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We hope you will visit Queens Public Library as you head back to school and throughout the school year!

Our library staff members are here to help you find what you need, including resources that can help you with your homework and school projects.

Free Books and Materials

Discover millions of free books at the library and enjoy reading and learning all year. Use your library card to check out books, eBooks, audiobooks, and so much more!

Computers and Wi-Fi

You can use the free public computers available at every library for up to an hour each day, and if you bring your own device, you can access our free wireless network.

Free Tablets

Borrow a tablet from the library for 1 month with 3 renewals (for a maximum total of 4 months). Bring your tablet to the library or anywhere with Wi-Fi for a full Internet and educational experience.

Educational Programs

Children, teens, and families can participate in programs that are educational and fun, like tech classes, hands-on science workshops, author talks, parent workshops, and more. Try our virtual programs on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/QueensPublicLibrary, or on our Facebook page, facebook.com/QPLNYC.

Online Libraries and Resources

Young children and teens can access our TumbleBook online libraries—which include animated talking picture books, early reader chapter books, children’s classics, graphic novels, YA/Teen novels, educational videos from National Geographic, and more. They can also visit the QPL website and find resources specifically for kids and teens, including booklists, databases, dictionaries, and more.

Welcoming Spaces

Your local library is a great spot for kids and teens to do homework and research, and for families to spend time reading and learning together.

Connections With Teachers

Queens Public Library can arrange class visits to neighborhood libraries and get students signed up for library cards. Queens teachers can also create Assignment Alerts that take advantage of the materials available at their local library for student projects and assignments. There is also MyLibrary NYC, a partnership between QPL and the NYC Department of Education that empowers school libraries and school librarians. For more information about all these resources, visit the QPL website.

STACKS After-School

STACKS is an after-school program for children Grades K-5 and operates during the school year Monday through Friday from 3-5:30pm. STACKS offers children structured and unstructured programming every day. Each session begins with homework help, facilitated by qualified and caring staff supervised by a children’s librarian. Children can also participate in a variety of enrichment activities and projects that are informative, hands-on, and fun, complement the school curriculum, and allow students to use all the resources Queens Public Library has to offer.

STACKS is not available at all QPL locations. Check with your librarian to find out if STACKS is available at your local branch.

STACKS Virtual World

This virtual program offers daily enrichment activities for students in Grades K-5. It also enhances fun and learning through structured, age-appropriate activities that are accessible to families with computer technology and Internet access. From the safety and comfort of their own homes, young people can develop their social, emotional, cognitive, and hands-on skills in a secure online environment. Please see the STACKS page on the QPL website for more information.

Queens Connected Mobile Hotspot Lending Program

Do you need Internet at home for your child’s schoolwork? We’ve got you covered. QPL offers Wi-Fi hotspots to provide you with free unlimited Internet, so students can keep up with homework and access online resources. Hotspots are available at select library locations. Limit of one device per household; devices may be checked out for 2 months, with up to 5 optional renewals.

Library Cards

A QPL card is your passport to over 5.3 million books, movies, and other media; over 19,000 classes and events per year; over 5,000 computer workstations; and so much more! Apply online or in-person now!

Children 12 and over can apply for a library card. Children 11 and younger must have a parent or guardian who resides at the same address (with proof of identification and address) sign for permission to get a library card. For more information, call (718) 990-0700. Access your account information, renew books, and check availability on the QPL website, or call (718) 990-8508.

Check out our list of recently released books for all ages, including a variety of absorbing novels, twisty thrillers, and mind-expanding nonfiction—from Kristin Dwyer’s debut YA romance Some Mistakes Were Made, to Linda Villarosa’s Under the Skin, which examines the toll racism takes on the health of Black Americans and the entire nation. Read on for more stellar recommendations!

Fiction for Adults

The Summer Place: A Novel
by Jennifer Weiner
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook | CD Audio | Large Print
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of That Summer comes another heartfelt and unputdownable novel of family, secrets, and the ties that bind.

Meant To Be: A Novel
by Emily Giffin
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook | CD Audio | Large Print | Playaway
He is American royalty. She comes from a troubled past. Is their love story meant to be? This “lively page-turner” (The New York Times) offers a nostalgic, hopelessly romantic escape—from the author of Something Borrowed and The Lies That Bind.

This Time Tomorrow
by Emma Straub
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook | CD Audio | Large Print | Playaway
With her celebrated humor, insight, and heart, beloved New York Times bestseller Emma Straub offers her own twist on traditional time travel tropes, and a different kind of love story.

Out of the Clear Blue Sky
by Kristan Higgins
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins comes a funny and surprising new novel about losing it all—and getting back more than you ever expected.

The Girl Who Survived: A Riveting Novel of Suspense with a Shocking Twist
by Lisa Jackson
Print | Ebook | Playaway
In this deviously volatile, deliciously creepy thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson, the lone survivor of a brutal family massacre must uncover the awful truth about the fateful night that left her forever marked.

Nonfiction for Adults

African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals
by David Hackett Fischer
Print | Ebook
In this sweeping, foundational work, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Hackett Fischer draws on extensive research to show how enslaved Africans and their descendants enlarged American ideas of freedom in varying ways in different regions of the early United States.

Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation
by Linda Villarosa
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
From an award-winning writer at the New York Times Magazine and a contributor to the 1619 Project comes a landmark book that tells the full story of racial health disparities in America, revealing the toll racism takes on individuals and the health of our nation overall.

Sisters in Resistance: How a German Spy, a Banker's Wife, and Mussolini's Daughter Outwitted the Nazis
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Print | Ebook
Discover how three women delivered critical evidence of Axis war crimes to Allied forces during World War II in “a tantalizingly novelistic history lesson" (Kirkus) that’s as twisted as any spy thriller.

Young Adult (Teens) Fiction and Nonfiction

Some Mistakes Were Made
by Kristin Dwyer
Print | Ebook
Sarah Dessen meets Adam Silvera in the debut YA romance everyone is talking about!

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
by Sonora Reyes
Print | Ebook
A sharply funny and moving debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self. Perfect for fans of Erika L. Sánchez, Leah Johnson, and Gabby Rivera.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler: A Novel
by Casey McQuiston
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need.

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality
by Eliot Schrefer
Print | Ebook
This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in animals.

Inheritance: A Visual Poem
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpré-winning novel-in-verse, The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad—the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance.

Children’s Books

Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country (Picturebook)
by Kelly Yang
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang comes a gorgeously illustrated picture book about Asian American changemakers doing everything they dreamed of and inspiring all of us to reach for new heights! Each spread is illustrated by a different renowned Asian American or Asian artist, including Yo-Yo Ma, Sandra Oh, and I. M. Pei.

I Won’t Give Up My Rubber Band (Picturebook)
by Shinsuke Yoshitake (Illust.)
Print | Ebook
An everyday object (the endlessly versatile rubber band) becomes an invitation to imagine new possibilities in the latest laugh-out-loud picture book from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake!

Small Town Pride (Middle Grade Novel)
by Phil Stamper
Print | Ebook | eAudiobook
From acclaimed author Phil Stamper (The Gravity of Us and As Far as You’ll Take Me) comes a poignant coming-of-age, contemporary middle grade debut novel about finding your place, using your voice, and the true meaning of pride. Perfect for fans of Rick by Alex Gino and The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy.

Dance Party NYC, on Saturday, August 6, is a special, citywide event. You are invited to get down with thousands of New Yorkers along 100 city blocks in 90 locations across all 5 boroughs.

Central Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica
11am  Music with DJ Lennox*
          STEM Activities and Giveaways (while supplies last): Sun Safety, UV Beads, and Gears

East Elmhurst Library
95-06 Astoria Boulevard
11am      QPL Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels MCing
11:30am Music with DJ Stokes (until 6:30pm)
12pm      Dena's School of the Arts Dance Group
1:30pm   Face Painting and Balloon Twisting
2pm        Sharing the World with George Dixon
               (Location: Meeting Rooms A & B)
2pm        Berto Reyes and His Band
3pm        Special DJ appearance by NYC Council Member Francisco Moya

Elmhurst Library**
86-07 Broadway
2pm Chinese Music and Dance for Kids with Chinese Theater Works

Hunters Point Library***
47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City
10:30am Sound Stage Music with Fit4Kids
2pm Adult Zumba with Ciara

Langston Hughes Library
100-01 Northern Boulevard, Corona
2pm Dance Workshops presented by Urzúa Dance Academy

Peninsula Library***
92-25 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
3pm DJ MB Kidz Bop Program

Ridgewood Library****
20-12 Madison Street
3pm Pop, Jazz y Sazon with Edwin Vazquez & Friends

Windsor Park Library***
79-50 Bell Boulevard
2pm Face Painting with Party Colors
3pm Children and Families Band Performance

Queens Public Library is proud to present this program as part of the Festival of New York. For more information, visit festivalofny.com

*This program is sponsored by Bike the Block Queens.
**This program is sponsored by the Queens Public Library Foundation.
***Summer Reading at New York Libraries is funded through the Federal Library Services and Technology Act, with funds awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. 
****This program is sponsored by the Friends of Ridgewood Library.

Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Linda Lee Announce Over $9 Million in Funding for the Renovation of the Queens Village Public Library

Queens Village, NY_On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Linda Lee announced that Queens Village Public Library, located at 94-11 217th Street, will receive $9,587,000 million for capital renovations in the Fiscal Year 2023 NYC Budget. In attendance were Assembly Member Clyde Vanel, Assembly Member David Weprin, Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott, and various community leaders and residents. 

“I am proud to join Speaker Adrienne Adams to allocate these funds to give the Queens Village Public Library a much-needed overhaul and provide the community a modern and accessible facility,” said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. “Libraries are more than just a place to read your favorite book; they serve as community centers for residents to socialize and engage with one another and access the internet and essential services. Residents deserve to feel a sense of pride in their neighborhood, and this investment will make an impact on young people and seniors throughout Queens Village. I thank Speaker Adrienne Adams for her leadership and for supporting this initiative that will benefit the residents of Eastern and Southeastern Queens.”

"Libraries are vital community centers and hubs of opportunity that serve all New Yorkers, regardless of age or background,” said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Working together with Council Member Lee and the Women’s Caucus, the City Council has invested more than $9 million in the city budget to renovate the Queens Village Library. This funding allocation will have an immense impact on this neighborhood and all users of this library branch. I commend Council Member Lee for her advocacy and leadership on behalf of District 23, and I look forward to seeing the completion of this critical project.”

"This allocation will ensure the transformation of the Queens Village branch into a modern, vibrant and accessible space that meets the changing needs of the community," said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. "We are grateful to NYC City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Member Linda Lee, the New York City Council Women’s Caucus, and its co-chairs, Council Members Amanda Farías and Farah Louis, for their financial support as we work to provide educational resources and opportunity to all."

NYS Senator Leroy Comrie said, “From family storytime and game days, to painting, summer readings, and access to tablets, WiFi, and hotspots, our public libraries play a critical role as educators and community builders. That’s why I’m so pleased to join in celebrating this $9 million investment in the Queens Village Public Library. Thanks to Speaker Adams, Council Member Lee, and the Women’s Caucus for their continued leadership in ensuring our community institutions have the funding they need.”

"We are excited about the investment in our library. With the improvements, the library will continue its vital service to the entire Queens Village community," said Assembly Member Clyde Vanel.

"I applaud this crucial funding allocation for the Queens Village Public Library, which will provide much-needed improvements to the building,” said Assemblyman David Weprin. “Our public libraries have been fantastic partners and are important places to promote lifelong learning and provide community services. I’m so pleased that this historic investment will yield an improved, accessible building for current and future generations to enjoy."

"I am glad to share the neighborhood of Queens Village with Council Member Lee,” said Council Member Nantasha Williams. “Although the public library is geographically in her district, many of my constituents frequent the location because of its proximity to my district. The library is going to greatly benefit from this investment. I am excited to see the upcoming renovations and to have a state-of-the-art facility that Queens Village residents can enjoy. I want to thank Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Linda Lee for securing the funding for this project." 

“This is a very happy day for me and the residents of Queens Village,” said Mo Ishamel, President of the Queens Village Civic Association. “Firstly, I want to thank our Council Member Linda Lee and Speaker Adrienne Adams for spearheading the approval of this budget item! Our new CM Lee and our new Speaker Adams, you guys have really hit the ground running! Renovating and upgrading the Queens Village Library is long overdue. The residents and especially the children will really appreciate an upgraded facility.”

The Queens Village branch of Queens Public Library was built in 1952 and has not received major renovation since its construction. The funds, totaling $9,587,000, will provide for a full renovation of the library, including interior and exterior improvements, as well as HVAC installation, and roof repairs. 

Additional pictures available below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VvJLdq_LbXh8S1hvi2xX9zSh5lzNbZNX?usp=sharing

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Contact: Walter Chi, WChi@council.nyc.gov, 646-901-7409 (Speaker Adams)

                Daniel Sparrow, DSparrow@council.nyc.gov (Council Member Lee)

New York City is officially going through a heat wave, and Queens Public Library is here to help!

If you don’t have air conditioning in your home or your apartment, or if you are at risk for heat-related illness, please visit your local library.

Public libraries in New York City serve as official “cooling centers” during a heat emergency. Cooling centers are places where you can enjoy air-conditioned comfort. They are free and open to the public, even if you are not using their services.

NYC Emergency Management will let the public know when a heat emergency happens, such as an unusually hot day, or several hot days in a row.

If you need a cool place to visit during the next few days, stop by your local QPL branch for great books, programs, and events—and stay for the air conditioning!

All Queens Public Library locations except Cambria Heights, Langston Hughes, and Rochdale Village will operate as NYC Cooling Centers during this heat emergency. Visit https://www.queenslibrary.org/about-us/locations for our hours of operation.

To check for any changes in the status of the air conditioning at your local library, please contact them directly.

If you need to find another Cooling Center closer to you, please call 311 or visit http://www.nyc.gov/beattheheat.

QPL Teams Up This Summer With the American Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and the Museum of the City of New York To Offer Learning Clubs for Kids on Summer Break   

Limited Spots Remain Open

Queens, NY_Spaces are still available in Queens Public Library’s new summer learning clubs, developed in collaboration with three leading New York City cultural institutions: the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the American Museum of Natural History. The clubs aim to help inspire budding ocean and urban explorers, while keeping school-age children engaged during summer break. 

Parents and caregivers have until Monday, July 4, to sign up their children for one of the clubs, called “STACKS Summer Reading Clubs.” The clubs evolved from the Library’s popular STACKS enrichment program, offering children both homework assistance and programming to enhance their learning experiences during the school year.

The clubs will convene throughout July and in early August and kids can attend remotely or at four QPL locations: Briarwood, Laurelton, South Jamaica, and Jackson Heights. These locations also provide free lunch for children and teens as part of the New York City Department of Education Summer Meals Program. Children are invited to eat a free meal between 1-2PM, before the club “meeting” starts.

Open to students in grades K through six, the clubs will offer structured activities, designed to stimulate creative thinking, develop educational skills and help children learn and explore their interests.  

The subjects that will be covered in the clubs align with this year’s Summer Reading theme – Oceans of Possibilities.

Students in the “Ocean Exploration and Beyond” club will learn about the world beneath the oceans from a representative of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Recommended for grades 3 and up, the club will meet on Tuesdays, July 5, 12, 19, 26, between 2-3PM. 

Children participating in the “Art and Creativity in NYC” club will travel virtually throughout New York City with the Museum of the City of New York, exploring art, transportation, and more - both past and present. The club is recommended for grades K through six and will meet on Wednesdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27, August 3, between 1-2PM.

Aspiring marine biologists who join the “Ocean Explorer’s Club with the American Museum of Natural History” will learn about different underwater habitats like coral reefs, and how to use recycled materials to recreate them. Recommended for grades K through six, the club will meet on Thursdays, July 14, 21, 28, between 2-3PM. 

“We are thrilled to partner this summer with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the American Museum of Natural History – three leading New York City institutions dedicated to making scientific and historic knowledge accessible,” said QPL Director of Programming Franny Kent. “Through our collaboration, STACKS students will have unique opportunities to engage in fun and inspiring activities designed by reputable researchers, developing their interests and learning even when school is out.”

To register, parents and caregivers should fill out release forms (you can find them here: The Ocean Exploration and Beyond Club, The Art and Creativity in NYC Club, and Ocean’s Explorer’s Club), and email the signed forms to stacks@queenslibrary.org by Monday, July 4, to receive a confirmation email with more information, including a link to sign on to each virtual club.

In addition to the clubs, QPL also offers numerous activities, storytimes in multiple languages as well as arts and crafts for children throughout the summer months. For more information go here.

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 126 years ago, QPL 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 80,000 educational, cultural, and civic programs annually. QPL consists of 66 locations across the borough, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology center, and two teen centers, and attracted more than 11 million visitors in 2019.

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

Tuesday, June 28, 2022 is Primary Election Day, and several of our branches will serve as polling sites.

Queens residents will cast their votes at the Briarwood, Central, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens Hills, Lefferts, North Forest Park, Peninsula, Richmond Hill, Seaside, and St. Albans branches, from 6AM to 9PM.

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!

(Left to right) QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott, Jelani Cobb, Gary Shteyngart, and R.J. Palacio

Queens Public Library Honors Jelani Cobb, Min Jin Lee, R.J. Palacio and Gary Shteyngart at Its Annual Fundraising Gala, Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Benefit Was Held in Person for the First Time Since 2018

QUEENS, N.Y. _ Queens Public Library celebrated four renowned Queens-raised writers – the journalist and historian Jelani Cobb and the novelists Min Jin Lee, R.J. Palacio and Gary Shteyngart – at its annual gala on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at The Foundry in Long Island City. 

“The four distinguished authors we are honoring embody the dreams and the drive of the people of Queens,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “Their experiences growing up in our diverse borough and using Queens Public Library mirror those of so many people who come through our doors each year, and they exemplify our mission to transform lives and build strong communities. It is as thrilling to us as it is inspiring that they may have discovered their love of new ideas, reading and words at our branches.”

Jelani Cobb grew up in Hollis, R.J. Palacio spent her childhood in Flushing, Min Jin Lee moved from South Korea to Elmhurst and Gary Shteyngart from the Soviet Union to Kew Gardens Hills, both when they were 7 years old. They all frequented their local library branches, developing their passion for reading and writing. 

During the gala, each honoree received a Queens Public Library Award, established this year to recognize individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the arts and letters.

“As a kid who grew up doing homework in the Queens Public Libraries, I’m deeply humbled and honored by this recognition. Our libraries are our most invaluable resource,” Jelani Cobb said. 

“I’m humbled to be included with this distinguished group of honorees,” said Min Jin Lee, who unfortunately was not able to attend the gala after testing positive for COVID-19. “That said, I am very proud to be a product of the Queens Public Library System.” 

As New York reemerges from the pandemic, Queens Public Library continues to serve the public not only through books, arts and culture, job and career support, and educational programs, but it is also integral to the overall health of our borough by providing cooling centers in the summer, COVID-19 testing sites, vaccination sites and distributing at-home COVID-19 tests. 

For 126 years, Queens Public Library has been dedicated to building resilience and unity in Queens, knowing that the borough’s communities are counting on library services now and for the years to come. 

The 2022 Gala will be recorded and available for viewing virtually on the QPL website on July 11, 2022.

Proceeds from the event will go towards funding the Library’s free public services, including materials, programs, classes, computers, tech equipment and more, at 66 locations across Queens. 

For more information about the event, go here. 

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Check out our reading lists and resources and join us for in-person and virtual programs to learn more about this important day in U.S. history.

Join Queens Public Library at the 2022 "Juneteenth in Queens" Festival at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans on Sunday, June 19 from 12-7pm; learn more about the festival at https://www.juneteenthinqueens.com.

All Queens Public Library locations will be closed on Sunday, June 19 and Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth Booklists

Adult Books Part 1

Adult Books Part 2

Young Adult Books Part 1

Young Adult Books Part 2

Children’s Books Part 1

Children’s Books Part 2

eBooks on OverDrive

Juneteenth Resources

Learn About Juneteenth (Virtual Brochure from QPL, Langston Hughes Library, and Queens Memory)

Juneteenth - All About the Holidays (PBS Kids Video)

What Is Juneteenth? (HISTORY)

Juneteenth: The History of a New Holiday (The New York Times)

The History Of Juneteenth (NPR Fresh Air)

Special Series: Juneteenth (NPR)

DIY Confetti Poppers for Juneteenth (Crafting a Fun Life)

4 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with Your Kids 2022 (Indy's Child Magazine)

Great Ideas for Celebrating Juneteenth (HGTV)

Here are 50 Quotes to Better Understand Juneteenth (Parade Magazine)

How to Celebrate Juneteenth as a Family (Verywell Family)

How to Celebrate Juneteenth This Year (PureWow)

Juneteenth Printables (Primary Treasure Chest Resources)

25 Ideas to Help You Celebrate Juneteenth (The Cubicle Chick by Danyelle Little)

Ways Your Family Can Celebrate and Find Joy Together on Juneteenth (PopSugar Family)

Upcoming QPL Programs

click on the links below for more information

For an up-to-date listing of all our Juneteenth events, visit the QPL Calendar!

Juneteenth Family Storytime & Craft Activity
Monday, June 13, 10:30am, Glen Oaks
Wednesday, June 15, 3:30pm, Baisley Park
Thursday, June 16, 4pm, South Jamaica
Saturday, June 18, 2:30pm, East Elmhurst

Juneteenth: Write Your Own Story
Monday, June 13, 2pm, North Forest Park
Wednesday, June 15, 2:30pm, Cambria Heights

Queens Rising: Juneteenth Forum: History, Traditions, and A Case for Reparations
Monday, June 13, 8pm, Virtual

Juneteenth Drum Circle and Craft
Tuesday, June 14, 4pm, Woodhaven

Queens Rising: Black Dolls, A Virtual Presentation with the New York Historical Society
Tuesday, June 14, 6pm, Virtual

Juneteenth Painting Activity
Monday, June 13, 3pm, North Hills
Wednesday, June 15, 3pm, Woodside
Wednesday, June 15, 4pm, Far Rockaway Teen Library
Thursday, June 16, 6pm, Douglaston/Little Neck
Friday, June 17, 4pm, Forest Hills
Saturday, June 18, 3:30pm, Rochdale Village

Good For Your Soul Cooking: Juneteenth Meal
Wednesday, June 15, 6pm, Virtual

Juneteenth Teen Movie
Thursday, June 16, 5pm, Queensboro Hill

Family Juneteenth Storytime
Friday, June 17, 3:30pm, Rochdale Village

Juneteenth: Trivia Day
Friday, June 17, 4pm, Far Rockaway Teen Library

Juneteenth Freedom Walk
Friday, June 17, 5pm, Rochdale Village

Juneteenth Storytime
Saturday, June 18, 11am, Richmond Hill

Juneteenth Craft
Saturday, June 18, 11:30am, McGoldrick

Langston Hughes Library Juneteenth Festival
Saturday, June 18, Langston Hughes
Dance Performance and Class by CarNYval Dancers, 1pm
Reelblack Films Presentation and Discussion, 3pm
Painting Activity, 3:30pm

Juneteenth Family Movie
Saturday, June 18, 2pm, Queensboro Hill

Juneteenth: The Legacy of Black Greek Organizations
Sunday, June 19, 6pm, Facebook Live & YouTube Live

Juneteenth Crochet with Ms. Junelle
Thursday, June 23, 4:30pm, East Elmhurst

This June (and beyond), Queens Public Library is taking a stand against censorship and the growing national trend of book bans.

The American Library Association recently announced that it tracked an “unprecedented” number of challenges to library, school, and university materials in 2021. The books being challenged often focus on race, LGBTQ+ issues, religion, and history.

Here’s how QPL is joining the fight against censorship and book banning.

NYC Banned Books Challenge

QPL is partnering with Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library for the NYC Banned Books Challenge!

Our expert librarians have created a list of 10 banned and challenged books that we recommend all New Yorkers borrow and read.

To get New York started, we’re making the digital version of one of the books from the NYC Banned Books Challenge—National Book Award winner Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo—available with no waits through June 30!

Additional physical copies of Last Night at the Telegraph Club will also be available systemwide.

Here are the 10 titles featured in the NYC Banned Books Challenge:

• The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
• Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings
• All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi & Jason Reynolds
• Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
• This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki

Pride Month: LGBTQ+ Banned Books

The pressure to ban books featuring LGBTQ+ themes and content has increased nationwide, and QPL is standing by our commitment to promote queer liberation and representation across our borough and beyond.

In addition to the NYC Banned Books Challenge, and in honor of Pride Month, Queens Public Library will make a list of LGBTQ+ challenged and banned books, featuring titles for readers of various ages, “always available” in their digital versions throughout the month of June.

Those books are:

• Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
• Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens by Kathy Belge & Marke Bieschke
• This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
• Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
• I Am Jazz by Jazz Jennings
• Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
• 10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac
• Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride
• In the Role of Brie Hutchens... by Nicole Melleby
• The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus
• Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager

We hope that you will enjoy the books on both these lists, and remember: one of the best ways to fight book banning is to read banned books! Will you join us?