New York City Public Libraries to Distribute Free Solar Eclipse Glasses For Safe Eclipse Viewing on April 8th

March 28, 2024: New York City’s three public library systems will be distributing free solar eclipse glasses starting tomorrow. Glasses will be available while quantities last on a first-come, first-served basis at all Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, and New York Public Library (which includes the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) locations. Distribution of glasses will begin on Friday, March 29 at all branch locations. 

The glasses giveaway is part of a partnership between the libraries and the National Esports Association (NEA). NEA launched a “Look Up!” public safety campaign to encourage New Yorkers to safely look up at the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. More information on the campaign is here. Library locations throughout the five boroughs have also planned events leading up to the eclipse. 

“As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming eclipse, it is crucial to prioritize safety during this extraordinary celestial event. We hope this will be a moment of shared wonder and safety for all,” said Lori Bajorek, President of the NEA.

About the National Esports Association

The National Esports Association is a nonprofit organization working to empower individuals through esports, providing pathways to sustainable employment that nurture skills, creativity, and personal growth. We embrace diverse gaming traditions and foster collaborative, intergenerational connections to celebrate the richness of the gaming culture. The NEA champions equitable access to esports resources, fostering resilient communities and economies, upholding the well-being of every gamer, and ensuring that all members of our diverse community feel valued and included.

About The New York Public Library

For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With over 90 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support. 

About Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. Providing innovative library service for over 125 years, we support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We are a global leader in the fight for the freedom to read through our Books Unbanned initiative, offering teens across the US access to the library’s online catalog. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.

About Queens Public Library

Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country.  An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology lab located in the nation’s largest public housing complex, and has five teen centers, a community learning center, two bookmobiles, and two book bicycles.