1. Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

    — Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! We have lots of books by and about Dr. Seuss in our collection (as well as eBooks) - check one out today! 

  2. Guess who visited the Children’s Room at our landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street this morning? That’s right - Elmo! The Library partnered with WABC and Sesame Street Live to present a special play-date with Elmo for a few lucky kids, who won their spots in a contest held by WABC. So today, the Library was Elmo’s world. By the way, if you missed him this time, don’t fret. Elmo will be back in NYC for a series of live shows at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in February.

    Guess who visited the Children’s Room at our landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street this morning? That’s right - Elmo! The Library partnered with WABC and Sesame Street Live to present a special play-date with Elmo for a few lucky kids, who won their spots in a contest held by WABC. So today, the Library was Elmo’s world. By the way, if you missed him this time, don’t fret. Elmo will be back in NYC for a series of live shows at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in February.

  3. Just in case you missed it… NYPL’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing: Children’s Books 2011!

  4. It’s A Jolly Holiday With NYPL

    • Go on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of our world famous stacks.
    • See Charles Dickens’ personal copy of A Christmas Carol.
    • Enjoy seasonal music of all kinds, with carols, dancing, jazz and more. 
    • See everything from 5,000-year-old writings to Virginia Woolf’s walking stick at our Centennial exhibition, Celebrating 100 Years. 
    • Join the geography trivia challenge in the Maps division. 
    • Get 10% off at the Library Shop. 
    • Activities like face painting, crafts, magic shows, storytellers, and even stilt walkers will delight children of all ages!

    Where can you find all these joyous holiday festivities? Why NYPL, of course. Stop by the iconic 42nd Street building on Sunday, December 4th and for $40 you can celebrate with friends of the Library. Want to learn more? Click here.

  5. Kids And Teens: Have Your Fines Waived!!

    Mayor Bloomberg joined NYPL Prez Anthony Marx (at the podium in the photo), Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, NYPL Trustee Terry McGraw, the heads of the Brooklyn and Queens Library systems and several other elected officials at our Seward Park Library yesterday to announce the citywide New Chapter initiative to give patrons under 18 the opportunity to eliminate all of their prior fines. That’s right - all of ‘em. All kids have to do is return their materials (so grab those overdue Harry Potter books from under your bed and return them, kids, cause you won’t be penalized) or check out a new book and, poof, their fines are waived. The goal - to get kids back in the libraries reading, instead of afraid that they can’t afford the fine. As Marx said, “Our priority was students reading more than collecting the fines, 95 percent of which we weren’t going to collect anyway based on past history. Those folks were not coming to the library because their fines were keeping them away.” Well, come back guys! This program - which was made possible because of a generous donation from McGraw-Hill - lasts till Oct. 31, so spread the word!!

  6. Sweetest Thing Ever: Selling Cookies and Lemonade For Libraries

    Here is something unspeakably amazing to brighten up your Monday morning - little six-year-old Helen Stone spent her Sunday outside her Morningside Heights apartment selling homemade cookies and lemonade to support The New York Public Library. According to her mom Robin Aronson, Helen (who uses the 115th Street, Morningside Heights and St. Agnes libraries with her family) has long wanted to have a lemonade stand, and decided to give her earnings to NYPL so “the library could buy more books for people.” And she did quite well - Aronson happily reported that “many people were very happy to support the library! Our second sale went to a guy who gave us $10 for a cookie and 2 lemonades!” She also said, “I personally can’t quite get over the magic of the library. You can just take books- for free!” How great is that? NYPL Wire just happened to stroll by the stand yesterday and couldn’t resist taking a few pictures. I mean, it’s just SO cute. And the cookies and lemonade were quite delicious, by the way. Check out more pics below, and if you love NYPL, check out ways you can give to the Library!

  7. You iz really pushing my buttons!!!! Fix my clothes! OK, OK - keep your shirt on! This cute image was drawn by Beatrix Potter, who was born last month in 1866. It is currently in our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection. So enjoy - happy Caturday!

    You iz really pushing my buttons!!!! Fix my clothes!

    OK, OK - keep your shirt on!

    This cute image was drawn by Beatrix Potter, who was born last month in 1866. It is currently in our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection. So enjoy - happy Caturday!

  8. We love children’s books! Last night, the Library, with the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, presented the 2011 Ezra Jack Keats Awards for New Illustrator and New Writer. (You can see the book covers above.) Both winners were gracious and interesting, and there are a few quotes we couldn’t help but write down. Upon receiving the New Illustrator award, Tao Nyeu (Bunny Days) stated that she was often chastised for her book’s contents by well-meaning friends: “That’s funny, but that’s not appropriate. You can’t put bunnies in a washing machine.” (It seems that you can, “for pretend”.) I Know Here author Laurel Crowza’s acceptance was a bit more emotional, as she told the audience that she wrote the book after having lung cancer surgery and after her doctor told her to start living her dream. “My goal is to one day receive an old writer award,” she told the Keats Awards audience.

    Both of the books are fantastic, and you can check them out here and here.

  9. Yes, this is what spring looks and feels like! Sunshine, green grass, gurgling streams…and it’s soooo close! In celebration of our current season, here’s a list of fantastic picture books for kids ages 4-8 (and those who love them), selected by NYPL Children’s Librarian Betsy Bird: Wake Up, It’s Spring! by Lisa Campbell Ernst Spring Is Here! by Will Hillenbrand Ready for Spring by Marthe Jocelyn How Mama Brought the Spring by Fran Manushkin Tweedle-Dee-Dee by Charlotte Voake How Robin Saved Spring by Debbie Ouellet Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson (The scenic landscape shown above was published in 1907-1908 and is of spring in Berkshire Hills, Massachusetts. It’s from the Library’s Photography Collection.)

    Yes, this is what spring looks and feels like! Sunshine, green grass, gurgling streams…and it’s soooo close! In celebration of our current season, here’s a list of fantastic picture books for kids ages 4-8 (and those who love them), selected by NYPL Children’s Librarian Betsy Bird:

    Wake Up, It’s Spring! by Lisa Campbell Ernst

    Spring Is Here! by Will Hillenbrand

    Ready for Spring by Marthe Jocelyn

    How Mama Brought the Spring by Fran Manushkin

    Tweedle-Dee-Dee by Charlotte Voake

    How Robin Saved Spring by Debbie Ouellet

    Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson

    (The scenic landscape shown above was published in 1907-1908 and is of spring in Berkshire Hills, Massachusetts. It’s from the Library’s Photography Collection.)

  10. We wonder whether this young library enthusiast is posing as Patience or Fortitude?!? A wonderful time was had by all at the Library’s Family Benefit, sponsored by Asprey and New York Family, at the landmark Steven A. Schwarzman Building yesterday morning. Nearly 500 children and parents gathered together to celebrate the Library, including designer Kate Spade and State Assemblyman Jonathan Bing.Kids of all ages had a blast listening to the musical stylings of the Deedle Deedle Dees, sampling classic New York fare, such as hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, and enjoying library-themed activities. We can’t wait for next year’s celebration!

    We wonder whether this young library enthusiast is posing as Patience or Fortitude?!?

    A wonderful time was had by all at the Library’s Family Benefit, sponsored by Asprey and New York Family, at the landmark Steven A. Schwarzman Building yesterday morning. Nearly 500 children and parents gathered together to celebrate the Library, including designer Kate Spade and State Assemblyman Jonathan Bing.

    Kids of all ages had a blast listening to the musical stylings of the Deedle Deedle Dees, sampling classic New York fare, such as hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, and enjoying library-themed activities. We can’t wait for next year’s celebration!