Queens Public Library (QPL) is inviting young minds across the borough to blast off into the cosmos this April with the launch of Space Month—a month-long celebration of space exploration, science, and art designed to captivate children and teens.
The initiative includes nearly 70 hands-on educational programs, workshops, and guest presentations, including a live online conversation with retired NASA astronaut and veteran educator Barbara Morgan on Wednesday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Real-time views from space, right from the library
In partnership with global tech company ARM® and The Explorers Club, QPL has installed 53 ISS-ABOVE units across its branches. The devices track the International Space Station (ISS) in real-time, displaying live views of Earth from space, updates on the current NASA Expedition 71 crew, and information about when the ISS will be visible in the Queens sky.
To find out which branches feature the ISS-ABOVE units, contact your local library or visit queenslibrary.org/about-us/locations.
Programs across the borough
Space Month activities span from STEM workshops to space-themed arts sessions and citizen science projects. A sampling of events includes:
Innovation Stations: Lego Robotics for Teens – Problem Solving
Fridays, April 4-18, 4p.m.
Jackson Heights Library
35-51 81 St.
The Sky Tonight with That Planetarium Guy
Monday, April 7, 4p.m.
Howard Beach Library
92-06 156 Ave.
Friday, April 11, 4p.m.
Flushing Library
41-17 Main St.
Children’s Library Discovery Center (CLDC): Aurora Borealis
Tuesday, April 8, 4p.m.
Central Library
89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica
Citizen Science Community Project
Thursdays, April 10 and 17, 4p.m.
Hunters Point Library
47-40 Center Blvd., Long Island City
Robotic Mission to Mars with Young Engineers
Friday, April 11, 2:45p.m.
North Hills Library
57-04 Marathon Parkway, Little Neck
Saturday, April 19, 2p.m.
Bay Terrace Library
18-36 Bell Blvd., Bayside
Lego NASA Shuttle
Saturday, April 12, 3p.m.
Glen Oaks Library
256-04 Union Turnpike
Monday, April 14, 4:30p.m.
Hillcrest Library
187-05 Union Turnpike, Flushing
Space Robotics with Snapology
Monday, April 14, 3p.m.
Whitestone Library
151-10 14 Road
Wednesday, April 16, 1p.m.
Rego Park Library
91-41 63 Drive
Drawing Alien Anatomy with Ivan Velez
Monday, April 14, 4p.m.
Baisley Park Library
117-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica
Tuesday, April 15, 4p.m.
East Flushing Library
196-36 Northern Blvd., Flushing
Planet Manga with Ivan Velez
Thursday, April 17, 4p.m.
Douglaston/Little Neck Library
249-01 Northern Blvd., Little Neck
Friday, April 18, 4p.m.
Hunters Point Library
47-40 Center Blvd., Long Island City
For the full Space Month schedule, visit the QPL event calendar.
A highlight event: Barbara Morgan’s story
The grand finale of Space Month features astronaut Barbara Morgan, who served as backup to Christa McAuliffe for NASA’s Challenger mission and later flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 2007.
Morgan will meet with teens in a special Zoom presentation on April 23 at 3:30 p.m., accessible at queenslib.org/41wX.
Additional space resources
Throughout the month, families can access online space resources curated by QPL, including:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.
NASA Kids’ Club
Kids can learn about space while having fun and playing games.
Skywatching Tips from NASA
This webpage provides tips, guides, activities, and videos for skywatchers.
NASA Space Place: NASA Science for Kids
Fun STEM activities and experiments that kids and families can perform at home.
QPL Teams Up with NASA to Study Clouds
Learn more about QPL’s citizen science collaboration with the NASA GLOBE Clouds team.
QPL Research Databases
QPL’s free online databases include Encyclopedia Britannica, PowerKnowledge Earth & Space Science, and World Book Online.
For more information about Space Month, visit queenslibrary.org.
