NYC libraries to give out 15,000 free books this weekend

July 28, 2023

The book giveaway from 2022. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

New York City public libraries are giving away 15,000 books to families this weekend. The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library are gifting the books as part of the annual summer reading and learning programs, which motivate kids and teens to maintain their reading and critical thinking skills while on summer break. The free books will be available on a first-come first-served basis at select library branches on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29.

This will be the fifth summer that the New York Life Foundation has helped support the city’s library’s Summer Reading and Learning Programs. The Foundation estimates that summer break causes students to lose up to two months of instruction per year, leading them to fall behind in learning. Students from low-income families are usually affected disproportionately.

“At The New York Public Library, we are dedicated to ensuring every New Yorker has access to the transformative power of books. It is a unique privilege to support children and teens on their reading journey, providing them with wonderful stories that inspire and educate them,” Anthony W. Marx, President of NYPL, said.

“We are grateful to the New York Life Foundation for partnering with New York City’s libraries to give away thousands of books for young readers to take home, which will encourage them to read more and to visit their local library, where our dedicated staff can offer even more recommendations and new worlds to explore.”

Books will be offered in English, Spanish, and Chinese at select locations. The books will be available at the following library branches:

Brooklyn Public Library
Friday, July 28, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.