Say Goodbye to Late Fines...and Say Hello to Everything the Library Has to Offer!

As of October 5, 2021, everyone is getting a fresh start at the Library:

  • All existing fines and replacement fees in all patron accounts have been cleared and erased. 
     
  • Late fines will no longer accrue on borrowed materials returned after their due date.
     
  • Please note: some replacement fees will still apply. Learn more about our new policy.
     
  • As always, e-books are easy to access and will never be overdue. Find out about the Library’s free e-reader app, SimplyE, today!

Welcome Back to NYPL

The Library is here for you! Learn about all of our free services—now with no more late fines. Get a library card and join us in branches to explore a wide array of free programs and services for all ages—from storytimes and after-school programs to job and career support and language-learning classes.

Join Us

Research shows that fines are not effective in ensuring book returns—New Yorkers are quite reliable and responsible, clearly respecting our collections and the need for them to be available for others to borrow. But, unfortunately, fines are quite effective at preventing our most vulnerable communities from using our branches, services, and books. That is the antithesis of our mission to make knowledge and opportunity accessible to all, and needed to change. As New York grapples with the inequities laid bare by the pandemic, it is all the more urgent that we ensure the public library is open and freely available to all.

 

—Tony Marx, President, The New York Public Library


Read more about this important change. 

Get a Library Card!

Sign up for a library card for free online today! Access everything the Library has to offer, from free one-on-one online tutoring to e-books, with your library card.

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  • Books, Music, Movies & More

    Borrow from our circulating collections with more than 6 million items available.

    Browse the Catalog

  • Personalized Book Bundles

    Discover Shelf Help, the Library’s personalized book selection service! Tell us your reading interests and we'll handpick five books just for you. Fill out the online form, call Ask NYPL, or drop off a request form at your local branch to request a bundle of books, handpicked for you based on your interests. 

    Learn More

  • STEAM Discovery Kits

    Build, code, and stargaze with NYPL’s amazing STEAM Discovery Kits! Available to borrow from select branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, these kits enable kids and tweens to explore robotics, astronomy, engineering, coding, and more using exciting tools, toys, and books at home. Find out more about what’s in our STEAM Discovery Kits and where you can borrow one!

    Learn More

  • Free Computer Reservations

    Make reservations to use public Library computers or laptops and access free Wi-Fi at any of our locations!

    Reserve Now

  • Get Help

    Ask NYPL is the Library's virtual reference and support desk. Have a question? Get in touch via email, chat, phone, or text. Contact us—we're here to help. 

    Ask NYPL is available in Español via voicemail with limited availability in other languages via email.

    Contact Us

  • Stay Connected

    Get the latest NYPL events, programs, and more for all ages delivered straight to your inbox.

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  • Help Us Support All New Yorkers

    The Library depends donors like you to support our educational resources, job help, community outreach, and more for all New Yorkers. Friends of the Library will be vital in the coming year as we expand access to our resources including bilingual storytimes, English-language classes, and e-books in world languages. 

    Donate