Happy Pride Month!
Pride Month is an amazing time of the year to celebrate the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community, and to uplift queer voices. Representation and visibility can save lives, and I have a deep appreciation for the work that YA authors in particular have done to give voice to the experiences of queer teenagers. You're not alone, you are so very loved, and the public library will always be here to support you. In addition to many amazing programs throughout the month at many of our branches, we have some beautifully curated booklists for teen readers available on our website. Below are…
Celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility
Today, March 31st, we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility! This is a fantastic day to check out a book written by a trans author, and to honor the accomplishments and resilience of the trans community. All of the below books are newer 2025-2026 publications, both fiction and nonfiction, all excellent for teen readers!Fiction:One of the boys by Victoria Zeller. "A heartfelt, funny, and inspiring story about self-discovery, breaking stereotypes, and the power of solidarity, all wrapped up in an unforgettable season of high school football." Worst-case scenario by Ray Stoeve.…
International Jobs & Remote Work
Working overseas can be a great way to see the world, learn new languages and skills, and meet new people. It might be because you’re looking for a change of pace, a spouse or family member is taking a role outside of the US, or because you’re looking for a country with a culture that feels safe and welcoming. Whatever the reason, it can be tricky to figure out where to start. But don’t despair! The library has some great resources to help you get ready and there are helpful websites out there as well.More than 50 countries around the world offer a digital nomad visa, a way for Americans who…
2025 Trans Day of Visibility Books for Teens
Dear Bookworms,Happy Trans Day of Visibility, want to celebrate with a book? We have 5 really wonderful options (truthfully we have way more and choosing just 5 was tough) for your reading pleasure!The Borrow a Boyfriend Club Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that's what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender. His plan? Join the school's illustrious (and secret) Borrow a Boyfriend Club, whose members rent themselves out for dates. Once he's accepted among the bros, the "slip-ups" end. But Noah's interview is a flop. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club's…
Ten LGBTQIA+ Reads with BIPOC Main Characters
All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan: Sixteen-year-old queer Indian American, Maya, who falls for her white, wealthy, and complicated female classmate, Juneau, is asked to join a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school. Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans: Bianca, an anxious, introverted nonbinary teen birder somehow finds themself investigating a murder with their neighbor/fellow anime lover, all while falling for a cute girl from their birding group...and trying not to get killed next. Chasing Pacquiao…
October is LGBTQ+ History Month
First celebrated in the United States in 1994, LGBTQ+ History Month is a month-long celebration in October of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history. It also honors the ongoing history of queer and trans rights. Below are ten books that celebrate the lives of both real (and fictional) LGBTQ+ people of the past. A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar: Josefa is an unapologetic and charismatic thief, who loves the thrill of the chase. She has her eye on her biggest mark yet—the RMS Titanic, the most luxurious ship in the world. But she isn’t interested in…
20 Books By Your Favorite Podcast Hosts
Yesterday, I was trying to convince a friend that we had to see a movie because “a lot of people had told me it was really great,” but, when pressed, I admitted “people” was just the host of a podcast I had recently listened to. In fact, I frequently find myself making this confession or prefacing an anecdote, fun fact, or recommendation with, “So I heard on this podcast...” More often than not, I’m talking about BPL’s flagship podcast Borrowed. Podcasts are one of my favorite sources of information because they, like books, are educational and accessible, and foster a…
Teen Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
L.H.
When I stumbled upon the book Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, written by Benjamin Alire Saenz, I immediately felt seen as a person. Not only was it my first piece of queer literature, it served as a love letter for Mexican-American queer adolescents– a revolutionary concept to me at the time. The book follows two Mexican-American teenagers exploring facets of their identity when grappling with cultural norms, social conformity, and hidden family secrets, in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. Aristotle and Dante meet in a public pool, where Dante teaches Ari…
Sexplanations for You!
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
There is so much information about sex, but there aren’t many clear answers. Is gender and virginity really a social construct? Does sexuality exist on a spectrum? Am I normal? Jokes about kinks or accusations of grooming and sexualization are all over social media, and most of these comments are by folks who neither have the experience nor the knowledge of what those terms mean. The LGBTQIA+acronym seems to grow longer by the day while people are declaring themselves ethically non-monogamous and polyamorous before they’ve even had their first kiss. How does one cut through the…
Support and Community for LGBTQ, Jewish and BIPOC Teens
Rakisha, Branch Manager/Kings Bay
The mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs is a further reminder of the how scary and isolating the world can be for LGBTQ+teens. To add to the trauma, people around the country are also banning books that affirm the existence of the LGBTQ+community. Recent antisemitic comments by celebrities highlights an overall rise in antisemitism in the United States that have many Jewish people fearing for their safety. We have learned over the past two years the importance of standing up and supporting those in marginalized communities who are experiencing primary or second-hand trauma because of…
LGBTQ+ History Resources at the Center for Brooklyn History
Books with a Hook: For Mateys Who Love Our Flag Means Death
How did we luck into such deeply funny, sweet and dramatic queer-pirating adventure as Our Flag Means Death (OFMD)? Pirate movies and shows are known, by and large, for being neither sweet nor queer (not a lot of matey¹-cuddling in Black Sails, alas). And yet, for all of the de rigueur tropes–leather-clad pirates, pitched battles, swordfights, swashbuckling, treasure-hunting–OFMD sails past the commonplace gritty sea tale and glides into a rainbow sunset of love and friendship, where men have a chance at gentleness and women are people too. The show follows…
Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2022!
Happy Trans Day of Visiblity! Today is especially important in light of all the anti-trans legislation being passed in states across the nation. While there is much darkness and pain, there is also light, and joy and hope. I highly recommend checking out this short but powerful piece on Teen Vogue. It was put together by teens like you! As a transgender person, what brings me joy is seeing other trans youth and trans adults flourish, and being happy in their day-to-day life. It also beings me joy seeing parents supporting their transgender kids in all aspects of life…
Happy Ace Awareness Week! (10/24-10/30)
It's Ace Awareness Week everyone! Formerly known as Asexual Awareness Week (since 2010), this special occasion is being celebrated from October 24th - 30th this year. "An asexual person does not experience sexual attraction or an intrinsic desire to have sexual relationships." Asexuality is also a spectrum and there are many ways to identify as a part of the ace-spec community. Below are ten novels that center ace-spec characters: Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria: In the city of Eldra, people are ruled by ancient prophecies. For centuries, the high council has stayed in…
POTW: Brooklyn's Lost Saltwater Oasis
Interview with Author Micah Nemerever
When I was a lonely teenager the local library was a sanctuary for me—there was one librarian in particular who linked me with public creative writing programs and offered to read stories I’d written...now that I’ve worked in libraries and know how busy librarians are, I’m especially grateful that she took the time to read my writing—it was above and beyond. I was thrilled by Micah Nemerever’s debut novel These Violent Delights and am so pleased to introduce him to Off the Shelf readers! This fresh thriller is hailed as The Secret History (Donna Tartt) meets Call Me by Your Name (Andre…
5 Winter Holiday Books to Cozy Up with this Season
Romance, Cookbooks, and More! December is chock full of holidays like Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, and Kwanzaa. Although 2020 has been A LOT and the holidays are looking a lot different than we’re used to, these cozy romances and fun nonfiction titles are ideal for making you smile as you sip a nice nog or chocolatey cocoa. Dolly Dingle, Lesbian Landlady by Monica Nolan is a light and saucy homage to classic mid-century pulp novels. Dorian (aka Dolly) lives at the Magdalena Arms, a building full of swell Sapphic gals of all ages. When her landlady’s hip hits the floor with a bang, it…
You've Been Accepted: Queer and Trans-Inclusive Magic Schools
I have a complicated relationship with Harry Potter. I read the first three books back-to-back-to-back at the very beginning of the Harry Potter craze, then proceeded to fall in love with Harry, Hermione, and Ron over the next decade. As I was about to enter my senior year of high school, Harry was battling Voldemort for the last time. I quite literally grew up with Harry. Harry Potter taught me that girls could be smart and capable (even more so than the boys), that friendship and love and determination can defeat evil, and that evil isn’t always obvious (remember Dolores Umbridge?) and to…