Summer at the Library 2025
Create your world this summer at The New York Public Library! Discover free events and activities for all ages, programs for kids and teens, reading recommendations, exhibitions, and much more. Plus, use your library card to book free passes to 100+ museums, gardens, theaters, and more cultural attractions across NYC.
Coming Up: May & June Highlights!
Check out our upcoming events and programs. The Library has something for everyone!
For Kids
- Summer Writing Contest opens! | June 4
- Summer kickoff events across the city | Starting June 4
For Teens
- Manhattan Anti-Prom | June 20
For the Whole Family
More Free Events and Programs
From storytimes and zine-making to STEAM activities and author talks, library branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island are offering free summer fun for all ages. Find something near you—or explore a new neighborhood!
For Kids
Join us for arts and crafts, bilingual storytimes, STEAM activities, special events in branches, and more this summer. Become a Reading Star by taking our reading challenge, come to special Summer Adventure programs in branches, and enter our annual summer writing contest!
For Teens
It’s time to create your world this summer! Take part in the Teen Zine Challenge, drop by Teen Centers to try out state-of-the-art tech, and get ready for the Teen Voices Festival! Plus, enjoy author talks, arts and crafts, photography, and other fun activities.
For Babies & Toddlers
Join the Library this summer—and all year round—for storytimes, open play, art activities, multilingual programs, and more fun for little ones and their caregivers.
For Adults
From book clubs and art workshops to neighborhood tours and birding, there’s something for everyone this summer at the Library! Explore exciting events for adults at a branch near you—plus, take part in a special reading challenge for the chance to win a prize.
For Educators
The Library offers a wide range of resources to support kids’ learning and development through the summer and all year round. Learn about special opportunities for teachers offered by our Center for Educators and Schools, field trips, engaging tools for classrooms, reading recommendations for kids, and much more.
Culture Pass: Get Free Access to NYC Museums with a Library Card
Explore New York City’s museums and attractions with Culture Pass! With your library card, you can get free admission to more than 100 cultural institutions. Save money and discover more about your city this summer.
100 Years of the Schomburg Center
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding this year! A national landmark and world-renowned research center located in the heart of Harlem, the Schomburg Center is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of Black history and culture.
Join us this summer for a wide array of special events, exhibitions, and more as we celebrate this milestone and continue the legacy of Arturo Schomburg.
Summer at the Library for the Performing Arts
For 60 years, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has provided a hub for artists, scholars, and lovers of dance, music, theater, and the performing arts at large.
In celebration of this anniversary, join us for a series of events for all ages, including film screenings, storytimes, reading parties, dance recitals, concerts, and more!
Summer at the Library: Downloads Center
Track your reading to become a Reading Star at the Library! Head to your nearest branch to pick up your reading tracker, or you can download and print them from anywhere, along with extra book log pages and book review sheets.
Download these resources in español (Spanish), 中文 (Chinese), français (French), Русский (Russian), বাংলা (Bengali), and العربية (Arabic).
Stay Connected
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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!
No More Late Fines!
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.
LIVE from NYPL
LIVE from NYPL brings you free events, conversations, and performances featuring prominent writers, artists, and thinkers. Explore upcoming free events, listen to our podcast, and watch past programs on demand!
Free Exhibitions
The Library offers free major exhibitions and special displays at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, plus community showcases at many branch locations throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Find out what’s on view this summer!
Multilingual Resources
The New York Public Library is here for everyone! At our 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, we welcome readers of all ages and backgrounds. Get a library card, explore events and programs, search the catalog for books and materials, and much more—in world languages.
Shop the Library
Support the Library and find books, apparel, home decor, and much more at the Library Shop.
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Help Us Support All New Yorkers
The New York Public Library depends on donors like you to support our essential services. Friends of the Library are vital as we expand access to our resources, including job help, community outreach, and language learning materials. Make a membership gift now and enjoy benefits all year long.
Thank You
Major support provided by the New York Life Foundation, the 2025 city-wide sponsor for the Summer Reading and Learning Programs.
Additional support is provided by Jane Lauder; The Rona Jaffe Foundation; New York Yankees Foundation; Montblanc; anonymous donors; and the continuing major support of the Andreas C. Dracopoulos Family Endowment for Young Audiences.
These programs and initiatives are part of the Library’s overall commitment to our branch patrons and education programs, led by the Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. Major support for educational programming is provided by Merryl H. and James S. Tisch.
