Parent & Caregiver Guide

Download this guide for parents and caregivers, prepared by our Education teams, for reading recommendations for kids and teens, discussion guides, and more to help you explore this year’s theme, Make Waves.

Information in World Languages

Discover and share what the Library has to offer kids this summer in the following languages:

  • Reading Tracker

    Sign up to our reading portal at Beanstack today and get ready with your child for our summer reading challenge! We recommend that kids read for 20 minutes every day. Using our online tracker, you can track reading minutes, review books, find fun activities online, and earn badges to become a Reading Star!

    Earn Badges

  • Connect with Us

    Get the best from the Library direct to your inbox! From our free programs, events, and exhibitions to activities for kids and research news, there's something for everyone.

    Sign Up

  • Save the Date: Summer at the Library Events & Programs Start June 9!

    Join us in branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island for special programs to kick off Summer at the Library!

    Blue wavy background with a colorful icon of a calendar page turning over.

  • Get a Free Library Card

    Get a free library card today and explore all the Library has to offer, including books, e-books, audiobooks, music, and movies!

    Get Your Card Today

  • Did You Know?

    There are no more late fines at the Library, so you can borrow books and more from any branch with no worries.

    Learn More

  • STEAM Discovery Kits

    Build, code, and stargaze with NYPL’s amazing STEAM Discovery Kits, available to borrow from 30 branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Explore robotics, astronomy, engineering, coding, and more.

    Discover

  • Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures

    Stay cool this summer and explore a wide array of extraordinary highlights from NYPL’s collections in this free exhibition at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

    Learn More

  • Multilingual Resources

    The New York Public Library welcomes people from all backgrounds and celebrates the rich multicultural diversity that defines New York City. The Library is committed to helping recent immigrants and bilingual and multilingual communities navigate our array of free services and resources for all ages.

    Explore

Summer at the Library

Discover oceans of possibility at The New York Public Library this summer with free events and programs for all ages, book giveaways, our all-new Make Waves program for kids and teens, reading recommendations, and much more!

Learn More

Thank You

The Book Giveaway is supported in part by a generous grant from the Gray Foundation. 

Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2022 city-wide sponsor for the Summer Reading and Learning Programs.

Additional support is provided by The Rona Jaffe Foundation; New York Yankees Foundation; anonymous donors; and the continuing major support of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.

Major support for educational programming is provided by Merryl H. and James S. Tisch.

Logos for: the Gray Foundation, the New York Life Foundation, The Rona Jaffe Foundation, New York Yankees Foundation, and Summer Reading at New York Libraries.

Note About Privacy & External Websites

Please note: This web page contains third-party links. By clicking on the website links above, you will leave NYPL’s website and enter a website not operated by NYPL. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services.

For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of NYPL's Privacy Policy describing "Third-Party Library Services Providers.” Note that children under the age of 13 should not submit any personally-identifiable information (e.g., name, email address, etc) to any online website, per federal COPPA requirements.