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Read the press release here.

Queens Library to Kick Off 6-Day Service with Performances and Animal Shows

By Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska | November 3, 2015 4:55pm
 To kick off the return of its 6-day service, the Queens Library will throw dozens of parties, including live performances, face painting and animal shows.
To kick off the return of its 6-day service, the Queens Library will throw dozens of parties, including live performances, face painting and animal shows.
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Queens Library

QUEENS — The Queens Borough Public Library has a reason to celebrate and wants its patrons to have fun as well.

Beginning mid-November, all 62 branches will be open at least six days a week, thanks to additional city funding.

To mark the occasion, the library will organize dozens of special events on Saturday, Nov. 21, including live performances, face paintings and animal shows at numerous branches throughout the borough, the library said.

“The reason that we are having these special programs is to encourage people and get them used to coming to the library on Saturdays," said Joanne King, a spokeswoman for the library. "It’s been many years since they’ve been able to do that and we want to get it on their radar.”

The last time all library branches in the borough were open six days a week was more than a decade ago, the library said. 

Currently, the majority of library branches are open Monday through Friday, but beginning Nov. 15, most of them will also be open on Saturdays. Several locations will be open on Sundays as well.

The library was able to expand its schedule after the most recent city budget included an additional $43 million for libraries citywide, of which $12 million was granted to the Queens library system, the library said.

The money will also be used to hire 100 new employees, to purchase additional books and videos and to boost early literacy and after-school programs, the library said.

“There will be more books, more chances to use the computers, more videos to borrow, more homework help, more chances to study English or for a high school diploma, more music, dance and author talks, more interesting conversations — more Queens Library!” the library said in an email.

King said that some of the additional programs that will be scheduled on Saturdays at various branches will include children's story times and high school diploma classes.

About two dozen branches will join in the effort to spread the word about expanded service with with the free events on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Library users will have a chance to listen to Bengali singer Md Khairul Alam at the Woodside branch (at 2 p.m.) and kids can have their faces painted and learn to make balloon sculptures at the Astoria library (at 1:30 p.m.). They will also get to see an animal show in Douglaston (at 3 p.m.), while hip-hop lovers can participate in an event featuring music, dance and performances presented by Universal Zulu Nation at the Langston Hughes branch (at 1 p.m.).

The complete schedule of events on Nov. 21 can be found here