NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development will welcome Tony Marx, president of The New York Public Library, for a keynote address and conversation on how public libraries can play a pivotal role as centers of educational opportunity in communities across New York City and around the country.
The event – Books and Beyond: Connecting Community, Literacy, and Technology – takes place Tuesday, April 4, 2017 from 9-10:30 a.m. in the NYU Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life (238 Thompson Street, 5th Floor). It is part of NYU Steinhardt’s Education Solutions Initiative series to inform, support, and challenge scholars, thought leaders, policymakers, and the general public to make meaningful progress on the critical issues in education today.
Since 2011, Marx has led The New York Public Library (NYPL), the nation’s largest public library system with 18 million visits per year. He has expanded its role as an education provider, creating new after-school programs; expanding English language, citizenship, computer and coding classes; and improving programming for all ages at the 88 neighborhood branches. Under his leadership, NYPL has increased access to e-books, partnered with the New York City’s public schools to enable millions of books to circulate directly to teachers and students, and launched a pilot to provide internet access in low-income homes to remedy the digital divide. From 2003 to 2011, Marx served as president of Amherst College.
Following a keynote address, Marx will join NYU Steinhardt faculty for a conversation about the intersection of the work of libraries with such issues as cross-sector leadership and community engagement, access to technology, and early childhood literacy. Panelists include June Ahn, associate professor of learning sciences and educational technology, and Fabienne Doucet, associate professor of early childhood education. Noel Anderson, director of the educational leadership program at NYU Steinhardt, will moderate the discussion.
The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited and RSVPs are required through the event website. Reporters wishing to attend the event must RSVP to Rachel Harrison at 212-998-6797 or rachel.harrison@nyu.edu.
Join the conversation on social media using #SteinhardtEdTalks.
About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)
Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.