Welcome to our biweekly update on events happening during the next two weeks at The New York Public Library. With 92 locations across New York City, a lot is happening at the Library. We're highlighting some of our events here—including author talks, free classes, community art shows, performances, concerts, and exhibitions—and you can always find more at nypl.org/events. If you want our round-up in your inbox, sign up here. We look forward to seeing you at the Library.  

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

6/20: LIVE from the NYPL: Lee Friedlander and Giancarlo T. Roma: Passion Projects: Speaking in public for the first time in over three decades, the pioneering photographer Lee Friedlander will take to the LIVE stage in conversation with his grandson Giancarlo T. Roma. 7 PM.

6/23: The Library After Hours: Celebrating Pride: Priority access is now open for this Pride Month edition of the Library's festive happy hour. The evening will include dancing, drinking, film screenings, trivia, and a one-night-only curated display of holdings from the Library's LGBT collections. If you reserve your priority access ticket now, you can get guaranteed entry from 7-7:30 PM; after 7:30 PM, all are welcome on a first come, first serve basis. Must be 21+ years of age to attend.

6/27: Surpassing Certainty: Janet Mock in Conversation with Lisa Lucas: Janet Mock, the writer, TV host, and advocate for the trans rights movement, discusses her new memoir, Surpassing Certainty, with Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation. 7 PM.

6/28: The Women Behind "Salome of the Tenements": Salome of the Tenements is a now-lost classic of 1920s silent film, a tale of romance and struggle among Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side. Behind the plot of the movie lay a tale perhaps even more remarkable, that of the four women who helped bring it to life. Author Alan Robert Ginsberg discusses this fascinating story with broadcast journalist Budd Mishkin. 6:30 PM.

The Schomburg Center

6/14: Black Music Month in Argentina and Uruguary with Tango Negro:The Lapidus Center presents a screening of the documentary Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Alex Barucki, author of From Shipmates to Soldiers, and scholar Keyanah Freeland. 6:30 PM.

6/15: Unshackled Ink: Prints from the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop Collection: The 2016-2017 Schomburg Center Teen Curators present this exhibition, inspired by the work of artist Robert Blackburn, which explores printmaking as a way to liberate, uplift, and empower. 6 PM.

Library for the Performing Arts

6/22: Lutoslawski String Quartet: Named after the great 20th-century Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski, the Lutoslawski Quartet is one of the world's most ascendant international music ensembles. Traveling from Poland, they present a concert with conversation, introducing new works and revealing the creative process behind their celebrated interpretations and virtuosic performances. 6 PM.

6/14: Embodied: Dances for the Soul: Chamber16 presents works from the classical repertoire and original improvisations, accompanied by live dance. Featuring Sharon Gunderson, violin; Mary Bopp, piano; Leah Coloff, cello; and Hannah Barnard, choreography and dance. 6 PM.

6/19: Film Screening: Kinky Boots: Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Curtain Up, enjoy this screening of Kinky Boots, the 2005 British comedy that inspired the Tony and Olivier-winning musical of the same name. 6 PM.

Mid-Manhattan Library

6/22: Beautiful Boy: Artist Lissa Rivera and Muse BJ Lillis in Dialogue: Lissa Rivera, photographer and curator, and BJ Lillis, historian and museum professional, will discuss their project Beautiful Boy, which consists of Rivera’s photographs of Lillis, her romantic partner and muse. 6:30 PM.

6/19: Marvellous Thieves: Secret Authors of the Arabian Nights: Author Paulo Lemos Horta discusses his new book, Marvellous Thieves, which tells the story of the cultural exchanges and thefts between Europe and the Middle East that led to European tellings of the Arabian Nights. He will be joined by author Lawrence Weschler. 6:30 PM.

6/23: Mid-Sentence: Writers Eugene Lim and Anelise Chen in Conversation: Eugene Lim and Anelise Chen discuss their new novels, Dear Cyborgs and So Many Olympic Exertions, as well as the state of literature today. 6 PM.

Science, Industry and Business Library

6/20: Culture of Opportunity: How to Grow Your Business in an Age of Disruption: Mark Moncheck, founder of The Opportunity Lab and a business expert with over 35 years of experience, talks about how to help your business succeed and grow sustainably. 6 PM.

6/14: Using LinkedIn for Your Job Search: Maximize your LinkedIn account in your job search, through customizing your LinkedIn profile, expanding your network, getting introductions, joining useful LinkedIn groups, and more. 6 PM.

6/21: Investing in Stocks: Where do you begin if you want to invest in Stocks? Sevasti Balafas, CFA, MBA discusses what you need to know to choose the right companies for your investment portfolio. 3 PM.

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More Events

Note: Visit nypl.org/events or call ahead for the latest information, as programs and hours are subject to change or cancellation.

The celebration of the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism prompted an exploration of our collections to  celebrate the work and achievements of the Fourth Estate. Given our current political moment and its disputes over government disclosures, it seems especially timely to revisit that watershed event in the modern history of press freedom, the publication of the Pentagon Papers. The Library's Manuscripts and Archives Division is especially suited to do so, as it holds The New York Times Company records, over thirty collections and one hundred linear feet of archival material that document the work of the Times and its publishers, editors, reporters, and columnists.

On June 13, 1971, The New York Times began publishing a combination of reportage and reproduction of documents from a 7,000-page government study classified as “top secret/sensitive,” now known as the Pentagon Papers. This report, commissioned by then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and provided to the Times by Daniel Ellsberg, documented the history of U.S. decision-making in Vietnam. Dubbed “Project X” and developed under the strictest confidentiality, the series constituted a significant intellectual and logistical effort. For its printing, the Times created a special composing room, where close to 100 production team members set and proofed each issue’s type—90,000 words for the first day alone.

After three installments of the Pentagon series, the Nixon administration sued The New York Times in federal court, seeking an injunction against further publication of the series on national security grounds and marking the first attempt at prior restraint of the press by the U.S. government. On June 15, Judge Murray Gurfein issued a temporary restraining order against the Times, which effectively stayed in place for the duration of the case. Injunctions were later sought against The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who published their own takes on the McNamara report.

To say that the timeline for the Pentagon Papers litigation was expedited is an understatement. It quickly moved through the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court issued its decision only six days after granting certiorari. On June 30, the Court decided 6-3 in favor of the Times, calling the injunction, in Justice Hugo Black’s words, “a flagrant, indefensible, and continuing violation of the First Amendment.” The Times resumed its publication of the Papers the very next day, completing the series with five further installments. At a press conference held on July 1, Times publisher A.O. Sulzberger, managing editor A.M. Rosenthal, and general counsel James C. Goodale gathered to mark, as Rosenthal put it, “a joyous day for the press and for American society.”

Throughout the month of June, The New York Times received encouragements and accolades from fellow journalists and publishers for their work on the Pentagon series. Beyond this professional praise, the editorial team took steps to gauge the public’s reaction, following opinion polls and receiving periodic internal updates from Letters to the Editor staff.  June saw a sharp uptick in letters to the editor—almost 6,000 in total, up from the 3,000 to 4,500 average monthly rate—with a largely positive response.

For its work on the Pentagon series, the Times received the 1971 John Peter Zenger Award for Freedom of the Press and the People’s Right to Know. In his acceptance speech, A.M. Rosenthal emphasized the significance of the Pentagon Papers in exposing the chain of government decision-making that formed American foreign policy in Vietnam. The suppression of this information, he argued, escalated the conflict and dramatically illustrated the need for an informed public.  Rosenthal noted that the Times’s legal victory did not negate the chilling effect of attempted press regulation by the government. “Yes, there was a chill introduced,” he said, “but there is a vast difference between being chilled and being stifled.  A press operating in a chill is testing itself and can prove its worth and vitality by going ahead despite it.”

Further Reading

The material highlighted in this blog post originates from the New York Times Company records, A.M. Rosenthal papers, boxes 99 and 100.

In addition to those connected to The New York Times, the Manuscripts and Archives Division holds several collections supporting the study of journalism and news media, including the records of the New Yorker and New York Native, and the papers of Tom Wolfe, Dorothy Schiff, Horace Greeley, Herbert Mitgang, William A. Casselman, and Don Carlos Seitz.  For published sources, including those informing this blog post, consider reading the following:

• The New York Times' Pentagon series, published June 13-15 and July 1-5, 1971. 
• Rudenstine, David. The Day the Presses Stopped: A History of the Pentagon Papers Case. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
• Shepard, Richard F. The Paper's Papers: A Reporter's Journey Through the Archives of the New York Times. New York: Times Books, 1996.
• Talking Back to the New York Times: Letters to the Editor, 1851-1971. Ed. Kalman Seigel. New York: Quadrangle Books, 1972.

About the Informed Archives Series

Archival collections and rare printed works at The New York Public Library preserve unique evidence of human activity and achievement that form a basis for the study of political, social, economic, and cultural history. These materials have special importance not only to scholars, but also to citizens interested in historic parallels with current events. The Informed Archives blog series aims to inspire community engagement by highlighting particular collections, contextualizing their creation, and promoting their contents. Through illustrating the vitality of our shared documentary record, we hope to encourage conversation and new readership.

I recently unearthed a musical work that has been lost for eighty years: Roy Harris’s Time Suite.

To be sure, in the Music Division we have many works which are essentially “lost” because no one knows of their existence.  In the case of the Harris work, the composer cannibalized the original score for a later work, leaving no complete source of the original.  Fortunately, he did not keep the orchestral parts, which remained the property of the Columbia Broadcasting System (today known as CBS).  I found these parts, somewhat dispersed, in our vast CBS Collection, reunited them and cataloged them.

To understand the significance of this work, let me provide background and context:

 In today’s world, “radio music” refers to music played over the radio. But there was a time when music was composed specifically for the radio, at times taking advantage of attributes unique to the medium. In 1936, CBS hired Deems Taylor (already well-known as a radio commentator and composer) as music consultant, in an apparent attempt to raise the station’s musical standing. One of the first steps Taylor used to raise the station’s standing was to commission new musical compositions.  Originally conceived as a contest, the Columbia Composers’ Commission sought to identify composers who would create new works for the radio. The resulting works would receive their world premieres as live broadcasts.

Although one might admire CBS for promoting musical culture, there was another force at work, the Communications Act of 1934. Among the many reforms articulated in the Act was that the newly-created Federal Communications Commission (the FCC) had the power to immediately revoke a station’s license if it ran afoul of the standards articulated in the Act. This included both sponsored and sustaining programing.  (In brief:  In the 1930s, individual stations understood the Act to obligate them to reserve part of their programming for non-profit and educational use. For this kind of programming, known as “sustaining,” stations would “sustain” (that is, support) such programing without commercial advertising. Programing that included commercial advertisements were known as “sponsored” programing.)

The fear of license revocation made CBS take great efforts to maintain sustaining programming so as to prove to the FCC that it had the public good in mind.  In that context, the Columbia Composers’ Commission was not just an effort to promote music, but an attempt to show (to the FCC) CBS’s commitment to non-profit educational programing.

The news release announcing the Commission read in part:

 “The commissioned works may be in any form, the only restriction placed upon the composers being that we have suggested time limits suitable to broadcasting. Thus, if the composer elects to write a symphony, a cantata, or an opera, it is not to exceed 40 minutes in length; if a suite or concerto, its maximum length will be 22 minutes; if a work in one movement, between eight and fourteen minutes.” [excerpt from “Music Especially For Radio Sought,” Broadcasting, Oct. 15, 1936, page 28]

Taylor selected the Commission recipients, all leading composers of the day: Aaron Copland, Louis Gruenberg, Howard Hanson, Roy Harris, Walter Piston, and William Grant Still. Rather than turn the composers loose to compose anything they wanted, CBS prepared a special broadcast on October 26, 1936, designed to illustrate idiomatic aspects of radio composition.

As narrated by Taylor, the presentation sought to illustrate idiomatic radio scoring through orchestrations of three works. Each work was heard first in a typical scoring, and then an orchestration which would show some of the unusual techniques frequently used in radio. (The orchestrations were made by staff composer Amadeo De Filippi whose works are well represented in the CBS Collection as well as in his personal archive, both belonging to the Music Division.) Some effects were purely orchestral, such as innovative use of mutes and incorporating the versatile saxophone within a symphony orchestra.  The more interesting effects were achieved by taking advantage of what radio could do.  For example, specific instruments could walk up to the microphone and be heard against a full orchestra, an effect which could not be reproduced in the concert hall without electronics and the ability of radio engineers to achieve an artificial balance.

The resulting works were heard over the course of Spring and Summer 1937 on the weekly program Everybody’s Music.  Some of the composers chose to ignore the radio technique (Hanson’s Symphony no. 3 and Piston’s Concertino for Piano and Orchestra were begun prior to the composers' selection for the Commission). Others tried to incorporate some of the techniques into their resulting compositions:  Aaron Copland’s Music for Radio, Louis Gruenberg’s opera Green Mansions and William Grant Still’s Lenox Avenue all take advantage of some of the orchestration techniques illustrated on that October broadcast.

Roy Harris took a different tact: Rather than utilize unusual orchestration techniques, Harris took note of the commission’s particular attention to time (see the news release mentioned above) and incorporated this aspect into his work.  But why such attention to time?

In the 1930s, most of American radio was live. Thanks to the efforts of the Musician’s Union to ban recordings from being broadcast, most music had to be played live. In this environment, broadcasters took a very serious attitude toward the clock, making sure that programming did not exceed the time allotted for a scheduled show. Radio scripts from the 1930s all show numerous timings—evidence of multiple rehearsals attempting to accurately gauge the length of programming and make it fit into thirty-minute time slots (the length of a typical radio program).

 Taking his cue from radio’s necessary attention to time, Harris created a Time Suite where each of the six movements correspond to an increasing specific length of time (from one to six minutes). The work had its first performance on Sunday, August 8, 1937 on Everybody’s Music. (The cello part of the first movement is at the head of this blog post.)

Apparently there was consideration about renaming some of the movements. These descriptive words are penciled in on some of the parts for the first three movements. In addition to the timings at the head of each movement, the first three movements have additional designations of “Broadway,” “Religion,” and “Youth.” 

Although Harris’s Three Symphonic Essays (his reworking of portions of the Time Suite) was published in 1938, there are a few curious markings on the parts which indicate the Suite had at least one performance after the 1936 premiere.  

The inscription reads:  "Erna Terminello-Barth / Schweiz. Radio-Orchester Zürich / unter Leitung von Herrn Dr. Scherchen / 29. Juli 1938." Apparently the noted conductor Hermann Scherchen performed this work (or part of it) with the Zurich Radio Orchestra on July 29, 1938. (I presume Erna Terminello-Barth might have been an orchestra administrator.)

Being in an orchestra can sometimes be boring.  During rehearsals, some players have to wait while the conductor works with other orchestra members.  Like typical orchestra players, CBS musicians occasionally showed their wit by writing on their musical parts.  Time Suite has a few drawings done by musicians, among them this fanciful depiction:

I’m sure there are many things waiting to be discovered in the CBS Collection.  

Hopefully this blog post will lead to the first performances of the Time Suite in eighty years.

The New York Public Library Podcast features your favorite writers, artists, and thinkers in smart talks and provocative conversations. Listen to some of our most engaging programs, discover new ideas, and celebrate the best of today’s culture.

This week's episode features part one of a two-part lecture delivered by Columbia Journalism School professor and New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb. He spoke at the Steven A. Schwarzman Building last month for the Cullman Center’s Joanna Jackson Goldman Memorial Lectures on American Civilization and Government. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play
 

The lecture is entitled "The Half-Life of Freedom," and Part 1 is subtitled “The Media and Alternative Facts.” Cobb looks back to Joseph McCarthy as a master manipulator of the media, inspecting the Wisconsin senator's behavior toward the press for clues about today's relationship between politicans and journalists. He examines the dynamics at play in the 2016 election, the role played by print, broadcast, and social media, and the implications of those dynamics for the fourth estate on the more immediate and long-term futures of American politics. Cobb also uses his experience teaching in Russia to help think through what could have made Russia interested in influencing the American presidential election in the first place.

Part 2, “The Demagogues of American History,” will be posted as a special bonus episode on Thursday. Check back on this page or in your podcast feed for it then.

How to listen to The New York Public Library Podcast

Subscribing to The NYPL Podcast on your mobile device is the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode. Episodes will automatically download to your device, and be ready for listening every Tuesday morning

On your iPhone or iPad:
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On your Android phone or tablet:
Open the orange “Play Music” app that’s preloaded on your device. If you’re reading this on your device, click this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass icon and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.” 

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From a desktop or laptop:
Click the “play” button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you’re doing other things, or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nypl.org/podcast.

It's heating up outside, and our summer Staff Picks have arrived just in time for those long-awaited beach trips (or sweltering subway rides, when you really need an escape).

Every few months, our NYPL book experts bring you 100 books we love—culled from the millions upon millions out in the world—via our interactive Staff Picks browse tool.

For this season, we're featuring a recommendation from our summer reading selection committee, which includes members from Brooklyn and Queens public libraries as well as our own NYPL! In honor of Pride Month, it's Love Wins:The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality by Debbie Cenziper.

But this isn't the only one! Check out our Staff Picks browse tool for 99 more of our favorites for children, adults, and everyone in between.

For more recommendations, check out our podcast or find us online @NYPLRecommends, the Bibliofile blog, and nypl.org!

Welcome to The Librarian Is In, The New York Public Library's podcast about books, culture, and what to read next.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play

The fantastic Sona Charaipotra sits down with Frank and Gwen to talk representation and what it's like to see (or not see) your own experiences reflected in a book. Plus: Archie and Riverdale, Bollywood, Hollywood, and a lot of geeking out over our favorite YA authors.

Guest Star: Sona Charaipotra

We Need Diverse Books

The Our Story app

Riverdale (the TV show) and Jughead (the newly rebooted comic)

Her two YA novels, written with Dhonielle Clayton: Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Pieces

CAKE Literary

• The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi (available at NYPL!)
• Love Sugar Magic by Anna Meriano

Sona on Twitter

Book Recommendations

Sona:  The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon and When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Gwen: Girl Codeby Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser (and Tampon Run)

Lots of random stuff we mention during this conversation: Zoraida Córdova, more by Nicola Yoon, David Levithan, Bollywood, Kinky Boots, the first season of The Americans  available for checkout, Adam Silvera and his many books also available for checkout,The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Non-Book Recommendations

Sona: The podcasts First Draft and 88 Cups of Tea, and the Netflix series Master of None

Frank: Jacques Denis, sort of La La Land, and also Moonlight

Gwen: NYPL's Pride book extravaganza and our #RainbowReading video

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Thanks for listening! Have you rated us on iTunes yet? Would you consider doing it now?

Find us online @NYPLRecommends, the Bibliofile blog, and nypl.org. Or email us at nyplrecommends@nypl.org!

---

How to listen to The Librarian Is In

Subscribing to The Librarian Is In on your mobile device is the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode. Episodes will automatically download to your device, and be ready for listening every other Thursday morning

On your iPhone or iPad:
Open the purple “Podcasts” app that’s preloaded on your phone. If you’re reading this on your device, tap this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass in the app and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.”

On your Android phone or tablet:
Open the orange “Play Music” app that’s preloaded on your device. If you’re reading this on your device, click this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass icon and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.” 

Or if you have another preferred podcast player, you can find “The New York Public Library Podcast” there. (Here’s the RSS feed.)

From a desktop or laptop:
Click the “play” button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you’re doing other things, or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nypl.org/podcast.

There's so much available to read on the #SubwayLibrary—a service that delivers free e-books brought to you by MTA, Transit Wireless, and NYC's libraries—it can be hard to choose which books to peruse on your commute. Lucky for you, we're going to put together a list of our favorite titles in a given category every week, so you can get the best recommendations for what to read from our NYPL experts.

This week's category: books for young adults. These six great books have crossover appeal for teens, adults, and everyone in between. Whether you're looking for romance, horror, or a great coming-of-age story, you can find your next great subway read here:

The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas

Starr’s oldest friend is shot and killed right in front of her, and his murder becomes national news. This is a story about police brutality, racism, inequality, and what it means to grow up -- with characters you can’t forget. Excerpt; an hour read.

Museum of Heartbreak, by Meg Leder

In this quirky romance, two characters make out in the stacks at the Strand. Need we say more? Excerpt; a half-hour read.

Dracula, by Bram Stoker

Read the original vampire novel! He doesn’t sparkle, but Count Dracula set the tone for every vampire who’s ever walked in his creepy footsteps. Full text; a 4+-hour read.

Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights, by Ann Bausum

Learn the true story of the 1969 raid and riots at the Stonewall Inn. Excerpt; a half-hour read.

Not If I See You First, by Eric Lindstrom

The no-nonsense Parker Grant has created some serious "Rules": Don't treat her any differently because she's blind, and never take advantage. But as Parker struggles to stay strong and leave her past behind, she learns that maybe some "Rules" are made to be broken. Excerpt; a 2+-hour read.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens' Agenda, by Becky Albertalli

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Excerpt; an hour read.

Check out more information about #SubwayLibrary, including more of our favorite reads and instructions on how to access. What are your favorite young adult reads available on #SubwayLibrary? Share them with us in the comments.

During the week, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. On Fridays, though, we suggest kicking back to catch up on all the delightful literary reading the internet has to offer. Don’t have the time to hunt for good reads? Never fear. We've rounded up the best bookish reading of the week for you.

We Read...

Feminist speculative fiction because we love The Handmaid's Tale and summer staff picks from the New York Public Library's librarians. Jelani Cobb gives insight into the state of press freedoms and the 2016 American presidential election. We have some fashion ideas for the red carpet. Maurice Sendak wanted the wild things of Where The Wild Things Are to be horses at first, and there's even more to know about the icon. 10 years of LGBT prize-winning fiction will keep you busy for a while. Stuck on what to give your dad for Father's Day? We've got some gift inspiration. Authors have besties too, and sometimes, their BFFs are wordsmiths. Explore Loving v. Virginia if you want to feel inspired. Margo Jefferson and Henry Louis Gates Jr. discuss Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Who wants a garden? We do! Here's what you need to know about the Pentagon Papers. Famous writers watched the America's Cup in the 19th century. Tracy K. Smith is our new Poet Laureate! She described her writing process to us in five words: "following where long thoughts lead."

Stereogranimator Friday Feels:

GIF made with the NYPL Labs Stereogranimator

TGIF:

No need to get up! Join our librarians from the home, office, playground — wherever you have internet access — for book recs on Twitter by following our handle @NYPLrecommends from 10 AM to 11 AM every Friday. Or, you can check NYPL Recommends any day of the week for more suggestions. ​

Who needs a tasty new book for the weekend? Tell us one you liked and we'll suggest another, until 11AM EST. #FridayReadspic.twitter.com/X40xDmOibk

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) June 9, 2017

Excellent! How about more sci-fi short stories: HER SMOKE ROSE UP FOREVER by James Tiptree? #FridayReads

— NYPL Recommends (@NYPLRecommends) June 9, 2017

Find the #SubwayLibrary:

We're excited to announce the launch of Subway Library, a new initiative between The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Library, the MTA, and Transit Wireless that provides subway riders in New York City with free access to hundreds of e-books, excerpts, and short stories—all ready to read on the train. Here's how to access #SubwayLibrary.

What did you read?

If you read something fantastic this week, share with our community of readers in the comment section below.

New York Women's Chamber of Commerce will present  2017 Career Expo hosted by Columbia University in collaboration with Congressmember Adriano Espaillat on Monday, June 19, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at Riverside State Park Gymnasium, 679 Riverside Drive at 145 th Street, New York, NY.  Attendees will meet managers from different industries that include higher education, medical, security, government, hospitality, maintenance, construction, retail sales, and many more.  Attendees are encouraged to Pre-Register and bring copies of  resume for employers.

Every year, tens of thousands of small business owners take advantage of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's On-site Consultation Program to make their workplaces safer and healthier at no cost to the business.  You can learn more about this federally funded program that connects private companies with the state government from the Department of Labor blog, OSHA Program for Small Businesses Makes a Big Differenece , authored by Patrick Showalter, director of OSHA's Office for Small Business Assistance in Washington, D.C.

CUNY Tech Works in collaboration with CUNY BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College) Office of Adult Continuing Education  and Workforce Development is offering "No Cost" Information Technology training. The 22 week industry certified Comupter Network  Support training in CompTIA A+ and CISCO CCNA also includes soft skills preparation, and job placement assistance.  Training earns up to 4 college credits towards a CIS Associate degree at BMCC.  Classes begin August 21, 2017.   Pre req: H.S. diploma or GED, Tabe test and interview for consideration.  Must attend Information Session:  Call 212-346-8410, visit www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ce

Career Development workshop on Monday, June 19, 2017, 12:30 - 2:30 pm at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138-60 Barclay Ave. 2nd Floor, Flushing,  NY 11355. This workshop is for all interested jobseekers and dislocated workers to expand their view of qualities that they offer potential employers.

Career Development workshop: Job Finding Club on Tuesday, June 20, 2017, 2 - 4 pm, at Flushing Workforce 1 Career Center, 138- 60 Barclay Ave. 2nd Floor, Flushing  NY 11355.  This workshop is for all interested jobseekers and dislocated workers to form a weekly support  group focusing on obtaining  job goals.

ABM Industries, Inc. will present a recruitment on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, 11 am - 3 pm  for Vacation Replacement Cleaner (5 Temp openings) at Upper Manhattan Workforce 1 Career Center, 215 West 125th Street, 6th Floor, New   York, NY 10027.  By appointment only.

Basic Resume Writing  workshop on Thursday, June 21, 2017, 1:30 - 3 pm at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn  Street,  Brooklyn, NY 11201.  Participants will learn the purpose of a resume, chronological and combination resumes and select the appropriate type for their specific needs.

SP Plus will present a customized recruitment on Thursday, June 22, 2017, 10 am - 1 pm for Valet Attendant  (15 openings) at Brooklyn Workforce 1 Career Center, 250 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.  This is a union position  with full benefits.  By appointment only.

Bronx Recruitment Day on Friday, June 23, 2017, 10 am - 1 pm at Bronx Overall  Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451.  Participating businesses include ABM Industries, Inc., ArchCare, Best Buy, Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, FoodKick by FreshDirect,  GoodTemps and more.  No pre-registration required.  Bring  copies of your resume and dress professionally. 

Job Postings at New York City Workforce 1.  

Apprenticeship Opportunities in New York City.

Brooklyn Community  Board 14: Available jobs

The New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCE&TC) is an association of 200 community-based organizations, educational institutions, and labor unions that annually provide job training and employment services to over 750,000 New Yorkers, including welfare recipients, unemployed workers, low-wage workers, at-risk youth, the formerly incarcerated, immigrants and the mentally and physically disabled. View NYCE&TC Job Listings.

Digital NYC is the official online hub of the New York City startup and technology ecosystem, bringing together every company, startup, investor, event, job, class, blog, video, workplace, accelerator, incubator, resource, and organization in the five boroughs. Search jobs by category on this site.

St. Nicks Alliance Workforce Development provides Free Job Training and Educational Programs in Environmental Response and Remediation Tec (ERRT). Commercial Driver's License, Pest Control Technician Training (PCT), Employment Search and Prep Training and Job Placement, Earn Benefits and Career Path Center. For information and assistance, please visit St. Nicks Alliance Workforce Development or call 718-302-2057 ext. 202.

Brooklyn Workforce Innovations helps jobless and working poor New Yorkers establish careers in sectors that offer good wages and opportunities for advancement. Currently, BWI offers free job training programs in four industries: commercial driving, telecommunications cable installation, TV and film production, and skilled woodworking.

CMP (formerly Chinatown Manpower Project) in lower Manhattan is now recruiting for a free training in Quickbooks, Basic Accounting, and Excel. This training is open to anyone who is receiving food stamps but no cash assistance. Class runs for eight weeks, followed by one-on-one meetings with a job developer. CMP also provides Free Home Health Aide Training for bilingual English/Cantonese speakers who are receiving food stamps but no cash assistance. Training runs Mondays through Fridays for six weeks and includes test prep and taking the HHA certification exam. Students learn about direct care techniques such as taking vital signs and assisting with personal hygiene and nutrition. For more information for the above two training programs, email: info@cmpny.org, call 212-571-1690, or visit. CMP also provides tuition-based healthcare and business trainings free to students who are entitled to ACCESS funding.

Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) trains women and places them in careers in the skilled construction, utility, and maintenance trades. It helps women achieve economic independence and a secure future. For information call 212-627-6252 or register online.

Grace Institute provides tuition-free, practical job training in a supportive learning community for underserved New York area women of all ages and from many different backgrounds. For information call 212-832-7605.

Please note this page will be revised when more recruitment events for the week of June 18 become available.

Summer means one thing to librarians: summer reading.

This year, we developed Summer Reading Challenge for older kids and teens as part of our city-wide program. It's meant to be fun, of course, but it also helps combat the summer slide— the slip in some students' abilities that occurs during the months when they're not in school. It helps keep kids reading every day, which is one of the most important keys to retaining their comprehension skills.

But why shouldn't adults get in on the fun? Summer is a great time for adults to squeeze in a little extra reading on vacation or just to escape from the daily grind. And if you're a parent or a caregiver, there's no better way to model the reading behavior you'd love to see in your kids.

So we've expanded our Summer Reading Challenge, based on the theme of "Build a Better World," to adults! If you read one book from each suggested category below in June, July, and August, you'll have knocked out three great new-to-you books before the fall. 

And no matter what you’re reading — whether it’s one of our recommendations or just a book you're excited to pick up — let us know what you’re reading this summer with the hashtag #ReadersUnite.

Happy (summer) reading!

Try a book...

...about immigrants or refugees.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (fiction)

Two young lovers are thrown together just as their city falls into civil disarray -- and their relationship takes on the velocity of their surroundings. 

This book is: bittersweet, character-driven, a love story. 

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (fiction)

We can't stop recommending this book. A truly unforgettable story that traces a 10-year-old girl's journey from Zimbabwe to Detroit.

This book is: haunting, moving, seriously good writing.

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (graphic novel memoir)

This beautifully illustrated memoir depicts the author and her family's journey from Vietnam to the United States during the war.

This book is: charming, inventive, reflective, spare.

...about an unlikely friendship.

Kindred by Octavia Butler (science fiction)

An African-American writer in the 1970s travels back in time, against her will, and forms a bond with the son of a cruel plantation owner before the Civil War. (Kindred was recently adapted into a graphic novel, too.)

This book is: compelling, exciting, plot-driven.

Arrival by Ted Chiang (short stories)

The title story -- originally called "Stories of Your Life and Others," made into the 2016 film Arrival -- is about a linguist trying to connect with alien visitors. The rest of these thinky sci-fi stories won't disappoint, either.

This book is: atmospheric, otherworldly, psychological, world-building.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler (fiction)

The chimpanzee in this novel is more than a friend -- she's like a sister to Rosemary, who grows up alongside Fern for part of her childhood.

This book is: issue-oriented, moving, thought-provoking.

...that’s nonfiction, about an issue that’s important to you.

The Battle for Home: The Vision of a Young Architect in Syria by Marwa Al-Sabouni

The author -- an architect who grew up in Homs, one of the Syrian cities hit hardest by the ongoing conflict -- traces the war through the physical imprint of her city in this powerful memoir.

This book is: haunting, historical.

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

A thoroughly researched investigation into the brutal murder of a 14-year-old African-American boy, Emmett Till, who was lynched in Mississippi in the summer of 1955.

This book is: compelling, detailed, thought-provoking.

Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt by Sarah Jaffe

How do modern-day grassroots resistance movements get started? Jaffe, a reporter for XXX, investigates and connects the dots between a wide range of groups, from the Tea Party to Black Lives Matter. 

This book is: engaging, political.

Want more recommendations for your own summer reading? Email us for personalized suggestions, ask us on Twitter, listen to our podcast, and take a look at our blog posts and Staff Picks on NYPL's Recommendations page.

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

DVD Movie.  The Intouchables.   

Sellou, Abdel.  You changed my life.

电影改编自此书。 一黑人街头痞子，没有教育背景，进出监狱，睡大街混日子。一白人青年出身富贵之家，但因滑伞而致半身不遂。白人雇用黑人照顾起居。黑人第一天工作便偷窃东西。主人爱好冒险，彼此建立友谊，成为好朋友。十年之间完全改变了彼此的命运。

李昆武。 从小李到老李：一个中国人的一生。 3 vols. 漫画。

李昆武。  春秀。 漫画。

这两本漫画书，对于外国人认识中国近代历史很有帮助。第二本书是作者画他祖母的一生故事。

兰陵笑笑生。 金瓶梅。

中国小说鼻祖。其对生活的描写影响到后来的红楼梦，而其对官场的描写则为儒林外史所承继。

毛选集。

此书对今日商场谋略仍有实用参考价值。

吴明益。  单车失窃记。  复眼人。

两本台湾作家的作品。 第一本以单车为引，写出一个台湾家族的兴衰。书中多用台语词汇，颇有哲学思想。  第二本书为幻想小说。

绢窗小雨。 孤岛曼哈顿。

小说。早年移民的房东与当下移民的房客之间的价值冲突。

Special Thanks goes to Hung-yun Chang at Mid-Manhattan Library, for all his help with this blog post.

This past week, we learned that Tracy K. Smith, one of our favorite contemporary poets, was named the United States Poet Laureate. As we were reading about her plans for the prestigious office, which include spreading poetry across the country – “where literary festivals don’t always go” – we started to wonder, what exactly does the Poet Laureate do? How is one chosen? And how did this position even come to be? We found the answers to all these questions, and more, from our friends over at The Library of Congress. Here’s all you ever wanted to know about the U.S. Poet Laureate but were afraid to ask:

 The Librarian of Congress Chooses the Poet Laureate

The Poet Laureate – whose official title is “Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry” – is selected to serve an eight month term from October to May by the Librarian of Congress, who is currently Dr. Carla Hayden. That term can then be renewed for another year, but traditionally, poets only serve two consecutive terms at maximum. Often, the Librarian of Congress will consult with the Library’s Poetry and Literature Center, poetry experts, or even the current or former Poets Laureate to come up with candidates for nomination, but ultimately, the Librarian is the sole decider. However, per the Poetry and Literature Center, the public is allowed to make suggestions for who should be the next Poet Laureate by contacting the Library of Congress directly.

The Poet Laureate Isn’t Required to Do Much – And That’s a Good Thing

While Poets Laureate throughout history have taken initiative to encourage reading, writing, and love of poetry across the nation, The Library of Congress doesn’t stipulate that the Poet Laureate necessarily needs to do any of that. In fact, the only formal requirements of the poet laureate are two readings – at the beginning and end of their term – and to name and introduce the recipients of the Witter Bynner Fellowship, another Library of Congress poetry prize. The Library of Congress deliberately leaves the duties of the office non-specific, so that each incoming laureate has the freedom to do what he or she wishes. Many recent Poets Laureate have created new ways for poetry to reach the American public, such as Robert Pinsky’s “Favorite Poem Project” or Billy Collins’ “Poetry 180.”

The “Consultant in Poetry” Position Dates Back to 1937...

...But the “Poet Laureate” title only applies to those who’ve held the office after 1986. That’s because the position was originally called “Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress,” and the duties of the position were closer to that of a librarian than a poet. Essentially, the consultants in poetry would advise the Library of Congress on the maintenance of its poetry collections and serve as a liaison between the Library, poets, and researchers. So technically, Robert Frost and Gwendolyn Brooks were not poets laureate, but consultants in poetry.

Poet Laureate Is a Paying Job – But Not By The Government

Poets Laureate receive a $35,000 annual stipend plus $5,000 to cover travel expenses, but that doesn’t come out of your taxes. The position is endowed by a gift from Archer M. Huntington, who established the original consultant in poetry position. Huntington was a noted philanthropist, who also founded the Hispanic Society of America and donated his mansion to be the headquarters of the National Academy in Carnegie Hill.

Sources

Armenti, Peter. What Do Poet Laureates Do? From the Catbird Seat, the Library of Congress.

Armenti, Peter. How is the Poet Laureate Selected? From the Catbird Seat, the Library of Congress.

About the Position of Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. Library of Congress.

United States Poet Laureate: A Guide to Online Resources. Library of Congress.

Rosenberg, Zoe. National Academy Museum's Fifth Avenue Home Hits the Market for $120M. Curbed.

The Hispanic Museum and Library: About Us.

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated across the country commemorating the formal emancipation of slaves in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was scheduled to be effective on January 1, 1863, slavery continued after that date in many states. It was not until two years later, on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas that a Major General from the Union Army informed some of the last remaining slaves of their freedom. This day marked the formal end of slavery in the United States, and Juneteenth was born in celebration of that day. Today the summer holiday is often celebrated by large get-togethers, cookouts, music, and food. But this holiday has evolved significantly over the century. Let's take a look back at some memorable past Juneteenth celebrations and events as reported in many of the popular African-American newspapers of the time, all available through The New York Public Library's electronic resources.

•  The first Juneteenth celebrations were especially important. Many African-Americans who were enslaved participated in the celebrations and passed on their experiences to the next generation. In Parsons, Kansas in 1895, the Parsons Weekly Blade, told how they celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the emancipation by, "indulging in various pleasures," followed by  "sumptuous repasts." Then came a series of speeches about the importance of Juneteenth and the experience of slavery still fresh for many African-Americans. After the speeches the celebrations continued with, "an animated game of baseball."
   
• In 1915, The Chicago Defender wrote, "Texas is a wonderful state in more ways than one. Looking at it from our point of view, they can can deal out some of the most unjust justice and then, as if to relieve their conscience, they can flop over and do the most gracious things."  That year, in celebration of Juneteenth, Governor Ferguson pardoned forty prisoners from the state penitentiary.

The 1930s was a decade of particularly memorable Juneteenth events:

• Juneteenth began to evolve into a celebration of progress for African-Americans. On June, 18th, 1936, as part of the Juneteenth celebrations in Dallas, Texas, they held what was considered, "the first interracial track meet in the history of the South."

• That same year, a dark cloud came over the many Juneteenth celebrations. In the General Motors Auditorium in Fort Worth Texas, "Negroes rubbed shoulders with equally as many Whites," and listened to the broadcast of the Joe Louis - Max Schemling fight. Louis was knocked out in round twelve and, as the Atlanta Daily World put it, "the defeat of Joe Louis served as a fatal blow... [and there was] a frantic effort to cheer up the downhearted race lads who went down with the black idol from Detroit."

The 1960s, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, brought more politically minded Juneteenth celebrations.

• In Washington, DC, 100,000 people participated in the "Poor Peoples March."  A march held in support of the campaign to end poverty.

The celebrations of Juneteenth have changed overtime, from "popularity contests" to protests movements. All of these events and more can be researched online using the New York Public Library's electronic resources. Explore the databases, African American Experience, ProQuest Historical African American Newspapers, and  African American Periodicals, 1825 -1995.  One can access even more e-resources by visiting NYPL branches, such as, Black Studies Center or Freedman's Bank Records, an excellent source for anyone researching African-American heritage. Patrons interested in the subject should also visit the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and explore their expansive print and electronic collections.

 This post was researched entirely using NYPL's electronic resources. With more than 500 online research options available, many accessible from home with a library card, we challenge you to go beyond the search engine and dig deeper online with the Library.
 

RESOURCES

Brooks, Christopher. "Juneteenth." The American Mosaic: The African American Experience, ABC-CLIO, 2017, africanamerican.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1401858. Accessed 14 June 2017.

Davis, Emily C. "LOUISIANA." The Chicago Defender (National edition) (1921-1967): 23. Apr 20 1935. ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2017.

"Dallas Will See Interracial Track Meet 'Juneteenth'." The Pittsburgh Courier (1911-1950), City Edition ed.: 1. Jun 20 1936. ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2017.

"JUNE "TEENTH." The Chicago Defender (Big Weekend Edition) (1905-1966): 8. Jul 03 1915. ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2017.

"Local and Personal News." Parsons Weekly Blade: 4. Jun 22 1895. African American Newspapers, 1827-1995 (Readex). Web. 14 June 2017.

"Popularity Contest at Florence Mills Theater." Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005): 4. Jun 04 1936. ProQuest. Web. 15 June 2017.

R, Luke M. "JUNETEENTH MARRED BY FIGHT." Atlanta Daily World (1932-2003): 2. Jun 30 1936. ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2017

"Thousands to Take Part in 'Juneteenth' Rally." Chicago Daily Defender (Daily Edition) (1960-1973): 6. Jun 17 1968. ProQuest. Web. 14 June 2017.

Your child is different from other kids and he or she knows it. He is high energy and observant. She is aware of problems that escape others. He has a sophisticated sense of humor and asks incessant questions. She is highly sensitive to noise, pain and frustration. He sets high standards for himself and others. She chooses difficult problems over easy ones. 

What do you do for your offspring?

• Facilitate and support their interests
• Talk to them about their issues and get a counselor if necessary
• Consider academic acceleration and/or gifted classes

Gifted individuals can be many things, including fascinating and charming. However, they are often exhausting to be around. Learning how to effectively parent and advocate for such a child is not easy, but it can be highly rewarding. Turning your child onto education and life is an invaluable experience for you both. 

The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids: How to Understand, Live With and Stick Up For Your Gifted Child by Sally Walker, 2002

This book has a very good discussion of the social emotional issues facing gifted kids. 

Books about gifted kids

books by Sally Walker

The New York Public Library Podcast features your favorite writers, artists, and thinkers in smart talks and provocative conversations. Listen to some of our most engaging programs, discover new ideas, and celebrate the best of today’s culture.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play
 

Last week Tracy K. Smith was named the 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate by the Library of Congress. Last year she came by the Library to talk about her memoir, Ordinary Light, and we're taking the occasion to share that conversation with you today. Smith is the author of three volumes of poetry, one of which, Life on Mars, won her the Pulitzer Prize in 2012. She’s also the director of the creative writing program at Princeton.  About her plans for her tenure as laureate, she said, “I’m very excited about the opportunity to take what I consider to be the good news of poetry to parts of the country where literary festivals don’t always go. Poetry is something that’s relevant to everyone’s life, whether they’re habitual readers of poetry or not…Rather than talking about social issues, I want to give more readers access to more kinds of poems and poets. Poems are friendly, and they teach us how to read them.”

How to listen to The New York Public Library Podcast

Subscribing to The NYPL Podcast on your mobile device is the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode. Episodes will automatically download to your device, and be ready for listening every Tuesday morning

On your iPhone or iPad:
Open the purple “Podcasts” app that’s preloaded on your phone. If you’re reading this on your device, tap this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass in the app and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.”

On your Android phone or tablet:
Open the orange “Play Music” app that’s preloaded on your device. If you’re reading this on your device, click this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass icon and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.” 

Or if you have another preferred podcast player, you can find “The New York Public Library Podcast” there. (Here’s the RSS feed.)

From a desktop or laptop:
Click the “play” button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you’re doing other things, or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nypl.org/podcast.

Educator Lee Regenbogen gets great satisfaction from watching his students develop their career skills in a work-study program at Huguenot Park Library. His student Janelle has already made great strides and keeps asking for new opportunities.

Library Stories is a video series from The New York Public Library that shows what the Library means to our users, staff, donors, and communities through moving personal interviews.

Like, share, and watch more Library Stories on Facebook or YouTube.

Welcome to The Librarian Is In, The New York Public Library's podcast about books, culture, and what to read next.

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Google Play

How gay is Sci-Fi anyway? Gwen and Frank welcome Casey Maher, leader of the LGBTQ Sci-Fi Book Crew meetup (held at Jefferson Market Library)! They discuss everything from technology and gaming to science fiction (of course) right on up to Hemingway.

Guest Star: Casey Maher

Casey's LGBTQ Sci-Fi Book Crew meetup!

Book & Non-Book Recommendations

Casey:  2312 / Kim Stanley Robinson

The Mars Trilogy / Kim Stanley Robinson

The Sun Also Rises/ Ernest Hemingway

Ben Medansky, Sculptor

Perfumes that speak to the orgins of the Universe

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet/ Becky Chambers 

Gwen: Ready Player One / Ernest Cline 

Frank:  August Elder, Ceramist - on exhibit at the Jefferson Market Library

Aliens, directed by James Cameron and starring  Sigourney Weaver

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Thanks for listening! Have you rated us on iTunes yet? Would you consider doing it now?

Find us online @NYPLRecommends, the Bibliofile blog, and nypl.org. Or email us at nyplrecommends@nypl.org!

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How to listen to The Librarian Is In

Subscribing to The Librarian Is In on your mobile device is the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode. Episodes will automatically download to your device, and be ready for listening every other Thursday morning

On your iPhone or iPad:
Open the purple “Podcasts” app that’s preloaded on your phone. If you’re reading this on your device, tap this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass in the app and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.”

On your Android phone or tablet:
Open the orange “Play Music” app that’s preloaded on your device. If you’re reading this on your device, click this link to go straight to the show and click “Subscribe.” You can also tap the magnifying glass icon and search for “The New York Public Library Podcast.” 

Or if you have another preferred podcast player, you can find “The New York Public Library Podcast” there. (Here’s the RSS feed.)

From a desktop or laptop:
Click the “play” button above to start the show. Make sure to keep that window open on your browser if you’re doing other things, or else the audio will stop. You can always find the latest episode at nypl.org/podcast.

Social movements, people living alternative lifestyles, and any groups with beliefs or practices that hang on the fringe of society are often the voices that make up the alternative press.  Since these groups are often ignored or misrepresented by mainstream press, any form of counterculture movement has had to develop its own way to communicate with its members, and to create a forum for groups to connect with one another. As a result, small and independent publications—including, journals, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, and more recently zines, social media, and independent online news magazines—are priceless when understanding the history of these groups, movements, and communities. 

The social climate of the 1960s and 1970s saw an explosive growth of small and independent publications. This was the time of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, the Gay Rights Movement, the Feminists Movement, and the Anti-War movement. Independent publications representing these groups were developed by special interest organizations, individuals, and student groups on campuses across the country. 

The New York Public Library, recognizing the importance of these publications, has worked to develop an impressive collection of alternative media, not just in print, but electronically as well, so that patrons and researchers can explore these materials from home as well as onsite at the library. One example is the database Independent Voices, where anyone can read issues of Black Unity, a 1970s publication for African-American servicemen and women, or New Directions for Women, a long-running feminists publication.

One such publication is the 1960s independent magazine Transvestia,  which is available through the Archives of Sexuality and Gender database. Transvestia was started by Virginia Prince in the 1960s for "the needs of those heterosexual persons who have become aware of their 'other side' and seek to express it." Transvestia became a safe space for individuals to tell their own stories without judgment. For example, each issue had the Our Cover Girl  column, which highlighted the story of the cover model. Transvestia was also a space for those new to cross-dressing to be embraced by a like-minded community, such as in the Virgin Views by Virginia  column. Transvestia  even had a space for wives to write about their relationships with their cross-dressing husbands, The Letters from Wives  column is only one example. 

Although, the tone of Transvestia was often light, Prince's magazine nevertheless broke ground on an important discussion in the realm of gender and dress. In almost all cultures—besides a few other factors—outward appearance, including clothing, hair, and adornments such as jewelry, are closely tied to one's gender. However, according to the famed scholar Susan Stryker, "Prince believed that the binary gender system harmed both men and women by alienating them from their full human potential, and she considered cross-dressing to be one means of redressing this perceived social ill." Stryker even attributes the term "transgender" to Prince, although when Prince used the term it did not not have the same meaning as it does today, but referred more to people who lived socially in a role not normally associated with their born gender.

The road to Transvestia was a long and controversial one for Prince. Virginia Prince (born Arnold Loman)  began cross-dressing as a young child. Prince married twice, and visited a hosts of psychiatrists and psychologists to find out the root of her "problem."  Finally, one doctor told her to "stop fighting it," and that there were "thousands of others" like her.  Prince (who had earned a PhD in pharmacology) began to work out her ideas in medical journals, and developed the term femmiphillia, which she preferred over the term transvestite. Soon she started Transvestia, which immediately received pushback from the general public. Prince was even arrested for the crime of "sending obscene material through the post," according to the article Virginia Prince: Pioneer of Transgendering, plead guilty, and was given a sentence of five years probation. However, according to the same source, her lawyer was able to convince the court to include in the probation order a public education mandate about cross-dressing.  

​Years later, Prince developed her second publication, The Femme Mirror, also accessible through the Archives of Sexuality and Gender database. Popular in the 1980s and 90s, this publication continued Transvestia's mission of providing an outlet for discussion and concerns for heterosexual transvestites. Prince began this magazine in association with the Tri-Ess organization (Society for the Second Self), a support group for heterosexual men who cross-dressed that functioned as a sorority. The Femme Mirror, like Transvestia,  also promoted awareness, as well as legal and political education. These publications served as an important step for self-acceptance, public acceptance, awareness, and legal protection.

For anyone interested in researching or learning more about these publications the archives can be accessed through our Archives of Sexuality and Gender database. For example, explore archival publications like Transvestia,  independent publications like, New Direction for Women, international publications such as Antinorm, and popular publications like The Advocate.  NYPL has much more online, besides magazines. If you are interested in reading Virginia Prince's scholarly articles or others focused on LGBTQ issues,  anyone can access a variety of journals though our LGBT Life database, for example, Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, Journal of Bisexuality, and the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy. These resources are only a few of the many LGBTQ related e-resources, and it is well worth the time explore some of our databases, such as, LGBT Life Full Text, or Independent voices.

This blog post was researched entirely using NYPL's electronic resources. With more than 500 online research options available, many accessible from home with a library card, we challenge you to go beyond the search engine and dig deeper online with NYPL.

ARTICLE RESOURCES

Agnes, et al. "Letters from Wives." Transvestia, no. 35, 1965, p. 35+. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vLX44. Accessed 8 June 2017.

Ekins, Richard and Dave King. "Virginia Prince: Transgender Pioneer." International Journal of Transgenderism, vol. 8, no. 4, Oct. 2005, pp. 5-15. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=qth&AN=19363399&site=ehost-live.

"The Femme Mirror." Femme Mirror, Fall 1988. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vEyYX. Accessed 7 June 2017.

Ferguson, Michael. "Arresting Dress: Cross Dressing, Law, and Fascination in Nineteenth-Century San Francisco by Clare Sears." Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 63, no. 8, Aug. 2016, pp. 1161-1166. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1186418.

"First International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy." Femme Mirror, Spring 1992, p. 30. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4w9oX3. Accessed 13 June 2017.

Hawkes G. Dressing-up--cross-dressing and sexual dissonance. Journal Of Gender Studies [serial on the Internet]. (1995, Nov), [cited June 16, 2017]; 4(3): 261. Available from: LGBT Life with Full Text.

LeGassé, Joëlle. "Straight Crossdressers." Transgender Tapestry, no. 106, Summer2004, p. 36. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=qth&AN=14440447&site=ehost-live.

NEAL A. Homosexuality in the Heartland: Alternative Print Media from 1970s Kansas City. Lucerna [serial on the Internet]. (2016, Jan), [cited June 16, 2017]; 1063-81. Available from: Academic Search Premier.

Paula. "The Femme Mirror." Femme Mirror, Summer 1992, p. 63. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vFAj1. Accessed 7 June 2017.

Stryker S. Transgender Activism. GLBTQ Social Sciences [serial on the Internet]. (2015, Jan), [cited June 16, 2017]; 1-6. Available from: LGBT Life with Full Text.

Stryker S. Transgender. GLBTQ Social Sciences [serial on the Internet]. (2015, Jan), [cited June 16, 2017]; 1-3. Available from: LGBT Life with Full Text.

"‘Ten Commandments for Crossdressers." Femme Mirror, 1989. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vF36X. Accessed 7 June 2017

"Transvestia." Transvestia, no. 27, 1964. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vLSJ0. Accessed 8 June 2017.

"Transvestia." Transvestia, vol. 17, no. 97, 1978, p. 17. Archives of Sexuality & Gender, tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/4vM3F8. Accessed 8 June 2017.

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There's so much available to read on the #SubwayLibrary — a service that delivers free e-books brought to you by MTA, Transit Wireless, and NYC's libraries— it can be hard to choose which books to peruse on your commute. Lucky for you, we're going to put together a list of our favorite titles in a given category every week, so you can get the best recommendations for what to read from our NYPL experts.

This week's category: short reads! You can read any of these short stories, essays, and other short pieces — brought to you by Electric Lit via the literary studio Plympton — in just one or two subway trips. Here are some of our favorites:

The Soul Is Not a Smithy by David Foster Wallace

Even DFW fans may not have read this short by the late author. Editor Sven Birkets of AGNI writes of this story, “David Foster Wallace sent it to us as a way of wishing Godspeed — it was an act of kindness, one that we have since done everything we could to try to deserve.” Full text; a 2+hour read.

Cattle Haul by Jesmyn Ward

Check out a lesser-known work by a huge name in fiction. In this story, Ward spins the tale of a long-distance trucker on a difficult drive. Full text; a 1-hour read.

Nixon in Space by Rob McCleary

What if president Richard Nixon decided he really, literally, wanted to go to the moon? Full text; a 1-hour read.

Todd by Etgar Keret

Keret’s playful, creative semi-autobiographical style makes you conscious of your own role as a reader in this brilliant story about the act of writing itself. Full text; a half-hour read.

The Doctor and the Rabbi by Aimee Bender

Faith and doubt, religion and science, medicine and belief – this short story packs big ideas and memorable characters into a small yet powerful package. Full text; a 1-hour read.

Check out more information about #SubwayLibrary, including more of our favorite reads and instructions on how to access. What are your favorite short reads available on #SubwayLibrary? Share them with us in the comments.

Almost 50 years after Stonewall, New York City's LGBT community is getting ready to march down 5th Avenue for the annual LGBT Pride March. The march commemorates the anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, which began June 28, 1969. As we look back at that important moment, learning about the activists who shaped the LGBT movement has never been easier.

Eric Marcus created the Making Gay History podcast using his decades-old audio archive of rare interviews—conducted for his award-winning oral history of the LGBTQ civil rights movement—to create intimate, personal portraits of both known and long-forgotten champions, heroes, and witnesses to history. The episodes feature oral histories of Vito Russo, Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Barbara Gittings, and many more. Two seasons are already available, and a third is on the way for this fall. Eric Marcus’s archives are preserved in the Library’s Manuscripts & Archives Division.

Eric Marcus will host a trivia contest at the Library After Hours: Celebrating Pride this Friday, June 23, 2017 at NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. The event is first come, first served from 7:30-9 PM. 21+ only. Get more information about the event. 

Randy Wicker & Marsha P. Johnson

In the early 1960's, Randy Wicker sought to thrust the debate over gay liberation into the national conversation, and in his role as the "public relations director" of the Homosexual League of New York – an organizational title he apparently invented for public relations purposes – he bombarded "straight" media with proposals for news articles, TV and radio segments on gays and lesbians. His biggest success, a radio broadcast of a program featuring gay people discussing their lifestyles, moral codes, and relationships with the "straight" community, was instrumental in breaking the unofficial code of silence around homosexuality in the mainstream media.

Marsha P. Johnson was a gay liberation activist, trans activist, and well-known drag queen who fought against police at the famous Stonewall riots of 1969. She went on to help found the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and work for the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).

Listen to Randy and Marsha's episode of Making Gay History, or explore Randy's papers at NYPL.

Barbara Gittings & Kay Tobin Lahusen

Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen were LGBT civil rights activists and partners who met through their work in the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the oldest lesbian organization in the United States. Gittings, who established the East Coast chapter of DOB, went on to directly influence the American Psychiatric Association's 1973 decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses, while Tobin Lahusen documented much of the pre-Stonewall gay rights movement as a prominent lesbian photojournalist.

Listen to Barbara and Kay's first or second episode of Making Gay History, or explore their papers at NYPL.

Vito Russo

Vito Russo, a co-founder of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), was a film historian, writer, and gay rights activist in the 1970s and 80s. His essays on the depiction of gay characters in film were widely published in gay and mainstream media, including The Advocate, Rolling Stone, New York, Outweek, The Village Voice, and Esquire. Russo dedicated years of his life for fighting for increased AIDS research, access to new medications, and an end to discrimination against people with AIDS, which took his life in 1990 at the age of forty-four.

Listen to Vito's episode of Making Gay History, or explore Vito's papers at NYPL.

Jeanne & Morty Manford

Morty Manford was an activist and key strategist in the early gay rights movement; his mother, Jeanne Manford, co-founded Parents of Gays (POG), the first support group for parents of gay children. After Morty Manford was kicked and beaten at a demonstration for the Gay Activists Alliance – an organization he co-founded and eventually led – Jeanne Manford wrote a highly publicized letter to the editor defending him in the New York Post. Morty Manford went on to found and lead numerous other gay rights organizations in his life, among them the National Coalition of Gay Activists, the Study Group, and the Lambda Club; he was also a Legal Aid lawyer and an Assistant Attorney General of New York State. Jeanne Manford continued to speak out through POG, which eventually became Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in the early 1980s.

Listen to Jeanne and Morty's episode of Making Gay History, or explore Jeanne's papers and Morty's papers at NYPL.

Pride Month Reading Recommendations

June is the American Library Association's GLBT Book Month. The New York Public Library's expert librarians are honoring LGBT literature with three book lists for Pride Month: 30 books for adults, 30 books for teens, and 30 books for kids.  Each list contains 30 diverse books, one for every day of Pride Month. Find our favorite selections for all age groups, and celebrate this Pride Month with some #RainbowReading.