Tompkins Square Library will be closed for approximately three months, beginning April 24, to facilitate improvements to the building. The branch is expected to reopen in July 2023.
During this temporary closure, patrons are encouraged to use the following nearby branches:
- Ottendorfer Library
- Hamilton Fish Park Library
- Jefferson Market Library ♿ Fully accessible
All items on hold after April 24 may be picked up at Ottendorfer Library. Future holds can be sent to an alternative location.
Request a Class Visit or Group Tour
Learn more about the Library’s wide array of free resources, classes, events, and more! Book an in-person or virtual class visit or group tour now.
Featured at Tompkins Square Library
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Social Work Intern at Tompkins Square Library
More Community Support Resources HereOn Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, Tompkins Square hosts a social work student intern to assist patrons with questions relating to housing, food assistance, healthcare, short-term shelter, and more. Email tsintern@nypl.org to set up an appointment for yourself or someone you know. Drop-ins also welcome. Referrals to interns at other library locations can be provided.
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Free Homework Help: NYPL After School
More about this programNYPL After School at Tompkins Square Library is a free drop-in program for kids aged 6–12 that takes place after regular school hours, Mondays through Thursdays, from 3-6 PM. Join us for homework help from one of our tutors or Teen Reading Ambassadors, reading recommendations, fun writing, STEAM, and enrichment activities! No need to register—just show up! Everything is free. Audience: Children, School Age (5-12 years)
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Free English Classes
Free English ClassesThe New York Public Library offers free English language instruction for adults, with ESOL classes offered online or in-person, and in-person literacy classes. Currently available at nine sites in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, including Tompkins Square. For more information, call 212-714-8420.
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STEAM Discovery Kits
Build, code, and stargaze with STEAM Discovery Kits! Available to borrow from Tompkins Square and select other branches, these multimedia kits introduce kids and tweens to robotics, astronomy, engineering, coding, and more. Click for more information.
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Get Event Updates for Tompkins Square Library
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For Kids
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Story Time @ the Garden "El Sol Brillante"
Tuesday, June 13 | 11:30 AM -
Outdoor Storytime @ Joseph C. Sauer Park
Thursday, June 15 | 11:30 AM -
Story Time @ the Garden "El Sol Brillante"
Tuesday, June 20 | 11:30 AM
More Library Resources
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E-Books & E-Audiobooks
Explore e-books and e-audiobooks available for free from NYPL—from children's books to bestsellers.
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Additional E-Materials & Databases
Discover bestselling magazines, world newspapers, streaming classical and world music, and more from home with your library card.
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Digital Collections
Search thousands of digitized items, including historic prints, photographs, maps, and manuscripts.
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From Our Blog
Check out explorations on a wide array of topics, programs, and services across the Library.
About the Library
The Tompkins Square Branch of The New York Public Library has been serving residents of Manhattan's Lower East Side since 1904. Opening in 1887 as the Fifth Street Branch of the Aguilar Free Library, the branch relocated three times before moving to its present site facing Tompkins Square Park. Traditionally, Tompkins Square has served varied ethnic populations, including German, Italian, Jewish, Polish, and Ukrainian, and, since the 1960s, a thriving arts community.
Learn more about this location Learn about capital construction projects at this location