2022 Library Resolutions
The easiest resolutions to keep are those you love doing. If you're reading this, we have a hunch you love books and libraries. This year, get to know The New York Public Library better. From a rich archive of recorded storytimes to personalized book recommendations on social media, and so much more, we think you'll be surprised at all the Library has to offer. Read on for Library Resolutions you can make this year to live your best library life.
Sign up for a library card
Don't have a card yet? Let this be your first order of business! If you live, work, attend school, or pay property taxes in New York State, you can get a library card at an NYPL location near you or apply online for a digital card. You can also get a card through our free e-reader app, SimplyE. Not in New York? Get in touch with your local public library to get their card.
Get digital with us—download the NYPL and SimplyE Apps
Put the Library in your pocket by downloading our apps. The NYPL app lets you search the catalog, request books for pickup, use your phone for self-checkout, and renew your materials—all from your phone. SimplyE is our free, open source e-reader that brings together our entire collection of more than 300,000 e-books and audiobooks and makes them accessible all in one place.
Visit the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures
For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library has collected, preserved, and made accessible the world’s knowledge. Now, for the first time, the Polonsky Exhibition showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections, inspiring and empowering visitors to discover, learn, and create new knowledge—today and in the years ahead. You can reserve a (free) timed ticket to visit (enhance your visit with the audio guide) or, if you can't come in person, view some of the highlights online. You can also explore the full exhibition, audio guide, and more on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
Subscribe to our podcast, The Librarian Is In
Join us every other week as librarians Frank Collerius and Crystal Chen talk books, culture, and what to read next. Recent discussions include re-discovering 90s sitcoms, what makes a book "cozy," and the new West Side Story movie. But mostly, they talk about books! Some of their recent reads are Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Start listening today!
Sign up for Book of the Day
Start your day off right with a book recommendation delivered straight to your inbox. NYPL librarians select fantastic fiction, nonfiction, and poetry reads to share. No matter where in the world you live, anyone can sign up for Book of the Day.
Attend an Online Event or Class
Our staff hosts online events and classes for adults, teens and kids. Learn a skill like Excel or Photoshop. Practice a new language in a conversation class. Show off your knowledge in a trivia hour. Meet like-minded people in a crafting, writing, or acting circle. Tune in with your kids for a virtual storytime. Discuss anime and manga with other teens. Explore our events calendar for something that's your cup of tea.
"Get Lit" and join our Virtual Book Club
We've teamed up with WNYC to bring you the "Get Lit" book club. Join us each month to read our selected book and then tune in for a lively discussion with the author led by Alison Stewart, host of WNYC’s weekday arts and culture show, All of It. Our first read of 2022 is Our Country Friendsby Gary Shteyngart.
Try something from an NYPL Book List
We love a book list and we love making them to highlight important or beloved reads. You're sure to find something rewarding among them: Best Books of 2021, Staff Picks, World Literature Festival, Black History Month, Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List, blog posts, and our suggestions for the Read Harder Challenge. And don't forget to check out the book list readers made for us this year: NYPL's Top Checkouts of 2021.
Introduce a young reader to Online Storytime
Storytime with our children’s librarians is a beloved NYPL tradition that helps bring the joy of books to our youngest readers. Help spread the word about our Online Storytime series by telling a child in your life to join NYPL children's librarians (no library card required) as they read books, sing songs, and share early literacy tips. Anyone can explore our archive of recorded storytimes here for hours of fun.
Sign up for NYPL Connect and more Library updates
You and us? Do you feel the connection? Do you want to feel even more connected? Sign up for the NYPL Connect newsletter for the latest infomation on programs, cultural events, resources, and Library news. It's the best and easiest way to be in the loop and in the know. Plus, check out additional newsletters for Library lovers, including resources for young learners, biweekly resources from the Schomburg Center, updates from the Library for the Performing Arts, and more!
Find your next great read with personalized recommendations
There's a right book for every reader. Sometimes you just need a little help finding it. For personalized recommendations, we've got you covered. 1. Try Shelf Help: tell us about your interests and the kinds of books and genres you enjoy, and librarians will handpick books just for you to be delivered to your preferred branch. 2. Join us for Facebook Live recommendations on Wednesdays from 12:30–1:30 PM EST. Post a comment with information like your favorite books, authors, or genres, and our book experts will work their magic to match you with books. 3. If Twitter is more your speed, tweet the title of a book to our NYPL Recommends account on Mondays 3–4 PM EST and Fridays 10–11 AM EST and we'll suggest similar books for you to check out.