Ask a Librarian

Ask a Librarian

Ask a Librarian at TCPL is available for ready-reference questions. We can provide brief answers to questions or suggest further sources to answer your question. For genealogical research questions, please visit our research services page. As with all reference questions, email and online reference questions will remain confidential.

The Information and Learning Services Reference Desk is staffed all the hours the library is open. You may call the Reference Desk during library hours at (607) 272-4556.

Submit your question using the following form:

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Upcoming Events

Fables and Tales

9:30am - 4:30pm
Registration
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: BorgWarner Full
Age Group: Teens
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Writing, Classes and Workshops
Registration Required
Waitlist Seats Remaining: 4
About this event::
Join us for a one week writing camp focused on fantasy and science fiction! Each day will feature a different guest teacher who specializes in an aspect of speculative writing and storytelling. Perfect for budding novelists, comic artists, screenwrit...

Open Heart Kids Yoga

10:00am - 10:45am
Registration
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room
Age Group: Families, Kids
Program Type: Classes and Workshops, Other
Registration Required
Waitlist Seats Remaining: 0
About this event::
Join us for a weekly yoga program! This six week series is best suited for children ages 3 - 9, but younger siblings are welcome! Registration is required. This program is made possible by a grant from the Bernard Carl and Shirley Rosen Library fu...

Makerspace OPEN HOURS

12:00pm - 4:00pm
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Makerspace
Age Group: Adults, Teens
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, STEAM, Makerspace
About this event::
Join us in the Makerspace for self-led open hours! Bring your project, or make something with our available tools and materials. Share ideas with other makers, learn from volunteers and members of the community, and tinker to your heart's content!...

One-on-One Tech Help

3:00pm - 4:00pm
Registration
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Information & Learning Services Department
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: One-on-One Appointments, Technology Class
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 0
About this event::
Book a librarian for help with digital downloads or computer basics. ...

Tutoring

3:00pm - 7:00pm
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Schwarz Jacobson Meeting Room

Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop: What If?

5:30pm - 7:30pm
Registration
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Tompkins Trust Company Study Room
Age Group: Adults, Teens
Program Type: Writing
Registration Required
Waitlist Seats Remaining: 0
About this event::
Writing fiction is an exercise in following imagined situations peopled with imagined characters to a climax that makes sense in the world the writer has created. It is like the “if…then” statements of a logic test, the only difference being that the...