New York Public Library welcomes New
Yorkers back with special programs
BY HAEVEN GIBBONS
This week, the New York Public Library
is offering free programs and activities
at their branches — including giving
away 15,000 draw-string bags full of school
supplies including notebooks, USB drives and
pencil cases with rulers, pens and pencils.
Welcome Week will last until Oct. 23.
Some Welcome Week activities include
outdoor storytimes, crafts and writing
workshops.
The special week follows New York
Public Library’s elimination of late fi nes.
The library system removed late fees
and cleared all prior outstanding fi nes to
make libraries more accessible to all. The
Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public
Library and Queens Public Library became
the latest and largest public library systems
to eliminate late fi nes, which have been in
place since the three systems were created
at the turn of the 20th century.
“The library hopes to encourage New
Yorkers to visit their local libraries, bring
back their books, fi ne free, check out some
new ones and take home some goodies,”
said Angela Montefi nise, senior director of
communications and marketing at The New
York Public Library, in an email.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library story time during Welcome Week.
Welcome Week will give visitors the
chance to see all the library has to offer and
gives New Yorkers the chance to return all
of their outstanding books without fear of
charges.
“It is such a diffi cult time across the
board, but Welcome Week is our way of
saying the library is still here for you and
when you’re ready, ‘welcome back,’ and
welcome back in every way, whether it’s
digitally or in person, and there are no fi nes
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
anymore, so even better to come back,” said
Ricci Yuhico, managing librarian for young
adult services.
Data shows late fi nes are not an effective
incentive for book returns. Without the
decision to eliminate fees, “about 150,000
New Yorkers in The New York Public Library
system would have had their library
cards blocked because they accrued $15 or
more in fi nes. Countless others wouldn’t
even enter a branch for fear of the fi nancial
burden,” according to a press release from
the New York Public Library.
Following the historic announcement
on Oct. 5, the library saw a 50% increase
in new library cards on the day of the announcement
over an average day, and a
25% increase on Oct. 6. Oct. 5 was also
one of the highest days in 2021 for library
card sign-ups, according to the release.
All week long, attendees can participate
in a scavenger hunt at the Stavros Niarchos
Foundation Library on 40th Street and Fifth
Avenue. The hunt is tied to the Polonsky
Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s
Treasures. The Treasures exhibit is a free,
permanent exhibition of over 250 rare objects
from the Library’s research collections.
Scavenger hunters can visit the greeter
desk at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Library, get a checklist and head-off to fi nd
the Treasures-related items hidden within the
library’s shelves.
The scavenger hunt helps kids and teens
learn about history and become familiar with
the new library space. The Stavros Niarchos
Foundation Library was recently renovated.
One of the renovations includes a new recording
studio for teens.
“We look forward to being able to expand
programs,” said Louise Lareau, managing
librarian for the children’s center. “We were
thrilled in mid-July when we were able to
start doing in-person programs, and we are
thrilled that people are coming back. It’s getting
busier and busier which is really nice.”
ASK YOUR DOCTOR
TO TEST YOUR CHILD
FOR LEAD
Lead in peeling paint
poisons children.
• Tell your landlord to fix peeling paint. It’s the law.
• Wash floors, windowsills, hands, and toys often.
GET YOUR CHILD TESTED AT AGES 1 AND 2.
CALL 311 TO LEARN MORE OR VISIT NYC.GOV/LEADFREE.
14 October 21, 2021 Schneps Media
/LEADFREE
