My Library

There's a whole lot of talking going on at Mid-Manhattan Library on Thursday evenings! People from all over the world have been coming to Mid-Manhattan Library's English Conversation Hour for intermediate and advanced speakers. It's a great way to meet people and practice speaking English. Some people are just passing through New York on a quick visit, while others are planning to stay longer, maybe even forever. We're having a wonderful time meeting these interesting people and sharing ideas and experiences, so we wanted to introduce some of our regular conversationalists to you.

Are you ready for another edition of Anime Addicts? It's a new month, so we had a new anime screening: this time it was all about Kaleido Star — the story of Sora Naegino, a young girl who dreams of joining the circus.

Once a month, Beth Neuman and her dog Forest, an 11 year old toy poodle, volunteer at Ottendorfer Library’s Paws ‘n’ Books program. The literacy program offers children ages six and older the opportunity to read aloud to a four legged friend for 15 minutes, helping to boost their reading confidence. We interviewed Beth before one of their Paws 'n' Books sessions.

Jefferson Market Library's Summer Art Display, Valhalla Hospital: The Art of the Moody Wallen Band, exhibits over 50 line drawings, watercolors, acrylics, and oil paintings throughout the entire building, as well as a visual installation display and rotating video program every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. through August 18, inside the program room.

At the Center for Reading and Writing at Seward Park Library, volunteer tutors work with small groups of students improving basic English reading and writing skills. Tutors are encouraged to reflect on their own learning, and to think how they have felt while learning something new. Here is tutor Alexandra (Alex) Steedman’s reflection.

We've met Anthony. We've also met Matt. We've even met Erin. While those three patrons — attendees at Mid-Manhattan Library's monthly Anime Night screenings — are on the quieter side, none are quite as enthusiastic as this month's featured patron: Bobby! Boisterous and full of endless energy, his regular presence every month has helped solidify the bonds of friendship amongst our anime club. 

On the first Wednesday of every month, Mid-Manhattan Library hosts a monthly screening of anime. Throughout this Sci-Fi Summer season, we will be featuring patrons who have been attending Anime Night. So far, we've met Anthony and Matt. Almost 30 people came last night to see a screening of Gun x Sword. Join us next month on July 6 when NYPL at Nite will be showing Sgt. Frog at 7 p.m.

Some people take the Library for granted. Not Festus Udeugwu, a Nigerian immigrant from the Bronx.

This writer did not grow up in New York; however, he has many strong, memorable experiences of the library from his home state. Nationwide, and even internationally, many libraries are in trouble and in desperate need of funding. Please contact your local branch and see how you can help today. Also, please consider donating or writing your elected official now!

Isabella Rosario, a 6-year-old from Staten Island, went to the St. George Library Center nearly every day last summer.

It more than paid off.

Isabella read almost 250 books in three months — making her among the city’s top readers in last year’s Summer Reading program, which encourages kids to keep reading during their vacation.

William Logan, a retired truck driver from Harlem, didn’t have much of a chance to go to the Library as a boy growing up.

But now that he’s retired, he’s making up for lost time.

“I try to come to the Library every day,” said Logan, 68, who lives alone and comes to Harlem Library nearly every afternoon for inspiration, relaxation, and companionship. “Reading keeps your mind sharp.”

Novelist Henry Chang, who discovered his love of books as a kid at the Chatham Square Library, still remembers how proud he was to get his first library card.
 
Now Chang has even more to be proud of when he walks into the Library — seeing his own books on the shelf in the mystery section, between Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie.

I went to the Library nearly every day after school growing up. Without the Library, I wouldn’t be where I am today — a college graduate and one of the first members of my family to go to college.

Anthony Suarez has always had a calling to help others.
 
So a few years ago, when he found himself out of work and in a shelter because he had no way to pay rent, it wasn’t easy for Suarez to admit he needed help himself.

Lucy Liu, who emigrated from China to New York City nine years ago, is proud that her two young children speak perfect English.
 
Now she wants to learn too.

Pedro Munoz, a junior-high dropout and recovering addict, had never set foot in a Library until two years ago.

Now, Tompkins Square Library is his favorite spot in the city — the place that gave him the strength to turn his life around.

When Rose Covington moved to Harlem from Brazil in 2005, she felt lost and alone because she couldn’t speak or understand any English.

But now, after nearly one year of free English classes in one of The New York Public Library’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, she has found her voice and confidence again.

On the first Wednesday of every month, the Mid-Manhattan Library hosts a monthly screening of anime. Eighteen people came to last night’s screening of Trigun at 7:00 PM. Next month on June 1st, NYPL at Nite will be screening  Gun x Sword. Last month, we met Anthony. Let’s meet another one of our loyal Anime Night patrons named Matt. He comes all the way from New Jersey to hang out and attend our monthly program. Thoughful and polite, Matt took a few minutes to answer some questions so that we can get to know him a little bit better.

Jerilyn is a painter of American history, and teaches drawing at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers and Spring Studio, and collage at The Cooper Union Department of Continuing Education.