News | April 21, 2021
QPL Logo

The conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd is an important step on the long road towards racial justice. Still, the moment makes clear how much work remains to bring systemic change and ensure that people of color can feel safe and valued.

Through the ongoing equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts we began with our staff several years ago and the President’s Council for Racial Equity we established after Floyd’s killing, as well as through the programs, services, and resources we offer the public, the Library is committed to doing its part to combat racism, promote understanding, create educational and economic opportunities for all, and bring our communities together.

 

Dennis M. Walcott
President & CEO, Queens Public Library

Michael Rodriguez, Esq.
Chair of the Board, Queens Public Library Board of Trustees

News | April 17, 2021
QPL Logo

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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!

 

****

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

 

****

 

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.

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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

 

****

 

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.

Tags

Coronavirus COVID-19 Queens Public Library health
General | March 19, 2021
Queens Public Library Central Branch Centennial Celebrations, 1996

On this day in 1896, Dr. Walter G. Frey and George E. Clay obtained a charter from the New York State Board of Regents for the Long Island City Public Library.

One hundred twenty five years later, Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the U.S., consisting of 66 locations that provide free access to knowledge, information, and lifelong learning opportunities in the most diverse place in the country.

That got us thinking: what else happened on this day in history?

  • Queens Public Library shares a birthday with Wyatt Earp (1848), William Jennings Bryan (1860), Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren (1891), Philip Roth (1933), Ursula Andress (1936), Glenn Close (1947), and Bruce Willis (1955).
  • On March 19, 1911, the first International Women's Day was observed, with over a million people attending rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.
  • On March 19, 1915, Pluto was photographed for the first time.
  • On March 19, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Standard Time Act, which established time zones in the United States and started the practice of Daylight Saving Time.
  • Herman Wouk's novel The Caine Mutiny was first published on March 19, 1951.
  • The Academy Awards were first broadcast on television on March 19, 1953.

Story Book Hour at the South Jamaica BranchOur South Jamaica branch holds a Story Book Hour on March 19, 1964.

  • On March 19, 1994, the largest omelette in the world (at the time) was made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama, Japan.
  • On March 19, 1995, Michael Jordan ended his first retirement from basketball and rejoined the Chicago Bulls.

Central Branch Centennial Celebrations

The Francis Lewis High School Marching Band march past Central Library in Jamaica to celebrate QPL’s 100th anniversary on March 19, 1996.

News | March 17, 2021
QPL Logo

Last night’s shootings in the Atlanta area, which killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, are another devastating reminder of the year-long rise in anti-Asian acts of racism, hate, harassment, and violence and of the long history of such incidents in our country. These acts are alarming and intolerable. Queens Public Library stands in solidarity with our Asian and Asian American communities, with our neighbors, friends, and colleagues, as we combat bigotry and hate and advance racial equity and inclusion.

Dennis M. Walcott
President & CEO, Queens Public Library

News | March 14, 2021
A COVID-19 Day of Remembrance

Dear Friends,

Over the past 12 months, our city has lost more than 30,000 people to the coronavirus pandemic, many of whom were residents of the borough of Queens. They were our family members, our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues, and our essential workers. More than 770,000 people in the city have contracted COVID-19, and all of our lives have changed.

Thousands of businesses, cultural institutions, and theaters closed, and 1.5 million jobs disappeared. The ways we learned, worked, played, grocery shopped, exercised, celebrated, worshipped, and used our public libraries were completely altered. We missed coming together in person with strangers and people we love.

Today, New York City’s Day of Remembrance, marks the one-year anniversary of the city’s first known death from the coronavirus. Queens Public Library joins our fellow New Yorkers to honor those who died from COVID-19 and to share in our community’s grief. To mourn, remember, and reflect on the challenging and painful events of the last year, the Library is observing a day of silence on our social media channels and on the homepage of our website.

As the fight against the coronavirus continues, I want you to know that Queens Public Library will always be here for you. Every decision we have made about our reopening and all the ways our staff have adapted and innovated our programs and services are rooted in our commitment to you—to your health and safety as well as your learning and growth. We will continue to work towards New York City’s recovery, not only by offering information, resources, connectedness, and opportunity to all and gradually expanding services, but also by providing our locations to the City for use as COVID-19 vaccination sites and as rapid testing sites.

With the arrival of spring, the downward trend in COVID-19 cases and fatalities, and the promised vaccination of all Americans by the Fourth of July, I am optimistic that—as long as we remain cautious—better days lie ahead.

Please stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and let us always remember the lives the pandemic has taken from us.

Dennis M. Walcott
President & CEO, Queens Public Library

Books | March 10, 2021
Book Covers

The library’s collections keep expanding! This month, we have adult novels by award-winning authors, biographies of pioneering women in science and sports, fun and adventurous children’s books, an illustrated debut teen novel, and more. 

March 2, 2021
Justine (YA)
by Forsyth Harmon 
This illustrated debut novel chronicles a teen’s obsession with a new role model – a grocery store clerk who gives her the attention she does not receive at home. Ali’s fixation on Justine, from landing a job to be close to her to taking all of her advice, turns consequential. 

March 2, 2021
Klara and the Sun (adult)
by Kazuo Ishiguro
From the Nobel Prize winning author comes a new novel that both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly starred. This novel grapples with the meaning of love through the eyes of artificial intelligence. An artificial friend who is hoping she will soon be purchased narrates, observing everything around her in the meantime. 

March 2, 2021
The Committed (adult)
by Viet Thanh Nguyen
This is the sequel to the Pulitzer Prize winner The Sympathizer. It chronicles the main character’s complex life in Paris in the 1980s.

March 9, 2021
The Code Breaker (adult)
by Walter Isaacson
The bestselling biographer tackles the story of Jennifer Doudna, the 2020 Nobel Prize winner who invented CRISPR, the revolutionary gene editing tool. 

March 9, 2021
How Beautiful We Were (adult)
by Imbolo Mbue
New York Times bestselling author Mbue returns with a masterful novel about the ramifications of an American oil company’s actions in a small African village. 

April 6, 2021
Billy Miller Makes a Wish (children)
by Kevin Henkes
The Year of Billy Miller was a Newbery Honor book. Billy and his family return for rambunctious summer adventures in this companion book starred by Booklist, Horn Book, and Kirkus and illustrated by the author in black and white. 

April 6, 2021
Broken (in the best possible way) (adult)
by Jenny Lawson
The bestselling author presents a hilarious, relatable look at her struggles with anxiety and depression. A chronicle of indignities, it was starred by Booklist. 

April 6, 2021
Merci Suarez Can’t Dance (children)
by Meg Medina 
Starred by Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly, this book heralds the return of Merci Suarez as she takes on seventh grade and learns how to love herself through experiences at home and school. 
 
April 6, 2021
Zara Hossain Is Here (YA)
by Sabina Khan 
Zara Hossain is a seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant whose family has waited years for their green card status to come through. Will her problems at school jeopardize the family’s immigration status? 

April 27, 2021
Whereabouts (adult)
by Jhumpa Lahiri 
Pulitzer Prize winner Lahiri wrote this novel in Italian and translated it into English, giving it a smooth, polished quality. The novel’s narrator is a woman who searches for her place in the world, until a moment at the sea changes her perspective.

Books for Women’s History Month

March 2, 2021
The Soul of a Woman (adult)
by Isabel Allende 
In this forthright memoir, beloved novelist Allende explores her feminisim and her career as a journalist, as well as more intimate reflections on the meaning of womanhood. 

March 2, 2021
Thrill Seekers: 15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports (YA)
by Ann McCallum Staats  
This book presents a collection of adventurous role models for any young woman, a blueprint to being bold in the modern world. 

General | March 01, 2021
400 Friends and No One to Call book Cover

Val Walker, a rehabilitation counselor, joined Literary Thursdays recently to talk about her book addressing loneliness and isolation, two timely subjects during the pandemic. She explained that the pandemic tested her to live her book’s advice on how to overcome isolation as she lives alone and lost half her business in 2020. She misses interaction and social contact through work and volunteering, such as smiles, touches, and hugs.

 
Walker provided statistics and demographics on the loneliness epidemic as it stood before the pandemic. 53% of Americans say they don’t have meaningful conversations on a regular basis. One in five say they don’t have anyone to confide in, a number that has tripled since 1985, when it was one in fifteen. 83% are annoyed when others pick up the phone while talking to them and 45% feel it has hurt their relationships. People are 2X as likely to die if they are chronically lonely and are at greater risk of illnesses including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. On Meetup.com alone, there are 2,000 groups for social anxiety. 


During the pandemic, there have been 800% more calls to crisis lines and mental health services. A 31% increase has been reported in anxiety and a 26% increase in depression. Those with disabilities and serious illness are more likely to be isolated as are those who live alone or who have had a sudden income loss. Money, Walker says, isolates, if you don’t have it. Others who are likely to be isolated include full-time caregivers, those in rural areas, people without transportation, those who are grieving, and people who have relocated.


It’s important to understand the difference between isolation, which is a lack of contact, and loneliness, which is perceived isolation. Internal and external factors can keep you from making contact or connecting. Pandemic inertia is real, says Walker, from collective grief and loss of lifestyle and activities. Uncertainty, she says, is isolating. And during the pandemic, when we have no plans, uncertainty is magnified. 


Walker’s book profiles fifteen people and tells her own story of overcoming loneliness and isolation after a medical procedure. That experience is what sparked her curiosity about isolation – she says that curiosity and caring can help with isolation. We can transform our loneliness by caring for others. It also can help to find a cause, a purpose or a mission – by volunteering you can find others in common situations. The thing that isolates you, in this way, can unite you. Walker also advocated for support groups where you can find people who understand you. Be pro-active, show up, and keep going. She suggested several sites that can help you get started with volunteering and groups including VolunteerMatch.org, Idealist.org, UnitedWay.org, and Meetup.org. During this time of sensory deprivation, Walker suggested giving handmade gifts, knitting, making clothes, and doing crafts so that those you gift the items to can have part of you that they can touch and enjoy.

Breaking out of isolation takes commitment and courage, but it can be done. Building a support system can be a years-long endeavor, but it is well worth it. 


400 Friends and No One to Call: Breaking Through Isolation and Buiilding Community is available as a book and an e-book.

 

 

General | February 04, 2021
Tax Forms

 

Get Your Taxes Prepared for Free! 


Filing your taxes can be complex and confusing. Queens Public Library has compiled a resource of partner organizations who will be providing virtual tax help this year.

Get the complete list of organizations you can work with here. 

Contact them directly for more information on the services they provide. Please note that Queens Public Library does not operate these programs, does not vouch for the accuracy of information disseminated during such programs, and assumes no responsibility for any statements made.

The following standard documents are required to prepare your taxes: 
•    Photo ID – driver license, state-issued non-driver ID, NYC ID or passport (for you and your spouse, if filing jointly)
•    Social Security card for you, your spouse, and your dependents
•    Proof of income (wages, interest and dividend statements): Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, Any other documents showing additional income
•    Forms 1095-A, B, or C, Affordable Healthcare Statement
•    Information related to any credits you’re claiming
•    Your banking information (the account number and the routing number for your bank, which you can find on a blank check)

General | February 03, 2021
Female businesswoman

In late January, the Job and Business Academy offered a program on how to get your business funded. Entrepreneurship Counselor Terence Strong presented ways that entrepreneurs can guarantee their own funding. He shared routes that are particularly helpful for underserved entrepreneurs, specifically minorities and women – customer-funded businesses and revenue-based funding. While women are 55% of entrepreneurs, only 8% of venture capital funded startup founders are women. Less than one percent are Latina and 1% are Black. More than 40% of venture capital comes from the Bay Area. 


A customer-funded business model can be a matchmaker setup, such as Expedia or eBay where the service is connecting buyers and sellers, or it can be a pay in advance system, a subscription model, scarcity/flash sales model or service to product model. Strong, who runs a subscription box, strongly recommends the subscription model in which you have returning customers, a positive cash flow, and customers who buy something repeatedly over time. In a service to product model, the business provides customers with services and eventually creates products that meet common needs that the services provide. 


Revenue-based funding is an opportunity to get an investment based on revenue. Some revenue-based funders include Clearbanc, Strike Capital, and Shopify Capital. Strong described this as a good opportunity to be judged on the business that you have, not how you fit into preconceived notions of who is an entrepreneur. Revenue-based funders are primarily interested in funding marketing to grow your business. In revenue-based funding, investors are repaid as a percentage of your monthly revenue. Three months of revenue are necessary to qualify. Strong shared two revenue-based funders that are focusing on underrepresented entrepreneurs – Corl and Founders First Capital. Women lead 30% of the businesses that Corl funds and minorities lead 40%. Of the businesses that Founders First Capital funds, 80% are led by women and 55% are led by women of color. When the bias is removed, Strong says, the best companies rise to the top. 


Visit our calendar to find more Job and Business Academy programs. On February 25, the JBA will host a deep dive into customer-funded business models. 
 

Events | January 29, 2021
Alan Shepard and the American flag on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission, February 1971, taken by his fellow astronaut Edgar Mitchell.

Apollo 14, which launched on Sunday, January 31, 1971, was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to land on the Moon, and the first to land on the lunar highlands.

To learn more about Apollo 14, join us for our special programs exploring the mission and celebrating its 50th anniversary!

Pictured: Alan Shepard and the American flag on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission, February 1971, taken by his fellow astronaut Edgar Mitchell.

Special Events

Apollo 14: Why Did It Happen?
Monday, February 1, 4pm
The U.S. spent nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars—why? Casey Dreier of The Planetary Society takes a historical look into the roots of Apollo, including details of the Apollo 14 mission, and will reveal the agendas and global currents responsible for this unprecedented mission of exploration, which happened a mere nine years after the first human was ever launched into space. Join here: https://queenslib.org/396Piml

***

The Science of Apollo 14
Tuesday, February 2, 4pm
When Apollo astronauts visited the moon, they left more than footprints; they built a science station to continue to collect data even when the astronauts returned to Earth. Marie Henderson discusses the search for lost lunar data in garages, the astronaut smokejumper that carried tree seeds around the Moon, and the importance of the Apollo missions and modern lunar science. Join here: https://queenslib.org/36kUDV5

***

Apollo 14: Rockets
Wednesday, February 3, 3:15pm
In this session, we will explore rockets to tie-in with the anniversary of Apollo 14. Bring paper, balloon, straws, pen, scissors, and tape. Join us at https://queenslib.org/3oaFBYS

***

Apollo 14: Could Humans Return to the Moon by the End of the Decade?
Thursday, February 4, 2pm
NASA is currently working with private companies to extend human presence beyond Earth orbit for the first time in a half-century. Casey Dreier of The Planetary Society will present an overview of Project Artemis—named after the twin sister of Apollo—and how it incorporates partners like SpaceX into the goal of sustained, permanent human presence on our closest celestial neighbor. Join here: https://queenslib.org/2YcMzkG

***

Apollo 14: "Moonshot" with Ms. Ashley
Thursday, February 4, 5pm
Join Ms. Ashley for a read-aloud of "Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11" by Brian Floca to learn about the first spaceflight that landed humans on the moon! You might know who was the first man on the moon, but do you know anything else about that historic space trip and its influence on later space trips? Tune in to find out, and stay afterwards for a STEM project on how to create your very own “moon sand” using baby oil and flour! Watch live on our Facebook page.

***

Apollo 14: Zoom to the Moon Story & Craft
Friday, February 5, 3:15pm
Families with children ages 4-7, join Ms. Jeanne, Youth Services Manager of Flushing Library, as we celebrate the mission of Apollo 14 with a story & craft! Bring paper, crayons, and scissors. Join us at https://queenslib.org/2LcvcNZ

***

Apollo 14: Bingo Baker
Friday, February 12, 12pm
Come and join us for a virtual game of bingo in honor of Apollo 14. Join here: https://queenslib.org/2MubGgv

***

Subscribe to Drupal blog posts