As usual, we had a fantastic Summer Reading kickoff celebration this year on June 8, 2017. At the Harlem Library, which was festively decorated with balloons, many staff and patrons alike gathered, many with fantabulous blue Summer Reading t-shirts. We celebrated the beginning of warm weather with a focus on literacy and kids maintaining their reading skills during the upcoming summer vacation. We want to prevent the "summer slide," which is the cause for kids falling behind academically when they return to school in the autumn. If kids read regularly during July and August, teachers will not need to spend as much time reviewing material that they learned the previous year in order to get kids back into the learning groove. We want kids learn continuously, and books are the key to this goal. Books can be read anytime, anywhere, and people can learn on their own from the great literature that populates the shelves of our numerous and abundant public libraries. Pursuing our shelves for treasures can be barrels of fun. We also have many other recreational and artistic programs and parties for kids in July and August.

Reading Is Exciting & Enlightening

Tony Marx, President of The New York Public Library, started off the event by declaring that reading is the most important thing that people can do. You can learn so much about yourself, your family, your neighborhood, and everyone else by delving into the intriguing world of books. It is especially important that everyone learns and lives peacefully together. NYPL has beautiful buildings, collections, and computers for the residents and tourists of New York City. 

Great People Learn in Libraries

One of our libraries, the Harry Belafonte 115th Street branch, was recently renamed to honor Harry Belafonte, who is a musician and political activist. He has done so much for humanity, and he grew up utilizing his local public library. There, he learned to read and be who he is today. Senator John Lewis, author the March series, concurred about the importance of reading. Our future depends on what kids do with their lives. Libraries are inclusive for all New Yorkers. We welcome residents and tourists alike to our facilities and programs, regardless of immigration status or any other difference protected by law. 

Marx once had the pleasure of once meeting someone who literally grew up in the Washington Heights Library. In the old days, our facilities had custodial apartments. This gentleman, whose dad was the custodian, used to sneak down to the library at night to read. He loved having access to all of the books, and the space was completely his. He was the first person in his family to graduate from high school and college, and he became an administrator of a city health agency. Now, as a retiree, he remembers the books that helped him build such an incredible life that he had never dreamed of. All of this was because of what he learned from the books that he read as a child. Kids need to read about other worlds and make the world what it ought to be. Libraries are here to serve our residents and visitors and partner with other agencies. 

The Library is so grateful for its Summer Reading private sponsors, including HBO, Sesame Street, HSBC Bank and the Yankees Foundation, as well as anonymous donors. Ray Johnson from HSBC Bank spoke about joining together to discover a love of reading. There is an abundance of amazing literature in the public library.  

More to Celebrate

The Library is thrilled to have recently received baselined funding for operational costs as well as $110 million for capital projects that is going to fulfill a dire need to repair existing infrastructure in the libraries and build new amazing facilities in the five boroughs of our great city. For this, we thank Mayor De Blasio, Speaker Mark-Vivierto, Finance director McKinney, Finance committee chair Ferreras-Copeland, Libraries and Cultural Institutions committee chair Van Bramer, Libraries subcommittee chair King, and the entire city council and staff. All of these wonderful people worked tirelessly on the budget for FY 2018 of the city of New York, and the libraries are very grateful that the administration and council was able to make possible the capital projects that we are so eager  to embark upon for the benefit of library-goers throughout the five boroughs.

Council member Bill Perkins, who represents the 9th district of the city of New York, which includes the Harlem Library, also spoke of the importance of reading. He declared that kids can be giants in terms of their brain power. He encourages kids to take care of their communities. He grew up in the housing projects, and he is a product of the public library system. Libraries opened up his eyes to opportunities that he was not previously aware of. People can enrich their opportunities through books. Perkins informed kids that if they can read, they can lead.  

Drag Queen Story Time

We had a drag queen, who was adorned in a lovely burgundy dress, read to a group of pre-school aged children a picture book about a boy who likes to wear dresses called 10,000 Dresses. Boys and girls alike enjoyed the story. The presenter assured the kids that boys can wear dresses too. I quite enjoyed the story, and I wrote a blog about it. I love that the Library is actively supporting alternative gender expression and is trying to break down gender stereotypes. 

The Jumbies Defense Program

Tracey Baptiste, author of The Jumbies, gave a mythological presentation that relates to her work. She grew up in Trinidad; she loved fairy tales, and her mother told her stories about the jumbies before she went to bed. These were monsters that it was best to stay away from. She told the story of these creatures using child volunteers from the audience with props. Her presentation was very interactive and quite entertaining. 

Read All Summer Long!

Everyone needs to read more over the summer! Being interested and informed in what is going on around our city, country, and the world is vital to making our lives and those of our neighbors the best that it can be. Enjoy the Library's materials this summer as well as our amazing educational, vocational, recreational and entertaining programs. Thank you to all who make Summer Reading and libraries possible. Happy Summer Reading 2017!

books about summer reading

Summer Reading 2017