MAY/june 2011 - Queens Library

I love
Queens
Library
S ta n d U p
for Queens Library
Queens Library is an independent, not-for-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any other library system.
MAY/JUNE
2011
C.E.O.’s Notes
Stand Up, Stand Strong
Today, Queens Library is open
after school every single day in
every single community. This is
thanks to all of our supporters
who stood up last year, in the
face of the worst budget cuts
ever proposed. Unfortunately, in
a struggling economy, we have
had to make tough decisions over
the past year, including further
cutbacks in our workforce and
book purchases. Now, severe City
budget cuts — $23 million in
proposed City funding cuts July 1
— loom once again and we must
ask for your help.
Our cover story provides key
tips on how you can stand up for
Queens Library in these crucial
months of May and June. It is
only with your help — by personally contacting your elected
officials, signing petitions, coming
to rallies, and telling your friends
and family how these devastating
cuts will affect your life — that
we can keep our libraries open
and our shelves stocked, and ensure that our excellent staff can
continue to deliver unparalleled
library service.
Get all the information you need
at www.savequeenslibrary.org.
Make sure you sign up for our
advocacy email list, too, so we can
keep you informed about all of
the activities we have planned to
stand up for Queens Library.
We serve a population of more
than 2.3 million here in Queens.
When you come to one of our
libraries, you can quench your
thirst for knowledge. You can get
help for your job search, take an
English or pre-GED class, learn
a new computer program, or join
a book discussion group. Your
children and grandchildren can
come to Queens Library for early
literacy programs and homework
help. And, of course, you can
borrow books, DVDs, and CDs.
We have all of this, and more, for
free.
We truly cannot win this fight
without you! Please do all you can
to stand up for Queens Library.
Thank you.
A Publication of
Queens Library
89-11 Merrick
Boulevard
Jamaica, NY 11432
www.queenslibrary.org
Produced by:
Queens Library’s
Marketing &
Communications
Department
Editor:
Debbi Olley Murphy
Contributors:
Thomas W. Galante
Chief Executive Officer
Camille Barrett
Zoila Bofill
Peter Wayne
Layout and Design:
In This Issue
Laura E. Sgambati
2
3 Virtual Library
10 Entertainment That Goes With You 4-5 Cover Story
Stand Up for Queens Library!
11 6 Read All Summer Long at
7
Queens Library
Little Ones Thrive at
Queens Library
Queens Library: We Keep
You Moving
8-9 Upcoming Events
VOLUME 3, NO.2 • MAY/june 2011
Community Outreach City Council Sworn In As Friends
of the Library
Creative Services
Manager:
Vincent Sgaglione
Queens Library Foundation Greening Initiative Blooms at
Queens Library
12-13 Around Town Jackson Heights
We welcome your
feedback and
suggestions.
Please contact
the Editor.
14 Queens Library: At Your Service
E-mail:
dmurphy@
15 Curator of BHRC Is Named
queenslibrary.org
“Mover & Shaker”
Noticias
Lea todo el verano en la Biblioteca de Queens
Phone: 718-990-8643
En
te
a
t
r
in
n
e
m
a
h
tT
Technology continues
to advance at such a fast
rate that sometimes it’s hard
to keep up. At Queens Library, we
work hard to make sure our customers have access to materials whenever and
wherever they want them.
We offer digital media that’s available for computers and personal devices, such as smartphones and
tablets. For customers who own an iPad®, iPhone®, or
AndroidTM, it’s easier than ever to get what you want on
the go. With the OverDrive app, you can download eBooks
and audiobooks directly to your device. It’s easy to browse,
check out and download EPUB books and MP3 audiobooks.
To find the app, click on “Digital Media” on
www.queenslibrary.org, then click on “OverDrive digital
media guided tour.” From there, you can scroll to the
bottom of the page and click on “OverDrive Media
Console.” Once you reach the console, just follow the
step-by-step directions and you’ll be ready to go.
This is just one more convenience for our digital media
users. Before you begin to download any titles, you’ll need to
install free software (such as the OverDrive Media Console),
and all links are available on the Queens Library website. Go
to www.queenslibrary.org/emedia to learn how to download
o
Y
u
h
t
i
W
s
e
t Go
Virtual Library
materials. All you need to get started is an Internet connection (via PC, Mac, or select mobile devices) and a valid
library card, as well as your PIN.
To browse digital media at Queens Library, go to
http://queenslibrary.lib.overdrive.com. From there, you
can search by title, subject, author or format. You can also
browse by fiction, nonfiction, and genre. And, if you’re
curious about what other people are borrowing, you can
browse by “recently returned.”
Our current catalog has more than 7,000 total items,
including eBook, eAudiobook, eVideo and eMusic titles.
Using your Queens Library card, you can download
digital media directly to most computers and other portable
devices. You can do this from home, while you’re traveling,
or from any other location. With digital media, there is
also an automatic return feature, so checked-out materials
are returned at the end of the lending period (typically three
weeks for Ebooks). You never have to worry about fees. And,
as is the case with our hardbound materials, you can check
out up to 50 titles at a time.
Why wait? Check out Queens Library’s downloadable
media collection today, and enjoy your entertainment
on the go.
Please note that while digital downloads can be enjoyed
at home, at work, or when you travel, they are not for
use on Queens Library computers at this time.
It’s Easy
1 Browse
2 Check Out
3 Download
step
step
step
MAY/JUNE 2011
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Queens Library supporters rally at City Hall.
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Take action!
Go online
and sign our
petition!
g
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Check out www.
LIBRA
Borough President Helen Marshall, far right, joined an eager crowd
of supporters at Queens Library at Langston Hughes.
savequeenslibrary.org
In the last year, more than 14 million people came through
our doors. Whether they were here to look for a job, find a
book, do their homework, enjoy a program, or socialize, they
were here because all of us stood together to fight off overwhelming budget cuts.
Once again, we find ourselves facing the very real threat of
city budget cuts devastating public library service in Queens.
This year’s proposal is even more severe than last year’s was.
It threatens to close libraries more days than they are open
and seriously curtail weekend service. Suspension of new
book purchasing, the painful effects of which our customers
have already felt, will no doubt continue. The jobs of hundreds of our excellent staff are on the line.
While we serve everybody, a cross-section of our customers
have told us why Queens Library is important to them, and
why it’s so important that our doors stay open.
We Stand Up for Our Customers’ Futures
Queens Library offers free information and materials to our
customers. We also have free Internet access and thousands
of classes, workshops, and cultural programs for all ages. For
our children and teens, Queens Library is open after school
so our young customers can do their homework, meet their
friends, and enjoy themselves. “The library is like my second
home,” said one teen of Queens Library at Sunnyside. “It’s
the best place to go anywhere.”
Through our Job Information Centers (JIC), we also offer
free workshops for job seekers. Recently, a grateful customer
who is now employed at a Manhattan hospital and has the
opportunity for advancement thanked our librarian for the
help he received on his résumé.
We Stand Up for Lifelong Learning
Through our Adult Learner Program, Queens Library
serves 6,000 people each year. Through our family and
Queens Library CEO Thomas W. Galante and City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer at Queens Library at Sunnyside.
Cover Story
health literacy programs, as well as adult literacy and ESOL
classes, we ensure that customers have the tools they need
to improve themselves throughout their lives. One customer
wrote, “I am grateful to be taught at Queens Library at Corona. We need the continuation of these free services for our
community.”
One senior citizen at Queens Library at Queens Village said
she wished the library opened at 8:00 a.m. The reason? She
is working on a Ph.D. dissertation, and relies on the library’s
free computers for typing and printing her drafts.
Stand Together!
Last year, we all joined together to say that libraries are too
important to cut. The Mayor and New York City Council
stood with us and Queens Library’s doors remained open,
enriching the lives of our customers every day. “We all need
to stand up for what we believe in,” said Jen Manley, Queens
Library’s Director of Government and Community Affairs.
“We all have our own reasons for why we use Queens Library; this is our opportunity to speak up.”
Our advocacy website, www.savequeenslibrary.org, has all
the tools you need to make your stand. You can sign the
online petition and also join the advocacy email list to get the
latest news and information about events. We provide easy
ways to find your representatives and make phone calls or
send letters directly to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the
City Council.
Also, please send information to your friends and coworkers via Twitter, Facebook, and other social media networks
you use. Remember: you can always tell someone in person!
Thank you for all you continue to do for Queens Library.
For more information on how to save Queens Library, please
contact Jen Manley, Director of Government and Community
Affairs, at 718-990-8585 or via e-mail, at
[email protected].
Councilmember Leroy Comrie, speaking out at the
2011 Library Day at City Hall Park, flanked by
Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, Chairman of the
Committee on Cultural Affairs & Libraries (left)
and Councilmember Vincent Gentile, Chairman of
the Select Committee on Libraries (right).
A young library user signs a petition.
MAY/JUNE 2011
5
Read All Summer
Long at Queens Library
What are your plans for the summertime? If we have as hot a summer as this past winter was
cold, chances are you’ll want to spend a lot of time in air conditioning. At Queens Library,
we’re gearing up for summer reading, and for those of you who already spend a lot of time
with us, this is just another opportunity to come to programs, take out materials, and meet
your friends. For those of you who might not come through our doors as often, summertime
is a great time to cool off at Queens Library! Everyone, from babies through centenarians, is
encouraged to sign up.
Start the
Summer in
Style
It wouldn’t be summer reading without a great party, and this year we have planned a fun launch to
kick off the season. Our theme, One World, Many Stories is ideal for Queens, with its rich array of cultures and people with so many stories to tell. Join us on Thursday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
at the P.S. 111 schoolyard, adjacent to Queens Library at Long Island City, 37-44 21 Street. (If there is
bad weather, the event will be held indoors, at Queens Library at Long Island City.)
Adam Gidwitz will join us at the event. Gidwitz is the author of A Tale Dark and Grimm, which adapts
fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and was named a 2011 Notable Book by ALA’s Association for
Library Service to Children (ALSC). In addition to Gidwitz, we’ll also have storytelling, hula hooping
and other circus fun with performer Vanessa Vortex and her troupe. We’ll have lots of great crafts programs too. You’ll also have a chance to sign up for summer reading right at the event, so don’t miss it!
In June, the American Museum of Natural History will also bring its Moveable Museum to the following libraries to promote summer reading: Arverne, Forest Hills, Glen Oaks, North Hills, Ozone Park,
Ridgewood and South Ozone Park. Check with the children’s librarian for details.
Throw out
the Rule
Book
Thanks to
Our
Sponsors
If you come to Queens Library in the summer to borrow a book, you’re already involved in summer
reading. To make it official, just sign up at your local library starting on Thursday, June 9. You can also
register online, at www.summerreading.org. And, for information about all of the fun programs we’ll
offer as part of summer reading, check out our website, www.queenslibrary.org.
When it comes to summer reading, there are no rules! We encourage you to read whatever you like.
While our librarians have put together a terrific booklist for each age group, with lots of great
suggestions, you can read wherever your imagination takes you. (Booklists are available in print and
online.) And the great thing about summer reading is you can share what you like! Write reviews on
www.summerreading.org and keep track of what you’re reading there, too.
The 2011 Summer Reading Program is supported in part by Federal Library Services and Technology
Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library
Services.
Target is the lead sponsor of Queens Library’s Summer Reading Program, with additional support
from Astoria Federal Savings, The New York Mets and Orchard Foundation.
You can register for the Queens
Library summer reading program
at your local Queens Library
starting Thursday, June 9. You can
also register online, at
www.summerreading.org.
6
Illustrations by:
Rafael López
Queens Library: We Keep You Moving
People’s lives are busy, and their
schedules are packed with errands. If
you love to read, listen to music, watch
movies, or enjoy any of the more than
6 million items Queens Library offers,
you know you have to return your materials by the date those items are due
to avoid fees. Wouldn’t it be great if
you could drop your materials off even
when your library is closed, knowing
that you’ll still get there on time to
meet the due date?
Over the past year, Queens Library has
been hard at work installing self-check
machines throughout our libraries.
With self check-in now available in select libraries, and more being installed
on a regular basis, we’re making
steady progress.
What does this mean for our customers? With these exterior self check-in
machines, they can return their materials 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
They won’t need to use book drops
Little Ones Thrive at
Queens Library
If you’re a parent or caregiver, Queens
Library offers several programs for you
and your preschooler. The programs
are for ages 12 months to 5 years old.
Why not spend some time with your
little one enjoying stories, music and
more? It’s free and it’s fun. Some of
these programs do require preregistration, so it’s a good idea to check with
your local library first.
Mother Goose Time, for babies 1224 months, features nursery rhymes,
fingerplays and songs. Our Toddler
Learning Center (TLC) is a five-session
workshop for children ages 18-36
months that focuses on toddlers’ educational and physical development. TLC
includes toys, games and puzzles, and
is particularly geared toward parents
and caregivers. Expert
speakers
also address
topics such as nutrition, psychological
development, and physical fitness.
Besides Mother Goose Time and TLC,
we offer two additional preschool programs. While Toddler Time is geared
toward children ages 2-3 ½ and Picture
Book Time is meant for kids 3 ½ to 5,
both programs feature stories, music,
games and other activities.
Check the monthly Guide or online, at
www.queenslibrary.org, for a current
list of libraries that have preschool programs, and remember: if the program
requires preregistration, sign up first!
only during specific hours. Also, as
soon as customers return their materials into the check-in kiosk, they will
get an itemized receipt. The receipt
will verify the date of return, while
also listing any extended use fees.
The machine is easy to use: You need
to put one item on the shelf to begin
the process. You can return as many
items as you like, but be sure to place
each one on the shelf at a time. When
you have completed all of your returns, press “done” on the screen. That
way, you can wait for your receipt and
keep it for your records.
The following libraries have exterior self check-in (with more being
added every week): Broad Channel,
Broadway, Corona, Court Square, East
Elmhurst, Maspeth, Pomonok, Rego
Park, Ridgewood, Seaside, Sunnyside,
and Windsor Park.
With many locations outfitted with
self check-out machines, we’re making
sure our customers can take out materials quickly and return them equally
quickly.
We understand that our customers
have plenty to do. We don’t want to
add to your stress. Take out up to
50 items at a time at one of our self
check-out machines, and return those
items at a self check-in machine. It’s
convenient, it’s quick, and you can keep
on moving!
MAY/JUNE 2011
7
Events
As we move into summertime at Queens Library, we look forward to summer
reading, which kicks off on Thursday, June 9. Below is just a selection of the
thousands of programs we offer all year. Programs are subject to change; call
Queens Library for updates or go to www.queenslibrary.org. Admission to all
events is free.
Concerts
Saturday, May 7
2:00 p.m.
Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series:
Juan-Carlos Formell and Johnny’s Dream Club
Grammy–nominated Cuban guitarist/composer/vocalist Juan–Carlos Formell and
a stellar lineup of Latin jazz masters reignite the connections between Cuban
music and jazz as Johnny’s Dream Club.
QUEENS LIBRARY AT FLUSHING
41-17 Main Street; 718-661-1200
Saturday, May 21
3:00 p.m.
Symphony 101: Shake, Rattle & Roll! - A Performance/
Workshop for the Entire Family
Queens Symphony Orchestra and its music director Constantine Kitsopoulos
teach children and adults about the different instruments in the traditional symphonic orchestra through live musical demonstrations and a multi-media presentation. Come meet the instruments in the percussion family.
queens library at bayside
214-20 Northern Boulevard; 718-229-1834
Saturday, May 21
2:00 p.m.
Sweet Cyanide in Concert
Sweet Cyanide, New York City’s premiere rock band, has been on a national tour since the release of their critically acclaimed self-titled debut in
August 2009. The band has been together for two years and released their
second CD, “Sweet Cyanide II” last year, which has received nothing but
outstanding reviews. Their music can be described as arena-ready hard
rock with a cynical, vicious, arrogant edge. In Auditorium, Lower Level.
queens library at flushing
41-17 Main Street; 718-661-1200
8
Concerts • International Resource Center • Film Series •
Sunday Concerts @ Central
Sunday, June 5
3:00 p.m.
Sofia Rei
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the music of Sofia Rei is grounded in traditional
South American rhythms such as chacarera, zamba and vidala from Argentina, Afro-Peruvian festejo and lando, Afro-Uruguayan candombe, Colombian cumbia and bullerengue and
other genres that merge jazz harmonies, electronic sounds and rich improvisations. Her
ensemble produces a range of textures as diverse as the cultural roots of its members.
central library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica; 718-990-0700
Film Series
Monday, June 13
2:00 p.m.
International Film Screening and Discussion
Join us for a film screening and discussion of the award-winning
film “Helena from the Wedding,” directed by Joseph Infantolino
in English. Newlyweds question their relationship as they host
their friends in a remote cabin over New Year’s weekend.
queens library at fresh meadows
193-20 Horace Harding Expressway; 718-454-7272
QL International Resource Center Presents
Monday, May 9
6:30 p.m.
Customs and Traditions of Guatemala
Presented by Hermanos y Amigos de Guatemala (HAGUA)
HAGUA will present traditional Mayan cultural dances that blend colonial themes and
indigenous Mayan culture, such as the customary kite dance. Come and enjoy this dance
performance.
Monday, June 27
6:30 p.m.
Radiant and Timeless: A Dance Odyssey
Contemplative and expansive, this program embraces the ancestral mystique of Near Eastern dance. Myth, metamorphosis,
flamenco moro and Orientalism are the themes of this opulent
evening of dance. With Ms. Elena Lentini, artistic director and
choreographer; and the Caravanserai Dance Theater.
queens library at flushing
41-17 Main Street; 718-661-1200
IRC programs will be held in the Auditorium on the Lower Level.
MAY/JUNE 2011
9
City Council Sworn In As Friends
And Lend Their Support to
the Buy-A-Book Campaign
DI
iller, DM
of Dan M
Courtesy
Borough President Helen Marshall;
City Council Speaker Christine C.
Quinn; City Councilmember Jimmy
Van Bramer; Queens Library CEO
Thomas W. Galante; Queens Library
Foundation Executive Director
Diana Chapin; City Councilmembers Karen Koslowitz and Vincent
Gentile
The Friends of Queens Library know a good deal when
they see one. When budgets cuts forced a drastic reduction
in the amount of books, DVDs and other materials Queens
Library could purchase, the Friends were asked to help
fill the gap with an emergency campaign to buy books for
Queens Library.
The Queens Library Foundation offered a generous matching grant for the monies that the Friends could raise for the
Buy-A-Book program. With a chance to double every dollar
that came in, the Friends hit the streets with enthusiasm
and determination.
Recently, the Friends added members of City government
to their roster of supporters. City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer,
Chairman of the Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations Committee, City Councilmembers
Vincent Gentile and Karen Koslowitz were sworn in as
the “City Council Chapter, Friends of Queens Library” by
Borough President Helen Marshall. And, as one of their
first initiatives as Friends, they joined the emergency BuyA-Book Campaign. In fact, Councilmember Van Bramer led
the initiative when he announced a personal contribution of
$1,000, which was matched by Borough President Marshall.
Helen Marshall outlined her support at the swearing-in.
“The Buy-A-Book program is a real and tangible way in
which you can contribute to the enrichment of the life of a
child or adult by giving the gift of knowledge. I urge everyone who is able to participate in this campaign.”
City Council Speaker Quinn added, “I am truly honored to
be inducted into the Friends of Queens Library. Our city’s
libraries are a great way for everyone to explore a whole
new world without breaking the bank.”
“The Buy-A-Book initiative is a great program for our community,” said Councilmember Van Bramer. “The formation
of this Friends chapter is one more sign of the City Council’s commitment to our libraries and I will continue to fight
for Queens Library as I have for the past twelve years.”
As Queens Library continues to face budget cuts, the
Friends have responded with their special brand of enthusiasm. They have become savvy fundraisers and strategists,
creating unique opportunities to engage their community
schools, local business and residents. As always, we are so
grateful to our Friends for all they do for Queens Library,
and we welcome our new City Council chapter!
Outreach Season Is on the Horizon
This year, it’s more important than ever to get the word out about Queens Library, as New York City libraries’ budgets are facing a major cut. Last year, we hit over 100 events between April and November in communities in every
corner of the borough.
Your participation in these events is much needed and appreciated. Volunteers staff Queens Library tables while
networking and gathering critical support for the advocacy campaign. Please contact Camille T. Barrett at 718-990-8583 in the office of Government and Community Affairs to sign up
to volunteer or if you know of a great event in your neighborhood that we should include.
10
mages
Greening Initiative Blooms
at Queens Library
After a long, cold winter, spring
finally came to Queens and, now
that we are in May, nature is in full
bloom. While we enjoy the beauty
of this growing season, Queens
Library has begun a new partnership with the North Star Fund on
a project called “Greening Libraries.” Through the North Star Fund’s
“Greening Western Queens Fund,”
a generous grant of $250,000 will
enable Queens Library to create a
major greening effort and help build
a sustainable environment initiating
new environmental programs, offering new collections on environmental
education, retrofitting libraries and
undertaking energy conservation
measures in Queens Library at Astoria, Broadway, Steinway, Sunnyside
and Woodside.
Libraries are
already the ultimate
in reuse efforts.
“North Star Fund is proud to support
Queens Library through the Greening Western Queens Fund,” said
Hugh Hogan, Executive Director of
the North Star Fund. “The learning
libraries will become multilingual
gathering hubs for environmental
learning for diverse sectors of the
community and models for greening
institutions replicable in other communities.”
Lynne Serpe, co-founder
of Triple R Events:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
and the project coordinator, added, “By recycling
books through thousands
of hands, libraries are an
exemplar of reusability,
and this greening initiative will help the libraries
become models of sustainability.”
Greening Libraries is
sprouting at libraries
throughout Western
While Queens Library programs like Read ’n Seed already teach kids
Queens. In March, local
about the environment, Greening Libraries places a strong emphasis
residents began planning
on creating sustainability.
library gardens at Queens
to provide multilingual programming
Library at Astoria and
and increase our multilingual collecSteinway. In April, Queens Library
tions on a range of environmental
at Broadway hosted a free electronic
topics. The North Star Fund grant
waste recycling day. And Queens
also will allow Queens Library to
Library at Sunnyside will kick off
employ five young people as Enviits topical Green Book Club with a
ronmental Assistants. Lastly, funding
discussion of Rachel Carson’s classic,
for Greening Libraries will allow
Silent Spring.
libraries to undergo energy-efficiency
Beginning in June, Queens Library
audits and improvements.
at Steinway will partner with the
Queens Library Foundation thanks
Western Queens Compost Initiathe North Star Fund and its Greentive to collect food scraps from local
ing Western Queens Initiative for its
residents in an effort to decrease the
generous support in helping to create
amount of food waste going into
a more sustainable and environlandfills. Greening Libraries will also
mentally friendly setting at Queens
include a Green Film Series, showLibrary.
casing important documentaries and
educational movies for kids. The initiative will also partner with Queens
Queens Library Foundation
Library’s New Americans Program
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
Jamaica, NY 11432
www.queenslibraryfoundation.org
[email protected]
718-480-4273 (phone)
718-480-4302 (fax)
MAY/JUNE 2011
11
Jackson Heights
35-51 81 Street; 718-899-2500
Hours: Mon. 10–8 | Tues. 1–6 | Wed. 10–6 | Thurs. 1-8 | Fri. 10–6 | Sat. 10–5:30
Fact s
J AC K SO N
Visitors: 578,664
Number of Programs:
685
12
About
H E I G H TS :
Collection: 183,534
items in English, Chinese, Hindi, Korean,
Russian, Spanish and
other languages
Busy Library Is a Daily Destination
Situated on ground that was higher than the surrounding towns, Jackson Heights was named for the
prominent Jackson family who lived near Northern Boulevard. As was true for certain areas of Queens, it only began
to grow as a neighborhood after the Queensboro Bridge
was completed in 1908 and subway lines were built.
In 1915, the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) completed
its subway line connecting Queens to Manhattan, which resulted in further development and the completion of several
lovely garden-style apartment buildings. Jackson Heights
is regarded as the first garden city community built in the
United States. In fact, the City Landmark Preservation
Commission designated Jackson Heights a historic district
in 1994.
Though the Jackson Heights Community Federation
worked hard to establish a permanent library after World
War II to replace temporary branches that were built in
storefronts, the Jackson Heights branch was not built until
1954. The library has undergone renovations a few times,
and is now a three-floor library serving a thriving neighborhood.
Technology is also at a premium at Jackson Heights. As is
the case throughout Queens Library locations, customers
are constantly lined up to use the computers.
Dai stresses that, despite a relatively small staff for such
a large population, customer service is key. “We have very
good teamwork here,” he says, “and the staff is enthusiastic
and motivated. In addition to knowledge, they offer dedication.”
Dai points out that, with senior citizens coming in to read
and use computers, families and children coming in together
for homework and after-school time, and enthusiastic
readers who fill the reserve shelves with requests, Queens
Library at Jackson Heights is part of people’s routine.
“The library is so important in our customers’ daily lives,”
he says. Perhaps Jackson Heights can become part of your
routine, too: come by anytime!
Jackson Heights is one of Queens Library’s busiest locations, recently welcoming more than 40,000 customers
in one month. “So many customers come here daily,” says
Community Library Manager Weiqing Dai. “And the children’s room is a particularly busy spot.” Senior Children’s
Librarian Ellen Kessler concurs. “This is an incredibly energetic and exciting place,” she says. Every afternoon, there
are programs for children, including BOOST (Best Out of
School Time) enrichment programs. Teen tutors also assist
the children with their homework.
With at least one program each day, the members of
the Jackson Heights community are well served. Adult
programs include financial empowerment workshops, citizenship workshops and computer classes.
There are also special bilingual programs, such as Beijing
opera stories and a recent program that focused on Tibetan
art. These reflect the demographic makeup of Jackson
Heights. “We are seeing many people come in from all over
the world, but most of them are from South America and
Asia,” Dai says. “With immigrants from India, Pakistan,
Nepal, China and Korea, among other countries, we offer
comprehensive materials and programs for the diverse community.”
A young customer learns computer
literacy with a fun game.
MAY/JUNE 2011
13
Queens Library: At Your Service
staff was able to connect MAB’s
homebound customers with
library programs via conference
calls. MAB has used the teleconferencing console to include
homebound participants in
music and discussion programs
held at Queens Library, giving
them a feeling of inclusion they
might not have otherwise. Staff
has also led book discussions
via conference call, which gives
homebound customers an opportunity to share their views on the
book in question. With the conference number, MAB customers
also enjoy regular chats that
cover a variety of topics.
Queens Library is special for
many reasons, and certainly one
of those is for our programs
and services. With a strong
commitment to public service,
coupled with knowledgeable
and caring staff members, we
are delighted to be recognized
for our efforts.
Recently, Susan Dalmas, Manager of Queens Library’s Adult
Learner Program, was a winner of the coveted Sloan Public
Service Award. This award,
presented by the Fund for the
City of New York, is known
as the Nobel Prize of New
York City government. It
is given to six outstanding
civil servants in New York
City whose work performance
and commitment to the public
transcend not only the ordinary
but the extraordinary. Gabriel
Taussig, a Queens Library
trustee, also received the award
for his work as Chief, Administrative Law Division for the New
York City Law Department.
Through its Adult Learner Program, Queens Library provides
free programs for 6,000 people
each year through its family
literacy program, health literacy
program for speakers of other
languages, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
and general literacy programs.
We also offer pre-GED classes for
individuals who want to improve
their reading and math skills
before they take the GED.
Dalmas had this to say about her
work for Queens Library: “It is so
gratifying to learn that
14
Susan Dalmas (right) joins Georgia Boothe,
a member of the Sloan Award selection panel.
programs I have helped to implement not only enhance adult
learners’ English language and
literacy skills but also enrich their
lives.” She continued, “Helping
people to become functionally
literate and proficient in the English language opens the door to
endless opportunities.”
We also have garnered attention for our Mail-A-Book (MAB)
program. MAB, which serves
homebound customers and customers in nursing homes with
mailed library materials, has
won the American Library Association’s ASLCA/KLAS/NOD
Award.
Queens Library has received
acclaim for MAB because of a
special component of the program. Using an 800 number,
MAB staff members, led by
Queens Library at Queens
Village’s community library
manager Madlyn Schneider,
told EYL why MAB is such
a key part of Queens Library.
“We strive to fulfill the library’s
mission to bring educational,
recreational and lifelong opportunities to our customers,” staff
members said. Of the conference call component, MAB staff
shared these thoughts: “It’s so
rewarding to watch the teleconference customers make new
friends — even at the age of 99
— and thank us for making their
day less lonely.”
With these two awards, we are
so pleased to receive recognition
for our programs and services.
We continue to focus on creativity and innovation so that our
customers can benefit from what
we have to offer. Thank you for
helping to make Queens Library
a key destination!
Lea todo el verano en
la Biblioteca de Queens
Curator
of BHRC
Is Named
“Mover &
Shaker”
Join Summer Reading at Queens Library
Tracy Crawford
The Black Heritage Reference Center (BHRC), housed
at Queens Library at Langston Hughes, is New York
City’s largest circulating collection of materials related
to black culture. With about 40,000 volumes, including
books, periodicals, databases, videos, CDs, posters and
prints, the BHRC is a jewel within the Queens Library
system.
Recently, Library Journal named Tracy Crawford, curator of the BHRC, a “Mover and Shaker.” This honor,
bestowed on 50 librarians and others in the library field,
highlights those who “do extraordinary work to serve
their users.”
Photo by Lloyd Crawford
Cada verano la Biblioteca de Queens ofrece a los niños
una manera entretenida de disfrutar de la lectura con el
Club de Lectura de Verano.
Estimule a sus hijos para que se unan al Programa de
Lectura (Summer Reading Program) de la Biblioteca
de Queens. Ellos disfrutarán mientras se convierten en
mejores lectores, además de obtener ventajas para cuando
regresen a la escuela. Recuerde que este programa no es
únicamente para los niños es para todas las edades.
Únase a nosotros el jueves, 9 de junio, de 10 am a 12:30
pm en el Patio de la escuela P.S. 111, junto a la Biblioteca
de Queens en Long Island City, 37-44 21 Street. (Si hay
mal tiempo, el evento se llevará a cabo en el interior, en la
Biblioteca de Queens en Long Island City.)
Si viene a La Biblioteca de Queens en el verano para tomar
prestado un libro, por que no hacerlo oficial, sólo tiene que
inscribirse en su biblioteca local que comienza el jueves 9 de
junio. También puede inscribirse por el Internet
www.summerreading.org. Y, para obtener mas
información sobre todos los programas de diversión que
le ofrece el programa de lectura de verano para todas las
edades, visite nuestra página web, www.queenslibrary.org.
¡Cuando se trata de lectura de verano, no hay reglas! Le
animamos a que lea lo que usted desee. Es completamente
gratis. Asegúrese que sus niños no pierdan esta oportunidad.
Of her work, Crawford said, “Through events such as our
ongoing creative writing series for adults and teens, our
Annual Authors and Publishers Fair, author readings and
signings, and more, our goal is to explore the rich history
and culture of the African Diaspora. It is my hope that we
are able to inspire both creativity and the quest for knowledge by providing a space for exploring the past, seeking
to understand the present, and preparing for the future.”
If you haven’t visited Queens Library at
Langston Hughes, do yourself a favor and check it out.
With an award-winning curator there to guide you
through New York City’s largest black culture collection,
you’re sure to find something special.
Los niños se divirtieron con una piñata en el evento de lectura de verano
2010.
MAY/JUNE 2011
15
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MAY/JUNE 2011
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Queens Library:
Free, Educational, Entertaining
At Queens Library, we meet a host of different people whose reasons for coming here are as diverse
as the borough itself. A few of our customers recently shared why they like to visit Queens Library:
“I come for Mother Goose, and have been
coming to Central Library for three years.
My children, who are 3 ½ and 2 ½, always
learn something.”
— Most, Central Library (her son is pictured)
“I come to the library because I really enjoy reading. I’m studying to be a pilot, so I like to read aircraft books. The library is
a place where people can expand their vocabularies; they
also enhance your chances for finding a job. Queens Library
is also a friendly environment.”
— Alex, Central Library
“I’m looking for some new books today,
and also for large-print books. The
library is so convenient, and I enjoy
reading. Taking a book out of the library
is cheaper than paying $20 for a new
book. I really like the self check-in machines, too, because I can get a receipt
whenever I return something.”
— Janet, Central Library