NYC Public Libraries Welcome You Back to School
Get ready to go back to school this fall with NYC public libraries! With more than 200 locations across the five boroughs, there's something for everyone, from free homework help to college and career support and much more. Check out these highlights!
The New York Public Library (Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island)
Get a New York Public Library card to get started today!
For Kids
- Join us for NYPL After School, starting Monday, September 30! Available in more than 50 branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island this fall, NYPL's free drop-in program for kids ages 6–12 takes place after regular school hours, Monday to Thursday, while school is in session.
- Get free online homework help using Brainfuse! Use your NYPL library card to access free online homework help from one-on-one tutors, daily from 2PM to 11PM, using Brainfuse. Tutoring is available in English and Spanish, from early elementary through high school grades, in core subject areas, with video content and other resources also available 24 hours a day. (En español)
- Discover new book recommendations, read our latest issue of Portal Magazine—written by NYPL's Teen Reading Ambassadors—plus boost your STEAM skills and more.
For Teens
- Apply to join NYPL’s Intensive College and Career Access Network (ICCAN) by Friday, August 30: ICCAN participants attend fun, informative workshops to help prepare them for their college or career path after high school.
- Attend our annual College Fair on October 9: Meet representatives from different schools and find out more about the college application process.
- Explore the state-of-the-art tech and creative tools at our expanded Teen Centers in select branches, come to free programs and events, and more.
- Use your library card to get free online homework help with Brainfuse, and practice for high school tests and college entrance exams with Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test & Career Prep.
- The 2024 General Election is coming up! Whether you’re old enough to vote or not, get involved in your community this election season with resources from NYPL’s Teen Civics Ambassadors.
For Educators
- Kick off the school year with notable teacher-comedians at Extra Credit: A Back-to-School Comedy Night for Educators on Friday, August 30.
- Explore our teaching tools, including our Reading with Pride resources—and stay tuned for two all-new curriculum guides launching this fall covering Black history and censorship in the United States!
- Arrange for a class visit to a neighborhood branch or schedule a free field trip to the Library's Polonsky Exhibition for a guided tour of some of NYPL's greatest treasures.
Brooklyn Public Library
Get a Brooklyn Public Library card to get started today!
For All Ages
- Attend BPL’s back-to-school giveaways, block parties, and resource fairs happening at neighborhood libraries throughout August and September. View the full list of events.
- Discover inclusive services for children and teens with and without disabilities.
Explore our online resources for K–12 students, including articles, streaming videos, and interactive learning tools.
For Kids
- Attend the Ready, Set, Kindergarten! series, which was designed to encourage the development of early learning practices and social-emotional skills.
- Get homework help for students in grades 1–8.
- Join us at BPL branches during after school hours for learning, fun and homework help.
- Have a librarian recommend your next favorite book with our free service, Bklyn BookMatch.
For Teens
- Visit BPL’s Teen Tech Centers, interactive learning spaces with tech equipment, collaboration areas, recording studios, and more.
- Read Bklyn Future, a teen blog on our favorite books, art and writing, plus cool free stuff to do!
- Apply for our paid internship programs, including Bklyn BookMatch Teen, Librarians of Tomorrow, StoryTeen, and Teen Techies.
- Help your community by exploring our teen volunteer opportunities.
- Make an appointment for BPL College Connect, one-on-one guidance for anyone looking to explore post-secondary education.
For Educators
- Schedule an appointment with a librarian for a fun and free class visit.
- Access additional materials and longer loan times with BPL's educator library card.
- Browse our educator-curated primary source packets on an array of local history topics from the Civil Rights Movement to Neighborhood History and Gentrification in Brooklyn.
- Dig deep into the history of Brooklyn with our free digital curricula and lesson plans. Explore curriculum kits designed to give educators everything they need to plan units on history topics, from innovative lesson plans that draw on primary sources to a comprehensive teacher’s guide and more.
- Encourage your students to participate in New York City History Day (NYCHD), a program where students in grades 6–12 create projects based on original historical research and analysis. Students have the opportunity to win prizes and progress to the State and National History Day contests. NYCHD is free for all New York City students!
Queens Public Library
Get a Queens Public Library Card to Get Started Today!
For Kids
- Children ages 3–5 can develop literacy skills and begin a lifelong love of reading through QPL’s Kick Off to Kindergarten program. Classes are offered virtually and in-person, with translation support in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, and support for caregivers.
- Visit one of QPL's Toddler Learning Centers, available at multiple locations, where children ages 18–38 months can play in a safe, nurturing environment and participate in guided activities. Early learning professionals are on hand to offer caregivers advice about speech development, nutrition, early literacy, gross motor development, and much more.
For Teens
- Start your college admissions journey with help from QPL’s College Readiness Team. On Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year, the Library hosts virtual programs led by experts in the college access field, as well as in-person programs at the Central Library Teen Center, the Cambria Heights Teen Center, and the Far Rockaway Teen Library during school breaks.
- Find live, expert learning support and tutoring in core subjects (math, reading, writing, science), a Language Lab for language learners, a 24/7 Writing Lab, and SAT prep and practice tests with Brainfuse HelpNow.
For All Ages
- Check out upcoming Back to School events at various branches for all age groups.
- Explore these books to get back into the school groove.
Download QPL’s comprehensive Back-to-School Guide. Available in English, Bengali, Chinese and Spanish.
See you at the Library!