Books by Mail

Books by Mail Service Hotline 212-621-0564 or TTY 212-621-0553

The New York Public Library's Books by Mail Service provides books and other library materials to homebound people of all ages who live in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.

The Brooklyn Public Library has a Books by Mail program for people living in Brooklyn and the number is 718-236-1760. If you live in Queens, you may contact the Queens Public Library's Mail-A-Book Service at 718-776-6800. Many other public libraries, across the country, provide similar services for the homebound people in their communities.

Books by Mail is only for individuals who are unable to leave home because of a temporary or permanent disability. An application is required and must be signed by a physician, nurse or social worker who can verify that you are disabled and unable to leave home. Please print out the application (links below) or call the number above to have an application mailed to you.

The application asks about your reading interests. The sections labeled "interest level," "format preferences," "reading preferences" and "language preferences," must be filled out. If you check "please select books for me," then you should indicate your areas of interest under fiction and/or non-fiction. All of the questions are about the kind of materials you want the library to provide.

If you check "please do not select books for me," then we will only send books you have specifically requested. Once we have registered you, you can do this by filling out and returning the yellow reserve cards, which we send to Books by Mail patrons, or by calling our 24-hour hotline and leaving a message.

If you indicate that you want items selected for you, then approximately once a month, we will send several items from the subject areas you have indicated. In addition, you may request specific books at any time by using the yellow reserve cards or calling the 24-hour hotline and leaving a message.

Once you are registered for the Books by Mail service, materials are sent in a reusable envelope by book rate through the United States Postal Service. The packages are delivered to your home and can be returned in the same envelope by depositing them in a mail box or by having the letter carrier pick them up. The address card in the front envelope should be reversed so that our address and the return postage are showing.

Application in English (pdf for printing)

Application in Spanish (pdf for printing)