NYPL Blogs

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. This month celebrates the contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

What does a ballot from the first post-apartheid election in South Africa have in common with the first Russian-language edition of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital?

Here we are in the middle of spring; and I'm still embarrassingly waffling over which sport I should focus on in the beautiful weather. I've once again missed my opportunity to do cross-country skiing. Perhaps table tennis will be within reach for me this summer...

Though I myself am a bit indecisive, I love the idea of each of us finding at least one sport or other athletic activity that's fun and right for us, and participating on a regular basis.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney and the Guggenheim present "Seeing with the Senses"—an afternoon of art-making workshops, verbal description and touch tours for those with low vision or blindness.

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. What better time to discover or learn more about Afro-Asians? As our groundbreaking exhibition Africans in India shows, some became navy commanders, army generals, and founders of dynasties. In Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, they left an impressive architectural legacy. Today, some Sidis live there in a small compound where they proudly maintain their culture.

One of the most common questions we get from our young readers is "Where are your scary books?" Unfortunately, books for children and teens that will keep readers on the edge of their seats are usually mixed in with the rest of the fiction section, so they can be a little tricky to find… until now.

Our nation is going through an education reform with a focus on the knowledge and skills for the jobs of the future. The White House issued this statement, "The strength of the American economy is inextricably linked to the strength of America's education system. Now more than ever, the American economy needs a workforce that is skilled, adaptable, creative, and equipped for success in the global marketplace."

Well, here we are past the end of April and that means it's my final post for A Visit from the Goon Squad.

Even though the Reader's Den will be moving on to a new book in May, you can always read previous posts and comment on them.

So everyone knows the famous saying about how April showers will bring May flowers... It's starting to look like that saying has changed! But don't write off May just yet! There are so many different things going on all over the world this month...

La ciudadanía americana, el proceso de naturalización para convertirse en ciudadano estadounidense, otorga varios beneficios, además de derechos y responsabilidades. Un ciudadano americano en los Estados Unidos tiene el derecho a:

How important were navies to the outcome of the Civil War? What's the key to preparing delicious meatless meals? What in the world is mycophilia? Who conceived and engineered Grand Central Terminal? What was Jewish New York at the turn of the 20th century? What is it like to be a refugee in the United States? How did Joseph P. Kennedy get from East Boston to Washington's inner circle? How did one man's incurable amnesia provide invaluable insight to neuroscientists?

Some animals in the world are treated badly, and vegans do not want to be a part of that. They do not use animals for food, clothing or fun. This is good for the animals, our health, and the environment.

For the week of April 28, 2013 we have hardcover fiction, hardcover non-fiction, and paperback trade fiction.

During World War II, when the Japanese invaded and occupied Shanghai, Nanjing and other coastal cities of eastern China, they looted, intimidated, and massacred millions of people to prove their imperial strength and mercilessness. Many children and women were raped and killed during the invasion; towns were burned to crisp and lives were forever changed and destroyed.

I love horses, and Jill Greenberg makes them look like works of art. The horses in her photographs look so majestic that they do not look real. She has some spectacular photographs of equines, and she masterfully uses light to accentuate the horses. The horse on the cover looks almost fluorescent.

There are lots of reasons to want to recreate favorite restaurant recipes at home. A happy memory of a meal, maybe at a place that no longer exists; the pure challenge of replicating that mystery sauce or seasoning; the desire to be thrifty, cooking in more and eating out less; improving cooking skills through imitation... having already had a taste of perfection. Some restaurant meals are just inspirational to the home cook.

In the month of May, many great DVD movies are coming to the Library. Reserve titles now using the Library's Catalog.

Are we teaching New York's teens tools for a life of crime?! Not exactly. Hackasaurus is a website that makes it easy for people to manipulate our favorite webpages while we learn about the ins and outs of HTML. A group of six teens met on a Tuesday afternoon to try out this new program and add their personal touch to the internet.

If you're interested in doing research on a musical, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has an embarrassment of riches. To find all the information we have, you may have to look in many different places. Of course, your first move should be to consult with the knowledgeable staff at the 2nd Floor Drama Desk, who'll be able to guide your research.