New York Public Library (NYPL) has launched a suite of new, in-person, educational programs which became effective Monday, Sept. 20, and which are designed to support New York City students and their families this fall. They are available at several library branches in the Bronx.
NYPL officials said the diverse set of programs are designed to help students excel in school, spark a lifelong love of reading, encourage curiosity and independent learning, and remind the most vulnerable families that their local libraries provide access to critical educational resources and free, quality programming.
Check out @NYPL's events for adults, teens, and kids on September 30, 2021 https://t.co/2iqOMpfSpB
— NYPL Events (@NYPLEvents) September 30, 2021
The programs, available at select branches in the Bronx (listed further below), include:
- STEAM Discovery Kits: Beginning on Sept. 20, 400 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Discovery Kits will be available for check-out at 30 branches throughout the system. Students will have access to five different types of kits: engineering, stargazing, young coders, and young builders. Additionally, ten library branches will get Sphero Robotics kits. Used in conjunction with books from the library, and resources from home, the kits, which are available to borrow one at a time for three weeks, will help students develop their skills in STEAM topics and support creative, scientific, and collaborative thinking.
- NYPL After School: A drop-in program at 20 NYPL branches, students aged 6 to 12 can receive homework help from a library tutor or a teen reading ambassador through this initiative and offers personalized reading recommendations along with writing, STEAM, and other enrichment activities. The program is offered Monday to Thursday, beginning Monday, Sept. 27. To find the nearest location, patrons can visit: nypl.org/afterschool.
- Teen Reading Ambassadors: Teen bibliophiles have an opportunity through this paid internship ($15 an hour) to engage, read to, and interact with younger students in the NYPL After School program. The teens also design and produce a magazine for kids aged 6 to 12 called Portal. The program, which offers 45 coveted slots, is designed to empower young adults to serve as leaders and role models to younger children. The inaugural round of internships is closed, with teens beginning the program on Monday, Sept. 20. Teens interested in the program can wait until the next round (tentatively scheduled for August 2022) or can speak to their local librarians to learn of any openings.
- College and Career Pathways: Teens can explore various career and educational avenues through a series of programs hosted by the library this fall. Additional opportunities are expected in 2022, including a college and career fair, free in-person and virtual college counseling, college prep workshops, test prep, resources, and career panels.
Photo by Sile Moloney
Bronx library branches participating in the after school programs are:
- Jerome Park
- Kingsbridge
- Mosholu
- Parkchester
- Westchester Square
- Woodstock
- Baychester
- Bronx Library Center
- Francis Martin
- High Bridge
Celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth with NYPL! Join us for a month of free programs, resources, and bilingual book recommendations that honor Latinx culture. https://t.co/9SlN4lt3nw pic.twitter.com/1pUr1lrFui
— NY Public Library (@nypl) September 29, 2021
Bronx library branches providing STEAM kits are:
- Allerton
- Bronx Library Center
- Clason’s Point
- Eastchester
- Edenwald
- Francis Martin
- High Bridge
- Kingsbridge
- Mott Haven
- Soundview
- Tremont
- West Farms
- Westchester Square
- Woodstock
Flyer courtesy of NYPL
Sphero kits are available at the following Bronx library branches:
- Allerton
- Bronx Library Center
- Clason’s Point
- Kingsbridge
- Woodstock
Did you know that you can access hundreds of magazines and newspapers with your New York Public Library card for free? https://t.co/7NgUV6csXL
— NY Public Library (@nypl) September 30, 2021
On Wednesday Aug. 18, Mosholu Library, 285 E 205th Street, Bronx 10467 hosted a grand opening to celebrate their new outdoor space, and welcome local residents to stop by and check it out.
Even though public libraries are now back open since July, as reported, some elderly Bronx residents who are only now returning to use their local, public libraries for the first time since the pandemic hit in early 2020. The public libraries closed initially, as reported, and residents have questioned if they have to pay fines for books they took out before the pandemic hit. Norwood News has reached out to NYPL to check the policy in this regard and an NYPL representative told us, “As a matter of fact, there are actually discussions about fines. I will have more concrete answers next week.” We will keep you posted, therefore, as soon as we have more information.
Flyer courtesy of NYPL
In the meantime, Bronxites can check out information about all of the library’s new programs, as well as existing offerings and virtual resources, by visiting: nypl.org/backtoschool.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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