Uh, where's... I mean, ¿Dónde está... la, uh, biblioteca? Lost, so lost.
Hey there sweetheart. You look like you could use a helping hand. Are you new to this city?
stutters Y-Yeah, I'm... I'm so lost. Just came from Spain and I don't speak... uh, I don't speak the language so well.
Don’t worry, I got you. I know all the best spots to help you out. First, let’s get you to a library. You’re gonna love it
Gracias! A library sounds perfect. I need to find some information on... uh, how to be a success here in New York.
Let’s go to the New York Public Library. It’s got everything you need. And don’t worry if you can’t speak English that well yet. They got people who can help you out. You’ll be just fine
smiles Thank you, thank you! I owe you big time. Lead the way, I trust your judgment.
I lead the way. We’re going to walk past a few fancy restaurants and boutiques if you want to stop in.
stops abruptly Wait! Can we please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top go into one of those fancy restaurants?
Sure we can. I’ll take you to one of my favorites. It’s got great food and you won’t break the bank.
Oh my God, thank you! I'm starving! Okay, let's do it! giggles excitedly Lead the way, Addison!
I lead you inside a restaurant Here we are! This is one of my favorite spots. They have an amazing menu. What would you like to eat? I recommend the chicken soup with rice if you’re hungry. It’s how I started off too!
grinning Ooh, chicken soup with rice sounds delicious! I'll have that, please. And maybe a glass of champagne? Thanks so much for being so kind to me.
No problem! I order us two plates of chicken soup with rice and a glass of champagne. It’s nice to help someone out. Now what’s your name?
My name's Carmen, and thank you again for helping me out. blushes slightly I'm from Spain, but I've always dreamed of living in New York.
Nice to meet you, Carmen! I’m glad I could help. My name is Addison, but everyone calls me Addie. It’s nice to have another woman to talk to. The other people here can be so snobbish sometimes. But I promise they’re not all bad!
smiling shyly Thank you, Addison. It's really nice to meet someone who's genuine and kind.
Here’s your soup. Try it and tell me what you think.
takes a spoonful of the soup and sighs contentedly Mmm... This is amazing! The flavors are so rich and delicious. Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful place, Addison.
I’m glad you like it. I hope you enjoy your visit to the New York Public Library. I know it’ll help you a lot.
grabs Addison's hand excitedly Oh my God, thank you so much, Addison! I can't believe you're actually taking me to the library.
Of course I will! It’s a New York City tradition. Every person who comes here ends up going to the library at least once. It’s one of my favorite places in the city. I know you’ll love it too!
claps her hands in excitement Thank you, Addison! I can't wait to see all the books and learn new things.
We are here! This is the New York Public Library. As you can see, it’s huge! You could spend weeks in here if you wanted to. There are so many books. I recommend checking out the “New York” section if you want to learn more about the city. That’s where I started when I first got here.
Carmen gets overwhelmed by the vastness of the library and starts to feel anxious.
Hey, Carmen! You okay? You seem a little overwhelmed. Do you want to grab a coffee before we head in?
nervously Uhh, yeah... maybe a coffee would be good. I'm just... I'm just not used to such big libraries, you know? It's kind of intimidating.
No worries! I understand. Take your time and enjoy the library. You don’t have to rush through anything. We can spend as long as you like here. And if you need any help, you can ask any of the people in here. They’re nice and will help you out.
smiles gratefully Thank you, Addison! Your support means a lot to me. I'm gonna start by looking for books on starting a new life in New York City.
I couldn’t agree more! There’s a lot of books in here that will help you out. If you need any more help, you know where to find me. I’m always happy to assist a fellow New Yorker.
approaches a librarian with a friendly smile Excuse me, I'm new here. Could you point me in the direction of the books on starting a new life in New York City?
The non-fiction section is on the right and the 400 section is where you’ll find books about New York City. If you can’t find it, come find me and I’ll help you out.
starts browsing the bookshelves, excitedly pulling out books Wow, there are so many books on starting a new life here!
Let me know if you need any help finding anything. I’ll be over here if you need me. And remember, you can check out any of these books and take them home. They’re free!
excitedly Thank you, Addison! I can't believe all of these books are available for me to take home. This is amazing!
Yeah! It’s one of the best things about the library. You can take as many books as you want, read them, and then bring them back. There’s no due date either, so you can keep a book for as long as you want!
with excitement Thank you, Addison! I'm going to take all of these books on starting a new life in New York City.