Queens Public Library at Corona

1969 - present

The Corona branch of the Queens Public Library began as a small storefront when Helen Marshall and her family moved from the Bronx to Corona, Queens in 1957. Her children wanted a space to read and could only find this small storefront with a few books. Helen decided this was not sufficient for her neighborhood and began a 12-year-journey to get a proper library placed in Corona. In 1969, the library was officially opened. Helen continued to work as community activist, opening and funding libraries and schools around the community and eventually became the first Black woman to be the Queens borough president. Since its conception, Corona Library has served the multicultural neighborhood. For example, in 1977, the library collaborated with the New Americans Program whose main goal was to cater to non-English speaking people. Through the program, the library cultivated a catalog that was culturally relevant to its constituents. In addition to books, the library is also a site where immigrants can receive civics and life skill classes that allow them to integrate into American culture.

Corona Library building
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Details

Category
Library
Founder(s)
Helen Marshall
Tags
education, queenslibrary, newamericanprograms, languageservices
Notes
References: https://www.proquest.com/news/docview/305951103/85A5C0C9DA0B49F1PQ/8?accountid=10226&sourcetype=Newspapers https://www.proquest.com/news/docview/305951103/85A5C0C9DA0B49F1PQ/8?accountid=10226&sourcetype=Newspapers https://origin-archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/171-155e.htm https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/07/30/336401826/want-to-see-the-world-try-a-library-in-queens https://www.proquest.com/news/docview/278516748/F97F4D16E6364BC3PQ/1?accountid=10226&sourcetype=Newspapers

Location

  • 38-23 104th St, Queens, NY 11368, USA
    ? - ?

Archival Collections