ committees to share resiliency, ideas, and camaraderie as well as to make change. 

For LGBTQ resources and booklists, visit queenslib.org/pride2021. 

Watch the panel here.
 

General | June 03, 2021
Raised Hands for Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. We've compiled reading lists and are presenting a virtual program that re-enacts the first Juneteenth, when slaves in Texas learned they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation two years before. We also have other virtual programs: crafts, storytime, and a musical celebration of resilience. 

All Queens Public Library locations will be closed on Saturday, June 19 in observation of Juneteenth. Join the Mobile Library from 10am-2pm at Roy Wilkins Park for the Juneteenth in Queens festival. Langston Hughes Library will also be tabling at the festival. Attend the festival's virtual panels in the days leading up to Juneteenth. 

Programs: 

Juneteenth Storytime 

Join Alexandra, children's librarian at Langston Hughes Library, and Rosemary, assistant manager at Corona Library, for a Juneteenth storytime. They will read Juneteenth Jamboree by Carole Boston Weatherford and Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine. Watch on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/QPLNYC. 

Saturday, June 19, 11am 

Juneteenth: Celebration of Resilience

Join Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels for a virtual DJ experience celebrating the beauty and contributions of the African diaspora through music. Tune in on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/QPLNYC or @QPLNYC. 

Saturday, June 19, 1pm 

Saturday Craft Series: Juneteenth Personalized Flag 

Participants will alter the color scheme of the American flag to represent red, black, and green. In addition, we will decorate the borders and interior of the flag with words that celebrate their family values, the relevance of Juneteenth, and/or the greatness of our African Ancestry. Materials needed: Colored construction paper (red, black, green, and yellow) or strips of white paper that they will color in, markers or crayons, scissors, and glue or tape. Sign up here.

Saturday, June 19, 1pm 

Juneteenth:  No More Masters, No More Slaves

The 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops Reenactors present a vignette of the moment when two enslaved women working in the cotton fields in Texas were informed by two black soldiers of the United States Colored Troops that they had been freed by President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation nearly two years ago. Algernon Ward Jr. discusses the aftermath of the first Juneteenth celebration. Join here: https://queenslib.org/3uJtHaO

Saturday, June 19, 2pm 

Books:

Adult Fiction: 

Conjure Women: A Novel by Afia Atakora: Book eBook eAudiobook 
Homegoing: A Novel by Yaa Gyasi: Book eBook eAudiobook
Juneteenth: A Novel by Ralph Ellison: Book eBook eAudiobook
The Underground Railroad: A Novel by Colson Whitehead: Book eBook Audiobook
Washington Black: A Novel by Esi Edugyan: Book eBook eAudiobook

Adult Nonfiction: 

On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed: Book 
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by  Douglas A. Blackmon: Book eBook
Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Book eBook eAudiobook
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson: Book eBook Audiobook
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Book eBook Audiobook
The War Before the War: Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for America's Soul from the Revolution to the Civil War by Andrew Delbanco: Book eBook

Children's Fiction:

Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson:  Book eBook eAudiobook
Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper: Book eBook 
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis: Book eBook eAudiobook

Children's Nonfiction:

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson: Book eBook
The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez and illustrated by Lauren Semmer: Book eBook
Hidden Black History: From Juneteenth to Redlining by Amanda Jackson Green: Book eBook
All Different Now: Juneteenth, The First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson and illustrated by Earl B. Lewis: Book eBook
Juneteenth by Angela Leeper and Joanna Ponto: Book eBook

Young Adult Nonfiction:

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by Kenneth C. Davis: Book eBook

See more Juneteenth eBooks on the Libby App! 

News | May 25, 2021
QPL Logo

The first anniversary of George Floyd’s killing is a moment to reflect on the meaning of what happened that day and on the role each of us has to play in combating racism and making the world a better place. Queens Public Library remains committed to promoting understanding, creating educational and economic opportunities for all and bringing our communities together.

 

Dennis M. Walcott
President & CEO, Queens Public Library

General | May 25, 2021
New York skyline with Vote written across it

UPDATE (6/21): The following libraries will be closed to serve as polling places in the Primary Election on Tuesday, June 22: Briarwood, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens Hills, Lefferts, Lefrak City, North Forest Park, Peninsula, Ridgewood, St. Albans, and Seaside. Is your library where you should vote? Please visit https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/ or call 866-VOTE-NYC (866-868-3692) to confirm the correct location for you to vote in your neighborhood.

     On June 22, and during early voting from June 12 - 20, NYC voters will vote in a very important primary election. This will help decide the outcomes of many critical races for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough Presidents, and all 51 City Council seats.
     The June primary is also the first time that Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) will be used citywide. RCV is a system of voting in which you can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. This new system will be used in all of NYC's primary and special elections.

Important Dates

  • June 22nd: Primary Election Day. Search for your poll site here or call 1-866-VOTENYC.
  • June 22nd: Deadline to Return Absentee Ballot. Last day to postmark your absentee ballot or drop it off at a poll site. The ballot must be received no later than June 29th.

     To find out what seats are up for election and who you can vote for, see The City's extensive guide to the 2021 elections, and visit electnyc.org. To learn about Ranked Choice Voting, visit NYC Campaign Finance Board's site for an explanation, a practice ballot, and a frequently asked questions section.
For additional information, call or visit these organizations.

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