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At Queens Public Library, we have been honored to serve the unique, diverse and dynamic people of Queens for the last 125 years! To mark this milestone, we have compiled a list of 125 things you can do to benefit from all that QPL has to offer.

Our extensive list includes activities that are fun, educational, cultural and practical, with must-see spots, programs and resources for all ages, and so much more! Please note that some activities on this list are dependent on seasons or availability. If there are activities that don’t apply to you, share them with a family member or friend who may be interested.

Check things off as you go and share your journey with us on social media using the hashtag #QPL125.

1.Sign up for a Queens Public Library card.

2.For Teens!Visit the Far Rockaway Teen Library, which features a variety of fun and educational programs, including a recording studio, a podcasting station, and Oculus Virtual Reality headsets!

3.Chat with a Librarian” virtually on our website, and get answers to your most ardent library-related questions.

4.Calm the mind and soothe the soul with a Tai chi or Yoga class at the Library. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming classes.

5.Borrow an electronic “talking picture book,” an innovative format which includes sound, music, and narration. Kids can read the books at their own pace or listen to the built-in storyteller.

6.Get your news for free with Gale Onefile News, a full-text newspaper database that offers several local newspapers, including The New York Times. It’s available in the Research Databases section on our website.

7.Advocate for your library! Share with your elected representative how important QPL is to you. Write them an email or letter!

8.For History Lovers!Visit one of our historic Carnegie libraries - Astoria, Poppenhusen, Richmond Hill, and Woodhaven - originally funded by Andrew Carnegie in 1901.

9.For Book Lovers!Entertain your literary mind at the annual Literary Arts Festival organized by Langston Hughes Library. Meet and hear from prominent and emerging writers, learn about the publishing industry, and catch a performance! Visit the QPL calendar on our website during November/December.

10.For Kids & Teens!Be a star at school by using our homework resources: queenslib.org/homeworkresources.

11.Wow your friends with your skills in origami, the art of paper folding. Check out our on-demand origami playlist on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/QueensPublicLibrary.

12.Job searching can be stressful and overwhelming. Minimize your stress with one-on-one career coaching offered by the Job and Business Academy. Sign up by calling 718-990-8625 or emailing jobsearchhelp@queenslibrary.org.

13.Discover your next favorite book through our curated staff picks, updated monthly. Check the “Books, Movies & More” section of our website.

14.Gain a competitive edge by learning a new skill through LinkedIn Learning. Available in the Research Databases section on our website.

15.Discover the Friends of the Library and become a member! Please visit queenslibrary.org/support/friends-of-library.

16.Help a friend sign up for a Queens Public Library card.

17.Visit the “Venice of New York,” and discover local stories in the historical files at Broad Channel Library.

18.For Teens!Visit the Teen Center at Cambria Heights Library, a dedicated floor that hosts entertaining and informational programs and features a recording studio and Oculus Virtual Reality headsets! 

19.No printer? No problem! Send documents to print remotely from home and pick them up at your local library. Please visit queenslib.org/qplprint.

20.Through QPL, immigrants can get free and confidential legal services. Email the New Americans Program at napref@queenslibrary.org for more information. You can also learn what your rights are or take a citizenship class.

21.Check out a DVD of a movie you haven’t seen in a while but love.

22.Learn a new language with Rocket Languages, an online language learning platform. Available in the Research Databases section on our website.

23.Become a library volunteer, and make new friends while supporting the Library’s work.

24.Get access to a smartphone, tech help, and community resources from the Immediate Access: Technology Reentry program for people on parole: queenslib.org/immediateaccess.

25.Get lost within the whimsical world of WPA murals at the Astoria and Richmond Hill branches.

26.For Teens!Join the Youth Justice Court to take on the responsibilities of each courtroom participant - judge, jury member, defender, and prosecutor. For ages 13-19. Visit queenslib.org/youthcourt.

27.Explore QPL memories from the community and share your favorite QPL memory with us! Visit stories.queenslibrary.org.

28.Create a new career path! Learn new tech skills and receive job training to become a computer support specialist. Visit queenslib.org/jumpstart.

29.Check out a foreign-language film or one in your native tongue from the DVD collection at any of our libraries.

30.Get ready for college application season with SAT/ACT prep from Method Test Prep. It’s available under Methodize in our Research Databases.

31.For Book Lovers!Attend an upcoming author talk to hear from luminaries in various genres. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming programs.

32.Make a copy of your favorite poem from one of our books using our copy services. Now you will have a poem in your pocket for Poem in Your Pocket Day in April!

33.Drop by East Elmhurst Library and make sure to say hello to their resident turtles, Ella and Louis, named after jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

34.For New Parents!Visit queenslib.org/baby for useful information as you raise your new little one. Plus, get a special QPL Baby Card for your child at your local library.

35.Show your love for your borough! Upload an image or personal story to the Queens Memory page at queensmemory.org.

36.Attend a bilingual storytime in Bengali, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Spanish, and many more languages.

37.Break out the Boom Box! Check out a CD of an old-school album you love.

38.Get your wellness on! Take a class on Learn It Live. Available in the Research Databases section on our website.

39.Donate your used books in good physical condition to the Library.

40.Give our hard-working staff members a reason to smile today! Write a thank you note, and next time you are at the library, pass it on!

41.For Tech Lovers!Leap into the future at the Queensbridge Tech Lab, Queens Public Library’s hub for innovation and technology. Empower your tech knowledge with programming on everything from web development to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics.

42.Take us with you! All of our online services are available on the Queens Public Library mobile app. Download it at connect.queenslibrary.org.

43.Sing those K-pop songs with confidence! Learn Korean with QPL’s New Americans Program. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming classes.

44.Pass the time with our collection of eMagazines on the QPL app the next time you are on the subway or bus, or waiting at the doctor’s office. Download the app at connect.queenslibrary.org.

45.Access government documents through our archives. Please visit the Government Documents section of our website or contact 718-990-8620.

46.Support vital Library programs and services by making a donation to the Queens Public Library Foundation. Make a gift in honor of a loved one.

47.Reduce your carbon footprint! Walk or ride your bike to your local library.

48.Our Mobile Library can be spotted throughout the borough of Queens! Take a photo next time you see it and share it on social media. Make sure to tag @QPLNYC and use #QueensMobileLibrary.

49.When you find our Mobile Library in your neighborhood, make sure to use its services and check out a book.

50.Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

51.Support your child’s early literacy skills through Kickoff to Kindergarten, a program to support your little one’s learning.

52.What’s next on your reading list? Place a hold on your next book in our eBook collection.

53.Promote and participate in acts of kindness during the months of November and December during QPL’s annual campaign: It’s Time for Kind. And be kind all year!

54.Use QPL’s digital archives to find a photo of your neighborhood. Please visit digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org.

55.Take your toddler to your local library during Toddler Time for stories and music.

56.Give Audiobooks a try. Download one of our eAudiobooks for a subway ride, a long commute, or an evening at home. For more details, visit queenslib.org/digitalmedia.

57.Celebrate Black history during Black History Month each February and all year long by taking part in our many events and offerings.

58.Expand your knowledge of Jewish history with the Jewish Heritage Collection at Arverne Library.

59.Find out your library personality by taking our quiz at queenslib.org/librarypersonality.

60.Maximize your child’s potential by enrolling them in the STACKS enrichment program, which helps school-age children build their social, emotional, and academic skills. For more information, visit queenslib.org/STACKSpromo.

61.Take a course on anything you love! From baking to archaeology, The Great Courses offer a range of learning opportunities on the Libby app, available through OverDrive.

62.Show your LGBTQ pride during Pride Month and throughout the year.

63.For Art Lovers!Come to Langston Hughes Library to tour a unique art collection featuring works by African and local artists. Plus, explore the library’s Black Heritage collection, which features approximately 40,000 volumes of material about and related to Black culture.

64.Visit Glen Oaks Library and view a pattern on the building with variations of the word “SEARCH” in multiple languages, reflecting the diversity of Queens. 

65.Get your science on at the Saturday Science Lab for elementary school kids. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming programs.

66.Stay home and go to a concert! Stream the world’s largest collection of on-demand concerts and music documentaries on Qello Concerts by Stingray. Available through OverDrive’s Libby app.

67.Visit a plethora of museums and cultural institutions at no cost using your library card through Culture Pass at culturepass.nyc.

68.Never lose your place in your current book by getting a bookmark from your local library. While supplies last.

69.Visit a library location virtually using one of our Bitmoji virtual libraries at queenslibrary.org/qplanywhere.

70.Get ready for college with our College Readiness workshops on financial aid, writing college essays, and more. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming programs.

71.Meet a no-nonsense female superhero (or villain) from our comic book collection.

72.Take a selfie outside of your favorite library location. Share it on social media and tag @QPLNYC.

73.Visit a library you have never been to before. When you check out a book, you can return it to any Queens Public Library location.

74.Read the QPL blog at queenslib.org/qplblog for updates, new book arrivals, and event recaps.

75.Create a new career path! Train to become a home health aide. Please visit queenslib.org/jumpstart.

76.Access QPL’s free music service through Freegal, and download your favorite song or the latest hit.

77.Your local librarian is the best resource to help you find your next great read. Ask them for a recommendation!

78.Visit our YouTube channel to watch QPL’s 2021 Virtual Gala celebrating our 125th Anniversary.

79.Be a star at your next job interview! Schedule a mock interview with a representative from the Job and Business Academy by emailing jobsearchhelp@queenslibrary.org.

80.Return all of your overdue library books for someone else’s enjoyment and trade them in for some new ones. Remember, there are no fines on overdue materials!

81.See the original Carnegie fireplace mantle in the Children’s Room at Elmhurst Library.

82.For Art Lovers!View art funded by the WPA by visiting the Library’s digital archives at queenslib.org/WPAartwork.

83.Finish high school by getting your High School Equivalency (HSE). Visit queenslib.org/HSE.

84.Check out the same book as a friend and have a book discussion or start your own book club.

85.Take a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City in the Reading Garden of East Elmhurst Library.

86.Preserve treasured family memories through our digitization program offered by Queens Memory. For more information, visit queensmemory.org.

87.Your health is your wealth! Join us for fitness activities and informative workshops. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming programs.

88.Try a new dish for dinner (or lunch or breakfast) with a little help from a cookbook from our collection.

89.Get free Wi-Fi on us! Come to any of our library locations to connect to the internet with your device!

90.Watch our Immigrant Heritage playlist to see our staff prepare delicious meals from around the world in celebration of the unique and incredible diversity of Queens: queenslib.org/culturaldishes.

91.From fiction to science, from mystery to history, QPL offers books across a wide range of genres. Read a genre that is new to you.

92.Check out a graphic novel.

93.To commemorate September 11, check out a book from Seaside Library, and read it in the nearby 9/11 Tribute Park.

94.QPL is committed to honoring the diversity of Queens. Find and attend an event that celebrates a culture different from your own.

95.Borrow a book from the Banned Books List, available at the American Library Association’s website: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks.

96.Take a ride on the 7 train and visit Flushing Library, the busiest branch library in the nation. While you’re there, browse more than 100 international language magazine titles.

97.Looking for a new job or career? Give your resume a remake with expert guidance from the Job and Business Academy. Check out JBA’s upcoming programs on our website or email jobsearchhelp@queenslibrary.org.

98.Do you love Queens as much as we do? Use our archives to learn more about local Queens history. Visit the Local History section of our website.

99.Ask your librarian to help you do research for a project.

100.For Adults!There is no age limit for learning and being creative! Enjoy your current phase of life with our creative aging classes. Visit the QPL calendar on our website for upcoming programs.

101.Find resources in our collection to prepare for a civil service exam. Ask one of our reference librarians for help.

102.Visit the library and the beach! Visit Peninsula Library during the summer months and read your book at Rockaway Beach.

103.Borrow a mobile hotspot or tablet from the Library, based on eligibility requirements and availability. For more information, visit queenslib.org/borrowdevice.

104.Learn about trailblazer women throughout history in our biography collection. Each March, the Library offers a range of programs for Women’s History Month.

105.Take a break from your busy day in the beautiful garden at Whitestone Library.

106.Hip hop music and culture have always thrived in Queens! Explore the past, present, and future of hip hop with QPL’s Hip Hop Programs. Visit the QPL calendar on our website to attend an upcoming program.

107.Review our booklists to learn the history and relevance of Juneteenth.

108.Take some quiet time for yourself - read or study in a quiet room available at many locations.

109.Start your own business with our Job and Business Academy’s small business and entrepreneurship opportunities. Please visit queenslib.org/entrepreneurship.

110.Count how many languages you can find in our collections of books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, and movies.

111.Visit the recently restored Glendale Library to view its original Italian Renaissance Revival features and redesigned back garden.

112.The library can come to you! QPL’s Mail-A-Book Service offers homebound customers the convenience of having library materials delivered to their door free of charge. Request this service for yourself or someone else by emailing mailabook@queenslibrary.org or by phone at 718-464-0084.

113.Explore our music score collection at Central Library.

114.The Hunters Point Environmental Education Center offers environmental education classes on a wide range of topics for children, teens and adults. Visit the QPL calendar on our website to attend one or view on-demand programs on YouTube at youtube.com/QueensPublicLibrary.

115.Play chess at one of our chess clubs at the Library.

116.Attend a concert hosted by your local library.

117.Regularly visit our library locations for cool, new QPL giveaways, while supplies last.

118.Learn about another culture by attending one of our special events for Lunar New Year, Diwali, Hispanic Heritage Month, and much more!

119.For Kids!Visit the Children’s Library Discovery Center at Central Library to participate in our many hands-on interactive exhibits and learning labs. The Center’s programming is geared towards inspiring a love of books, reading, and learning.

120.Find your creative spirit! Learn how to collage, draw with charcoal, pencils and pastels, or paint with watercolor at one of our art classes.

121.Learn about the demographic evolution of Queens over the years! Historic census data from Queens is available at the Archives at Central Library.

122.Enjoy our Spanish language program series, Tardes Literarias y Artísticas, hosted by Corona Library.

123.Visit Elmhurst Library to view an installation of The Shapes Project by New York City artist Allan McCollum. In this ambitious endeavor the artist has created unique shapes to represent every person on the planet in the year 2050.

124.Be the first to know what’s happening at Queens Public Library by subscribing to our email mailing list at queenslibrary.org/about-us/subscribe.

125.We want to hear from you! If you don’t see your favorite thing to do at QPL on the list, share with us by submitting the form below.

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