It stands for the New York Public Library. I go to a local branch a block away from the office. Today, while I was on the F train, I saw a kid wearing a shirt that said Queens Public Library Lefrak City Branch. It made me think of my father, when he was a graduate student. My mom told me that he would go to that particular branch to study.
Since I go through books fast, and the economy is slow, and I’m saving up so my kid can be a tennis star, I’ve started using my library card again. You can order books online. Sure, the more popular books have a wait, but it beats having to pay gazillions of dollars at Barnes and Nobles and then having to find a place to store them when you’re done reading. I’ve made a rule for myself. If I have a feeling that a particular book is something I’d like to keep in my own library, I buy it. If not, or if there are a whole lot of books I’m curious about, I order them online. You get a message to your e-mail account telling you when the books have arrived. They’re reserved for a couple of weeks for you. You can even renew online.
The NYPL also offers free classes for those who are interested in learning English. It’s never never never too late to learn. I always tell my non-English speaking patients to join up. They offer book clubs and youth programs and so much more. I order my CDs from there too. It’s a great service to the public.
Get your library card if you don’t have one!
