New York City’s three library systems have begun their annual Summer Reading and Learning programs with the generous support of the New York Life Foundation. The programs encourage children and teens to read books to develop and maintain critical thinking skills over the summer.
“Summer is a time for children to reset, renew, and grow and learn in different ways. The New York City Libraries will provide thousands of children with reading and learning opportunities that help build a strong foundation for social and academic growth when the school year begins,” said Marlyn Torres, senior program officer, New York Life Foundation. “We continue to support this initiative, which strongly aligns with the Foundation’s educational enhancement focus to support youth during the critical out-of-school time hours.”
Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library and New York Public Library (which covers the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) will host events including story time, meet-the-author talks, and illustrator workshops to help children and teens discover the joy of reading. Events will be offered in a variety of formats including online and outdoors.
This is the fourth summer the New York Life Foundation has supported Summer Reading and Learning programs for New York City’s Libraries. It is estimated that summer breaks cause the average student to lose up to two months of instruction per year, with students from low-income families disproportionately affected.
Throughout the summer, the Libraries will provide reading lists and recommendations, or children can browse the shelves at select branches to select a book on their own. Audiobooks and e-books are also available online.
“New York City students and families have been through so much over the last two years. It’s critical that, during this period of recovery and renewal, our ecosystem of learning do all it can to support and engage them,” said Brian Bannon, NYPL’s Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. “Public libraries are uniquely positioned to do this while students are out of the classroom over the summer months, providing quality, free programs to engage their minds while also getting them excited about books, reading, learning, and their communities. After so much time apart, it’s time to safely come together this summer. Huge thanks to New York Life Foundation for its support of this important effort, and we look forward to seeing as many New Yorkers as possible this summer."
"As students continue to recover from the academic and social-emotional impacts of the pandemic, it is more important than ever to keep them engaged in reading and learning when school is out,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. "We are grateful to the New York Life Foundation for their generous support as we work to provide a variety of programs that help children and teens find inspiration and grow during the summer months.”
“The long light-filled days of summer, without the pressure of school and homework, are the perfect time to open a book and get lost in the pages of a good story,” said Linda Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. “We are grateful to New York Life Foundation for their ongoing and generous support of the summer reading program and look forward to welcoming people of all ages to libraries across the borough this summer.”
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.
About The New York Public Library
For 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.
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, one universal pre-kindergarten, and two teen centers.