Long Island City Library
🏢 Queens Public Library · Long Island City, New York
Long Island City Library
Opened in July 2007 at 37-44 21st Street near the Queensbridge Houses, this branch consolidated two older community branches and anchored one of the largest gifts in Queens Public Library history — a $6 million endowment from the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation that established an acclaimed adult learning center on the second floor.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 1pm–6pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 12pm–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 37-44 21st Street, Queens, NY 11101
Phone: (718) 752-3700
Website: queenslibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G8Q356+47 (Queens, NY)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Long Island City Library
The Long Island City Library opened in July 2007, replacing the former Queensbridge and Ravenswood branches with a single, larger facility better suited to the rapidly changing western Queens waterfront community. The branch's second floor houses the Jeanne Elmezzi Long Island City Adult Learning Center, dedicated in 2008 after the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Private Foundation pledged $6 million — the largest gift in the history of Queens Public Library — to create a permanent endowment for adult literacy programs. Jeanne Elmezzi (1910–2005) and her husband Thomas, a Pepsi-Cola executive, were both children of Italian immigrants who grew up in neighboring Astoria. In 2023, the library opened a dedicated Teen Center modeled on the award-winning Far Rockaway Teen Library, offering a tech lab with 3D printers, iPads, Adobe Creative Cloud and gaming systems. The branch also extends free Wi-Fi approximately 450 feet beyond its walls and provides 24/7 material drop-off, ensuring the building serves the community even outside staffed hours.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Jeanne Elmezzi Long Island City Adult Learning Center on the second floor — free ESOL, Adult Basic Education, pre-HSE prep, citizenship preparation and technology training, endowed by a $6 million gift
- Teen Center opened September 2023: tech lab with 3D printers, iPads, laptops, Adobe Creative Cloud, gaming systems and one-on-one tech mentors
- Opened July 2007, consolidating the former Queensbridge and Ravenswood branches into a single community hub
- Free extended Wi-Fi reaching roughly 450 feet outside the building — accessible without sign-in even when the branch is closed
- Free public computers, remote printing and 24/7 materials drop-off; fully wheelchair accessible; F train (21 St–Queensbridge) one block away
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Queens Public Library cardholders access free digital collections across the entire QPL system:
📚 Services
- Jeanne Elmezzi Adult Learning Center (ESOL, ABE, pre-HSE / TASC prep, citizenship classes, technology training, TASC testing)
- Teen Center with tech lab: 3D printing, iPads, laptops, Adobe Creative Cloud, gaming and coding
- Free public computers and remote printing
- Extended Wi-Fi (~450 ft radius, active 24/7)
- 24/7 materials drop-off
- Wheelchair accessible building
- F train and bus access (Q66, Q69, Q100LTD, Q103)
🎸 Programs
- Chess Club
- Toddler Time and baby storytimes
- Back-to-School Storytime with crafts
- LEGO activities and Monopoly game sessions
- Button-making workshops
- Hispanic Heritage Month programming
- Consumer protection presentations
- Teen peer-to-peer learning, mental health support and college access programs
📍 Nearby Libraries in Queens
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Jeanne Elmezzi, and why is the learning center named after her?
Jeanne Elmezzi (1910–2005) was a philanthropist who grew up as the daughter of Italian immigrants in Astoria, Queens. She and her husband Thomas, a Pepsi-Cola executive vice president, passed away within days of each other in October 2005. Their foundation pledged $6 million — the largest private gift in the history of Queens Public Library — to endow the adult literacy center on the second floor. The center was formally dedicated on June 21, 2008, at the library's one-year anniversary celebration.
What happened to the Queensbridge and Ravenswood branches?
In July 2007, Queens Public Library consolidated the former Queensbridge and Ravenswood branches into the new Long Island City Library at 37-44 21st Street. The single larger facility was designed to serve the full western Queens waterfront community — both the established Queensbridge Houses neighborhood and the rapidly growing Long Island City residential corridor — under one roof with expanded space for adult learning and teen programs.
What can teens do at the Long Island City Teen Center?
The Teen Center, which opened in September 2023 on the model of QPL's acclaimed Far Rockaway Teen Library, gives teens access to a dedicated tech lab with 3D printers, iPads, laptops, Adobe Creative Cloud and gaming systems. Staff run programs covering coding, 3D printing, podcasting, audio/video editing, beat-making and robotics. Teen-focused staff also offer support around college access, career exploration, mental health and community engagement.
Is the Wi-Fi at Long Island City Library available when the branch is closed?
Yes. The branch provides free extended Wi-Fi that reaches approximately 450 feet beyond the building's walls and stays active around the clock — no sign-in required outside of staffed hours. The library also offers 24/7 drop-off for returned materials. The branch is open Tuesday through Friday (closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday).
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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