Inhabitat New York City » Libraries

NYU Decks Out Bobst Library With Beautiful Suicide-Prevention Screen

Gem Barton — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:49:45 +0000

Read the rest of NYU Decks Out Bobst Library With Beautiful Suicide-Prevention Screen testing

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Tompkins Square Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:15:55 +0000

Historically, the Tompkins Square Library dates back to 1887, when it opened as the Fifth Street Branch of the Aguilar Free Library. The branch relocated three times before moving to its present site facing Tompkins Square Park. Designed by the famous architects McKim, Mead and White and constructed with funds donated to the City by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the three-story branch has 16-foot ceilings, a spacious children’s room on the second floor, and an art gallery in the basement features shows by local artists). A major renovation of the branch, as part of the Library’s Adopt-A-Branch program, was completed in 1996.

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Terence Cardinal Cooke-Cathedral Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:10:33 +0000

The Terence Cardinal Cooke-Cathedral Branch has had a long and colorful history since its origin as part of the New York Archdiocese’s Cathedral Library Association in 1887. At its current address, below street level at 560 Lexington Avenue, it remains one of the more compact branches of The New York Public Library. Located halfway down the entrance of the number 6 subway at 50th Street, it serves many who work in the neighborhood as well as those who live there.

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Stephen A. Schwarzman Building New York Public Library

Alex Cerda — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:52:35 +0000

Often referred to as the “main branch,” the Beaux-Arts landmark building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street houses outstanding research collections in the humanities and social sciences as well as a circulating children’s collection. The non-circulating graduate-level collections were initially formed from the consolidation of the Astor and Lenox Libraries, and have evolved into one of the world’s preeminent public resources for the study of human thought, action, and experience — from anthropology and archaeology, to religion, sports, world history, and literature.

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St. Agnes Library

Alex Cerda — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:44:39 +0000

Beginning in 1893 as a parish library at St. Agnes Chapel on West 91st Street, the St. Agnes Branch also housed a small collection for the Library for the Blind. The following year, in 1894, the chapel’s pastor, in order to keep pace with a rapidly growing community, expanded the library to neighborhood status. St. Agnes Free Library was chartered by the University of the State of New York and moved several times before its consolidation with The New York Public Library in 1901. In 1906, the St. Agnes Branch opened its doors in its present home on Amsterdam Avenue.

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New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Alex Cerda — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:28:00 +0000

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses one of the worlds most extensive combination of circulating, reference, and rare archival collections in its field. These materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, and performances. An essential resource for everyone with an interest in the arts–whether professional or amateur–the Library is known particularly for its prodigious collections of non-book materials such as historic recordings, videotapes, autograph manuscripts, correspondence, sheet music, stage designs, press clippings, programs, posters and photographs.

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Riverside Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:27:37 +0000

In 1897, the Riverside Association gave its small collection of books to the New York Free Circulating Library. Just four years later, Riverside became a branch of The New York Public Library and, in 1905, moved in at 190 Amsterdam Avenue, a building constructed with funds from Andrew Carnegie. The branch remained there for nearly 87 years, the last 23 in a modern building that replaced the old one at the same site. In September 1992, the Riverside Branch re-opened in a new building at 127 Amsterdam Avenue. The main floor features extensive collections for adults and teenagers. The Children’s Room on the second floor combines materials from the Riverside Branch with the specialized children’s collections formerly housed at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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Mid-Manhattan Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:15:39 +0000

Established in 1970, the Mid-Manhattan Library houses the largest circulating collections of The New York Public Library. The materials are geared to meet the needs of adult users and students and include books, DVDs, CDs, popular magazines and newspapers, and a broad selection of online databases. There is an extensive selection of popular reading, new books, movies, music and a large collection of older and classic fiction. The nonfiction collections, shelved in open stacks, cover a full range of subjects including applied art and art history, consumer health, cookbooks, education, history, language, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, travel and more. Also included is a large selection of books and DVDs in world languages. The Picture Collection offers circulating and reference images on paper and online.

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Kips Bay Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:32:23 +0000

The Kips Bay Branch of The New York Public Library opened in 1972, replacing two former libraries: St. Gabriel’s and Nathan Straus. Designed by the award-winning architect, Giorgio Cavaglieri, it was one of the first branches to be built fully accessible to people who use wheelchairs. The branch has a large children’s section, with space dedicated for computers, story time, and even a children-only restroom.

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Jefferson Market Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:00:45 +0000

Originally a courthouse, the Jefferson Market Library has served the Greenwich Village community for over forty years. The building, a New York City landmark, was designed by architects Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux (who also assisted in the design of Central Park) in a Victorian Gothic style. Since its opening in 1967, The Jefferson Market Regional Library has been collecting interesting, and sometimes rare, books on the history of New York City – and particularly Greenwich Village. Totaling more than 150 books,the special collection can be found downstairs in the library’s Reference Room.

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Columbus Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:48:52 +0000

The Columbus Branch of The New York Public Library has been a center for education in the multi-ethnic, working-class neighborhood of Clinton since the branch opened in 1909. The Columbus branch underwent an extensive renovation from 2004-2005, which completely rehabilitated and modernized the elegant Renaissance Revival, Indiana limestone building. From the 1970s until its closure in 2004, the library operated on only one floor. The renovation keeps many of the building’s historic elements, including the original iron-railed staircase and the oak-paneled entrance vestibule. The major changes include: complete redesign and reconfiguration of the interior public service areas, restoration of the second floor as a dedicated children’s reading room, including a separate story hour room, and a new elevator serving all floors.

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96th Street Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:44:08 +0000

One of the 65 libraries built with funds donated to New York City by Andrew Carnegie, the 96th Street library was designed by the noted architectural firm of Babb, Cook and Willard. Both beautiful and functional, the interior is distinguished by tall arched windows, lofty ceilings, wide staircases, and dark oak bookshelves. A renovation in 1991 considerably expanded the space available to the public and modernized the building, while retaining its original architectural beauty. The branch contains an adult reading room, a children’s room with a separate space for story hours, an expanded reference center, a conference room, and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 50. Among the many programs and events offered for adults, children, and teens are monthly art exhibits.

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58th Street Library

Alex Cerda — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:32:00 +0000

The 58th Street Branch of The New York Public Library opened on May 10, 1907. Once housed in a Carnegie building it now occupies part of two floors of an office tower. The Library has been open at its present site since 1969. This is a full-service adult branch with a small children’s and teen’s collection.

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67th Street Library

Alex Cerda — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:52:24 +0000

The 67th Street Branch was one of the Carnegie branches built with funds donated to the City of New York by Andrew Carnegie. The branch was designed by Babb, Cook & Willard, one of three architectural firms selected to design the Library’s Carnegie branches. It was built, in agreement with the previous owner’s wishes, to resemble the Yorkville Branch.

The 67th Street Branch reopened after a renovation in 2005, its first since the 1950s, that refurbished the Library’s architecture and modernized its access and services. The original staircase with decorative iron railing has been restored, along with numerous other architectural details, including mosaic tile floors. The library’s 14,000-square foot interior has also been reconfigured, providing additional computer space, a redesigned children’s floor, a community room, and new restrooms. Reference and general collections for adults and teenagers are on the first floor, and the children’s collection is on the second floor. A community room and technology training classroom are located on the third floor.

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Muhlenberg Library

Alex Cerda — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:04:19 +0000

Designed by the famed architects Carrere and Hastings, the Muhlenberg Library has served the Chelsea area for nearly a century. The branch – an elegant three-story brick and limestone structure built funds given to the city by Andrew Carnegie – is named for William Augustus Muhlenberg, the first rector of Chelsea’s Church of the Holy Communion. As rector, he donated many books to the Free Circulating Library, which later became part of The New York Public Library.

In 2000, the branch was renovated through the Library’s Adopt-A-Branch program; care was taken to preserve the historic character of the building. The refurbished branch has an adult and young adult area on the main floor; a children’s room with a story hour space on the second floor; and, on the third floor, a community room for public programs and meetings.

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Ottendorfer Library

Alex Cerda — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:46:45 +0000

Located in the East Village, the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library opened in 1884 as New York City’s first free public library. More information from the library website:

Designed by German-born architect William Schickel, this landmark building combines Queen Anne and neo-Italian Renaissance styles with an exterior ornamented by innovative terracotta putti. The Branch was a gift of Oswald Ottendorfer, owner of the New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung. Half of the 8,000 original books were in German with the other half in English. In the same tradition, the branch continues to reflect its community and remains a vital educational and cultural resource for the East Village today.

The building, which is a designated New York City landmark, has been completely renovated through the Library’s Adopt-A-Branch program, through which private donors join public funders to restore branch libraries. While the original Ottendorfer Branch was designed as a bilingual library to serve the German community, the restored library can now better serve its multilingual community and provide an increased level of accessibility to all people. Highlights include restored, repointed, and cleaned façade, new elevator, new air-conditioning system, five new computer workstations, and new children’s floor with story hour room.

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Epiphany Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:33:05 +0000

The Epiphany Branch of The New York Public Library, once part of the Cathedral Library Association founded by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, has served the Gramercy Park-Stuyvesant Town area since 1887.

The current Epiphany Branch building, an elegant Carnegie Library, opened on September 29, 1907. It was a major neighborhood cultural and educational source until 1982, when it was closed for nearly two years for an extensive expansion and renovation; the restored library opened on July 16, 1984. Today, the handsome three-story building, fully accessible to persons who use wheelchairs, houses adult, young adult, and children’s collections. A modern auditorium, available for community group meetings and library programs, is located on the third floor. In 2007, the children’s room was completely renovated to increase shelving, add additional computers, and create a read-aloud area.

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Grand Central Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:53:24 +0000

The Grand Central Branch of the New York Public Library is conveniently situated for commuters and area workers as well as families living to the east. Boasting 45 computers, 32 of which are laptops, there are outlets and data ports located at the bar-height seating looking out on 46th street. This location hosts daily events for kids, teens, and adults.

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Hudson Park Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:04:34 +0000

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the West Village, the Hudson Park Branch of The New York Public Library has served the community since 1906. The poet Marianne Moore worked in the library as an assistant from 1921 to 1925, meeting the literary needs of Village residents and opening the world of books to thousands of neighborhood children. Today the library reaches out to children through a variety of fun and educational programs, like book discussions, story time, and hands-on science experiments.

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Mulberry Street Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:50:26 +0000

The entrance to the Mulberry Street Branch of the NYPL is located at ground level, and two other floors are located below ground. A wide, prominent staircase connects the spaces and lets natural light flow into the lower levels. The library is located in an old chocolate factory, and new features were designed with respect to the building’s infrastructure, history, and context. New materials of wood and metal provide a dynamic contrast to the existing fabric of brick, cast iron, and heavy timber beams. An entire floor is dedicated to the children’s collection and hosting children programs, which include popular child author talks, fun activities for kids to learn about city critters, and a variety of different theme story times.

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Hamilton Fish Park Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:37:08 +0000

In addition to its comprehensive book collection, the Hamilton Fish Park Library offers an auditorium that seats 75, available for community use, and a gallery space houses rotating art exhibits that are open to public proposals. The library’s children’s room hosts daily and weekly events including scavenger hunts, story time for toddlers and elementary ages, and video gaming afternoons for teens.

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Seward Park Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:01:30 +0000

The Seward Park Library houses adult, reference, young adult, media, and world language collections, as well as a literacy center and children’s room. They host an array of daily programs for children and teens, including arts and crafts for all ages, and elementary-age reading circle, and composting workshops for teens. In its early days, the Seward Park Branch served an immigrant Jewish population. Today, the community is home to a diverse community of Jews, Hispanics, African Americans, and an ever-increasing Asian population.

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Chatham Square Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:51:20 +0000

From its earliest days, the Chatham Square branch of the New York Public Library has always been an integral part of the Chinese neighborhood it serves. Today, it acts as a cultural and civic center for a community of avid readers and is one of the busiest libraries in New York City. The library’s building was design by the New York architectural firm McKim, Mead and White, and it underwent an extensive renovation in 2001. Floor to ceiling windows provide ample natural light, and the original historic wood and stone details were restored. The entire second floor and part of the third floor are dedicated to the children’s collection and child play areas. Your tots will be excited about reading and feel right at home in the bright, cheerful pint-sized setting.

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Battery Park City Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:31:11 +0000

The Battery Park City Branch is New York Public Library’s first LEED certified branch in Manhattan.The bright 10,000 square-foot, two-story branch houses a collection of over 23,000 items, separate reading areas for children, young adults, and adults, and offers access to 36 public computers and a wide range of services for the community. They host weekly and daily programs for kids of all ages, from story hour for babies to picture book time for toddlers to video gaming afternoons for young teens.

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New Amsterdam Library

Alex Cerda — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:03:26 +0000

This branch of the New York Public Library is housed on the ground floor of an office building, one block west of City Hall. Although small in size, the library bustles with activity and people all day long. They offer an abundance of daily children’s programs, including crafts, story time, and movies.

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