MyLibraryNYC Initiative to Connect Schools Citywide to Millions of Books, Other Materials Announces Expansion Plans
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott, New York Public Library President Tony Marx, Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda E. Johnson, Queens Library President and CEO Thomas W. Galante and Citi Chief Executive Officer Vikram Pandit today [Friday, September 29, 2012) announced the expansion of MyLibraryNYC, an initiative that connects New York City public schools with the millions of books and other learning materials available through the public libraries. MyLibraryNYC supplements the materials available in public school libraries and will provide access to the more than 17 million books and other items that are a part of the New York, Brooklyn and Queens Public Library catalogs to up to 250,000 students in 400 public schools this year and 1.1 million students by 2015.
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“Libraries are an indispensable asset to our students and the expansion of MyLibraryNYC will encourage reading and promote learning both inside and outside the classroom,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “This program is a great example of the public and private sectors coming together to invest in our children and city’s future. I want thank our three great public library systems and Citi for their help in providing our children with the resources they need to thrive.”
BiblioCommons Involvment
Through MyLibraryNYC, students and teachers will have access to an online catalog developed by BiblioCommons, where they can browse the collections of the three public libraries and arrange to borrow books and other materials. Each student in one of the 400 participating schools will receive a new library card, and teachers may order up to 100 books – or class sets – as part of lesson plans. Teachers may also use online social tools to collaborate with their peers, share ideas and post their own recommended book lists. The program is made possible with $5 million in funding from Citi, which provided for the development of the online searchable catalog and interactive tools.
The MyLibraryNYC pilot first launched last year in a partnership between 86 schools and the New York Public Library system, under the leadership of its President, Anthony Marx. Surveys conducted after the pilot showed that nearly 90 percent of participating teachers said the program better equipped them to teach, and that students in the pilot were three times more likely to check out a book from their public library than those in non-participating schools. This year’s expansion includes the Brooklyn and Queens Public Libraries, providing for services in each of the five boroughs. The program will grow to cover all public schools – and 1.1 million students – by the year 2015.
Note: NYPL has been using BiblioCommons discovery technology for over a year. Take a look here.
Learn More About Expansion of MyLibraryNYC
Filed under: Funding, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Public Libraries, School Libraries

About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.