The New York Public Library Honors Immigrant Heritage Week with Third Annual World Literature Festival Beginning April 17

April 17, 2023—The New York Public Library, in honor of Immigrant Heritage Week (April 17–23), will kick off its third annual World Literature Festival on Monday, April 17. NYPL's World Literature Festival offers a wide-ranging package of free author talks and events for all ages, book recommendations, bilingual storytimes, poetry workshops, and more that shine a spotlight on the many languages spoken in New York City and the wide range of ways in which the Library caters to our diverse communities. Festivities begin on April 17 and continue throughout the month.     

Central to the festival are the Library’s World Languages collections, which include books, e-books, audiobooks, and more that are available in over 20 languages at NYPL's 92 locations in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Patrons interested in reading stories from around the world can find book recommendations in selected languages curated by NYPL’s expert librarians and posted throughout the month at nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival. Books are available to download using the Library’s e-reader app, SimplyE, or available for checkout at local branches.

Below is a sampling of the World Literature Festival's free programming. For a full list of events, head to www.nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival.

In Conversation, a selection of programs with authors writing in some of the many languages of New York City, will also be presented in the writer’s preferred language. Conversations include: 

• On April 19, 11–12 PM, join the Huguenot Library in Staten Island for a special conversation in Italian (Italiano) between writer, teacher, and author Marianna Randazzo and Beatrice Alecci from the Italian Cultural Foundation-Casa Belvedere. The proud daughter of Sicilian immigrants, Randazzo will talk about how her Italian and Italian-American heritage inspires her writing. Learn more about her process for writing fiction and nonfiction, as well as her connections to Staten Island. This is a hybrid event with options to join either in person or online.  
• On April 24, 2–3 PM, join the Library as we welcome writer and multi-award-winning author Dolores Reyes for a special conversation in Spanish. Learn about her writing process for both short stories and novels, influences from her education and upbringing in Argentina, her internationally acclaimed novel, Cometierra (Eartheater), and her upcoming book Miseria (Misery). This is an online only event.  
• On April 26, 6:30–7:30 PM, join the Jefferson Market Library in Manhattan as we welcome internationally acclaimed author Marc Levy and moderator JC Avid for a special conversation in French. As one of the world’s most widely read French authors, Levy will discuss his writing process, his inspirations, and the adaptations of his books for TV and film. This is a hybrid event with options to join either in person or online.  
• On April 28, 6–7 PM, join the 53rd Street Library in Manhattan as we welcome author, editor, and lecturer (프란시스 차) Frances Cha for a special bilingual conversation in Korean. She will discuss her award-winning novels, including If I Had Your Face, set in contemporary South Korea and named one of the Best Books of the Year by Time, NPR, and the BBC. Learn more about Cha’s creative process, her influences and inspirations, and her travel and culture writing. This is a hybrid event with options to join either in person or online.  
• On April 29, 2–3 PM, join the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan as we welcome author, actor, dancer, choreographer, and director 江青(Chiang Ching) for a special conversation in Mandarin. Chiang will talk about the creative process behind her nine books and writing for the stage and screen, as well as her multifaceted career across the international arts and cultural sector. This is a hybrid event with options to join either in person or online.   

LIVE from NYPL, the Library’s premier cultural series, brings together acclaimed writers, scholars, and artists for conversations. Its World Literature Festival programs include: 

• Geoff Dyer and Chloé Cooper Jones: Transatlantic Conversations on April 20, 1–2 PM. Dyer and Jones will discuss sporting matches and everyday battles; failures and triumph; what it means and what it takes to live life to the fullest, and when and how to bow. A livestream of this event will be available on the NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel.
• World Literature Festival Edition of Rooftop Happy Hour with Words Without Borders on April 28, 5:30–7:30 PM. LIVE from NYPL's popular happy hour series returns this month to close out our World Literature Festival. Join us on the rooftop terrace of our renovated Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) in Manhattan for drinks, mingling, crafts, and a series of short curated readings from Carmen Boullosa, Valzhyna Mort, and Jaroslav Kalfař. Presented in partnership with Words Without Borders.

NYPL's KidsLIVE programs introduce favorite authors, illustrators, and more to our youngest audiences. As part of the World Literature Festival, upcoming KidsLIVE programs include:

• Author Talk with Jyoti Rajan Gopal on April 25, 3:30–4:30 PM. This event, which will take place in person at Riverdale Library in the Bronx and will be livestreamed via Zoom, is a special author talk with Jyoti Gopal, author of American Desi, including a Q&A and an activity where kids will be invited to create their own Hindi name plates.
• Author Talk with Mari Lowe on April 26, 3:30–4:30 PM. During this event, which will take place in person at Andrew Heiskell Library in Manhattan and will be livestreamed via Zoom, authorMari Lowe will discuss her book Aviva vs. the Dybbuk, named one of NYPL's Best New Books for Kids, take questions from the audience, and invite kids to participate in an activity relating to the book. 
• KidsLIVE! Livestream with Ruth Behar! on April 27, 3:30–4:30 PM. This bilingual author talk (English and Spanish) with Ruth Behar will focus on her book Tía Fortuna’s New Home and include a Q&A and an activity making keys to remind us of home. Participants can join this program via Zoom.         

Other events and programs include two programs from the Library's Center for Educators & Schools: Ji-ji-ji/Ha-ha-ha: Jokes and Humor in the Bilingual Classroom and Teaching with Jewish Historical Archives: Yiddish New York in the 1900’s. 

For more information about the events and activities at the Library’s World Literature Festival, visit www.nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival.

About The New York Public Library
For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With over 90 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.