Queens Public Library teamed up with the New York State Veterans Home, located on Linden Boulevard in St. Albans, and unveiled a newly revitalized one-room library, located on the facility’s ground floor, to create a more welcoming space for residents and their families.
Staff from QPL’s St. Albans branch and outreach team collaborated with the veterans home to refresh the facility’s book collection, restock the shelves and introduce a new checkout system to make borrowing and returning materials easier. The reorganized library now features a fully labeled and organized collection of approximately 1,000 items, including large print books, biographies, Westerns, religious and self-help titles, and more.
QPL marked the milestone by hosting “QPL Day at the Veterans Home” on Nov. 3, celebrating the revitalized space with a library tour, a visit from a QPL Bookmobile and musical performances.
“We are thrilled to partner with the New York State Veterans Home to provide its residents with a welcoming, well-organized library space where they can enjoy books and other materials right where they live,” said QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “Our veterans have given so much in service to our country, and it is an honor to give back by supporting their well-being and lifelong learning. This revitalized library also reflects our ongoing commitment to serving our communities beyond the physical walls of our branches and ensuring that everyone has access to our invaluable resources.”
According to a news release from the library, the initiative builds on QPL’s long-standing relationship with the Veterans Administration, which is located on the same campus on Linden Boulevard. The library has provided resources to the administration for many years, QPL noted, and it recently introduced ongoing library services to the veterans home as part of the revitalization effort.
The news release said the project also reflects QPL’s commitment to expanding access to information and learning opportunities beyond its physical branches, bringing its offerings directly to those who may not be able to visit in person.
Moving forward, QPL will maintain a consistent presence at the facility. According to QPL, a librarian from the St. Albans branch will visit monthly to sign up residents and staff for library cards, assist with library use and materials, and restock and maintain the collection. The library said it will also offer programs tailored to the veteran community.
“We’re honored to renew our partnership with Queens Public Library,” said Reynaldo Torres, administrator of the NYS Veterans Home at St. Albans. “Our veterans deserve rich opportunities to learn, connect, and heal, and QPL’s programs — from author talks and oral-history workshops to digital literacy and family events — help make that possible. This collaboration is about dignity, community, and saying ‘thank you’ in a concrete way.”
