Join us at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building for the city’s most cerebral happy hour.

Celebrate Pride at the Library! Join us for curator talks, artist presentations, rare 16mm films, and more.

Plan your evening!

All start times approximate.

Collections Display
(First Floor: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division)
A one-night-only display curated from the special collections at the Library for the Performing Arts highlights LGBTQ artists, writers, and performers.

History of Queer Picture Books
(First Floor: DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room)
Discover historic queer picture books—including works that are out of print or only available in our research collections—that trace the shifting attitudes, norms, and realities of queer life over a half century.

16 mm Films
(Third Floor: Edna Barnes Salomon Room)
Selections from the Library’s Reserve Film and Video Collection spotlight lesbian cinema and documentaries. Read more about the films here.

• A Woman’s Place is in the House (1976) at 7:15 PM
• Lavender (1972) at 7:50 PM
• Fire (1996) at 8:05 PM
• A Litany for Survival Part I (1996) at 8:50 PM
• A Litany for Survival Part II (1996) at 9:20 PM

Musician Be Steadwell
(Third Floor: Rose Main Reading Room)
Enjoy performances by musician Be Steadwell at 7:30 PM, 8:15 PM, and 9:15 PM.

NYC Trans Oral History Project Listening Stations
(Third Floor: Bill Blass Public Catalog Room)
Listen to interviews from the New York City Trans Oral History Project, a community archive devoted to the collection, preservation, and sharing of trans histories, organized in collaboration with the Library.

Book Matchmaking
(Third Floor: Bill Blass Public Catalog Room)
Librarians are here to set you up with your next great read.

Also taking place all night:

• Music by DJ Mike Borowski (First Floor: Astor Hall)
• Library Card Sign-Up (Third Floor, Bill Blass Public Catalog Room)
• Coloring, Crafts & Games (Second Floor: Margaret Liebman Berger Forum)
• The Awe of the Arctic: A Visual History (First Floor: Wachenheim Gallery, Ispahani-Bartos Gallery; Third Floor: Print Gallery, Rayner Special Collections Wing)
• Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures (First Floor: Gottesman Hall)

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TICKETS

Tickets for this event are Pay What You Wish, with a suggested cost of admission of $15. Your contribution benefits The New York Public Library and helps us cover the costs of this event. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

If you miss your chance to get a ticket in advance, we may have a limited number of tickets available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Doors will open at our 42nd St entrance and the Marshall Rose Plaza (located at 40th St and 5th Ave) at 7 PM, with final entry at 9:30 PM. Both of these entrances are accessible. 

All tickets are final sale.

If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.

TELL CITY LEADERS: NO CUTS TO LIBRARIES!

Your support is as important as ever as public libraries face a proposed $58.3 million in City budget cuts. Following cuts late last fall, the Library was forced to reduce the vital services we offer to all New Yorkers—including ending Sunday service at all NYPL locations that offered it. If these potential cuts go through, the majority of libraries in our system would lose a full day of service. That means most of our branches would only be open five days a week. Plus, budgets for books, programs, and maintenance will be reduced at all locations. Make your voice heard and sign a letter in support of public libraries: nypl.org/speakout.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION

This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs (enter at 42nd Street or the Marshall Rose Plaza, located at 40th St and 5th Ave). Assistive listening devices and large-format programs are available on-site. ASL interpretation and real-time (CART) captioning available upon request. Please submit your request at least two weeks in advance by emailing accessibility@nypl.org.

For other accessibility information, please contact accessibility@nypl.org.

CONNECT

Please submit all press inquiries at least 48 hours before the event: email press@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

For all other questions and inquiries, please email publicprograms@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

The New York Public Library's free services and resources are made possible thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library. Join this group of Library lovers and take advantage of special membership benefits, like invitations to members-only virtual events, discounts at the Library Shop, and more. Join now.

The Library After Hours is made possible with the generous support of Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos.