Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

Arts & Entertainment

NYC's Three Library Systems To Reopen For Grab-And-Go Service

Jen Carlson

Published Jun 25, 2020

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

the empty Rose Reading Room at the NYPL's main brach

Max Touhey Photography

Jen Carlson

Published Jun 25, 2020

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

[Updates below] New York City’s three library systems—The New York Public Library (NYPL), Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), and Queens Public Library (QPL)—shut down on March 14th, one of the many institutions to close their doors as the pandemic hit, and just before the city was put under stay-at-home orders. With the city now in Phase 2 of reopening, and hitting Phase 3 in July (barring any spike in cases), the libraries plan to reopen 22 branches across the five boroughs for grab-and-go service.

This limited reopening will begin on Monday, July 13th and is the "first step in a careful, phased approach to reinstituting service at the city’s physical libraries," a press released stated. In this first step of their reopening, New Yorkers will be able to "access a small area of the open branches to pick up and return checkouts placed online or on the phone (the process will be contactless)."

They have also issued safety protocols:

Patrons must wear masks (this is mandatory, as per State guidelines)
...must physically distance from staff and other patrons
...must respect capacity limits inside the open locations
...must leave the libraries as soon as their pickups or returns are complete; at this stage, there will be no browsing, in-person reference, or computer use
All returned items will be quarantined for 72 hours before being recirculated, as per guidelines from public health experts

Though the physical libraries shut down in March, they allowed access to programming, including e-books, their research database, classes, and other digital offerings created to help New Yorkers isolating at home, like the Brooklyn Public Library's virtual storytime. This will all remain, as there will be no in-person programming in this phase of their reopening. You'll also be able to keep listening to those sweet sounds of the city, a gift from the NYPL to New Yorkers in isolation.

Additionally, their library fines remain on pause, and "will not accrue on items checked out before temporary closure or during this first phase of reopening."

Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch

Paul O / Flickr

For more details, visit the websites of the Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library. Here are the branches opening on July 13th for limited service:

Brooklyn Public Library

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday

The New York Public Library (Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island)

Manhattan

*Please note that research libraries, including the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, will remain temporarily closed during this first phase of reopening, but will offer expanded scan-and-deliver service for general research collections. Patrons will be able to request scans of material via the Shared Collections Catalog.

Bronx

Staten Island

Hours for most branches will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The only exception is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, which will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday

Queens Public Library

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (with a one-hour closure from 1 to 2 p.m. for cleaning); 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday (with a one-hour closure from 3 to 4 p.m. for cleaning)

UPDATE: On August 31st, the NYPL announced 20 additional neighborhood branches for limited, grab-and-go service, starting on September 8th. They are listed below:

The Bronx

Manhattan

Staten Island:

For a full list of open branches visit www.nypl.org/locations. The hours for these branches will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Tagged

queens public library

nypl

brooklyn public library

Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE arts-entertainment

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

What do you see when you record the whole of the boroughs?

Sonia Rao

Published Oct 5, 2026

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

It's a busy month at the branches.

Alec Hamilton

Arts & Entertainment

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

It's a busy month at the branches.

Alec Hamilton

NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism

Hank Shteamer

Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.

Hannah Frishberg

In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.

Elizabeth Shwe

and

James Ramsay

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .