New York City is home to one of the most easily accessible library systems in the United States. People are able to go in and out of libraries as they please and have access to not just physical books, but an entire digital database for free. New York’s diverse community has given many public places, including its libraries, an incentive to have multilingual resources and cultural safe spaces.
However, despite these benefits, many people have never had a library card before in their lives, missing out on valuable resources and community events. This is the case for not just the students at Cardozo, but for staff as well. This, however, has quickly changed thanks to the library staff.
Introduced by Cardozo librarian Ms. Moolsankar, the school is able to offer both staff and students who have never had access to a library card an opportunity to get one through a program called MyLibraryNYC.
“We had this program at my old school, before I came to Cardozo, so I wanted to do it here too,” explained Moolsankar. “It’s a great way for kids to get library cards!”
The program allows for students and staff members who’ve never had access to a library card to apply for one through the library. The librarians have done their best to slowly integrate this in school, starting with the freshmen during their orientation. As the year goes by, they hope to eventually have this reach all the students, and eventually the staff.
“Everything you have and do at Cardozo only really lasts for the four years you’re here,” said Ms. Gomes, another one of Cardozo’s librarians. “Which is why we want you guys to have a card for a library outside of Cardozo, we want you to have access to these things even after you graduate. You shouldn’t be limited to just what Cardozo has to offer.”
If you want to apply for a library card through Cardozo, you can go to the library on the second floor of the main building. Ask the librarians about applying for a library card, and fill out one of these forms. While Cardozo may provide a sufficient amount of resources and books in the school library, it’s hard to get ahold of these things for free after graduation.
If you’ve never had a library card before, take this opportunity to get one through the school. Being able to look into the valuable resources outside of Cardozo is so beneficial, whether it be for research or entertainment. You can only go so far with Cardozo’s library, so why not go even further with the rest of New York Cities? Endless possibilities and knowledge are at your fingertips– all of them just one card away.
