Category: Library

Yul Kaseman Fun Facts About Different NYPL Libraries

Fun Facts About the Different NYPL Libraries

I think many know I love libraries.  I love the look of them, the atmosphere, and just the endless possibilities I always feel when I walk in.  I thought it was interesting to find out a few possibly unknown facts about just a few of the New York Libraries.

The Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library was designed by McKim, Mead & White and has been an important part of the Harlem community since 1908. It was renamed in 2017 after Harry Belafonte, the famous entertainer and civil rights leader who was born in Harlem. The 115th Street library is a national and city landmark with an elegant façade and wooden display cases on the first floor. Along with its historic appeal, this library has been updated with public computers and Wi-Fi. It also contains a children’s room and an area for after-school programs.

The 125th Street New York Public Library opened in 1901, thanks to a donation from Andrew Carnegie. It was renovated in 2000 and updated with new furniture and computers. This library also offers books and magazines in Spanish and English, a children’s story hour, Wi-Fi and an impressive African-American heritage collection. Situated on the eastern side of Harlem’s famous 125th street, this unique building contains two floors, a vaulted ceiling, a children’s room, and a neighborhood space that can be reserved free of charge.

The 58th Street Library is a modern and full-service library in East Midtown, offering TechConnect computer classes and more. This library has free Wi-Fi, computers, movies, a world language collection, and audiobooks. It was originally built in 1907 but was moved in 1969 to its current location within an office building. It also contains a community space and a collection of large-print books as well as some material for children and teens.

The 53rd Street branch is brand new, opening in June of 2016. This Midtown library was designed by TEN Arquitectos and has a superbly modern, light design. It houses collections for all ages, as well as DVDs, CDs, computers, and laptops. It contains new community spaces, a Teen Zone and a Children’s room. This library is also able to provide unique events and programs due to its collaborations with the nearby Museum of Modern Art.

Resembling the beautiful Yorkville Library, the 67th Street Library was designed by Babb, Cook & Willard. This Upper East Side gem opened in 1905 and was renovated in the 1950s and in 2005. The interior has been updated but architectural details such as the original staircase and mosaic floor remain. This 14,000-square foot library contains computers, a study area, and a garden. It offers baby storytime, adult ballet, and TechConnect.

Visit one of these or another library soon and see if you can find out something else interesting

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This NYC Library Is Also a Museum: Here’s What’s In Store

The Morgan Library and Museum—colloquially just “The Morgan” —was named for its founder, financier J.P. Morgan, who established it in 1906 as a “private retreat” near his home on 36th Street of New York City. Unsurprisingly, then, it has a certain homey elegance as one walks through its rooms and takes in the many treasures that he collected throughout his life. (It became a private institution in 1924, and was declared a New York City and National Landmark in 1966.)

The architecture and decorations of the museum are a work of art in themselves; the West Room alone has been called “one of the greatest achievements of American interior decoration.” This marvelous study is decorated with burgundy wall coverings, stained glass windows and many works of art, including paintings of the late Morgan and his wife. Standing out from the decor is a thick metal vault, open to the public, which contains some of the rarest books and pieces.

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Outside of this room, the domed ceiling of the Rotunda was painted by American artist H. Siddons Mowbray, with designs inspired by the Renaissance master Raphael. The library and librarian’s office are equally enchanting to the eyes.

There is not room here to list all of the great pieces present in the Morgan. It holds several notable Bibles (including the famous Morgan Bible and three that were printed by Gutenberg), prints and drawings of artists ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Picasso, a manuscript of The Christmas Carol with handwritten notes by Charles Dickens, and many Victorian instruments. One of the more important American pieces is a note that Frederick Douglass wrote his former master (“I love you, but hate slavery”).

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One specialty of the museum is ancient Near Eastern artifacts; it has one of the most extensive collection of cylinder seals in the world. Also notable is a copper statue of King Ur-Namma, the Mesopotamian ruler of Ur, Sumer and Akkad. Interest in this region also goes down into more modern items, such as two excellent Armenian books which were given silver covers in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Morgan Library and Museum is not one of the best known attractions in New York City, but it is an underrated gem. So if you have an interest in old books, history, beautiful art or architecture, you may want to stop by and take a tour.

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Libraries of the Future: Intricate Book Displays and Rooftop Terraces

“Libraries and Architecture, my personal passion and my work life in one article; was this written for me?”

That was the question I asked myself when I read about the architectural design of libraries in today’s digital age in a recent article from Architectural Digest. The article felt so suited to me considering that I work at an architecture firm in New York City.  I’m also an unabashed lover and active user of the New York Public Library so I was instantly intrigued.

In the article, Risa Honig, vice president of capital planning at NYPL, said the library is planning on making “books more of an architectural presence in [their] branches.” I thought what a compelling design statement.  Once I thought about it, that certainly has been the case in homes, where often you can see beautifully equipped libraries or studies with books definitely playing a part in the design, can it be so in public spaces?  

Although society has shifted to reading more ebooks in the digital age, I hope and believe it doesn’t mean physical books are on their way out — they themselves can be a design feature. Instead of having books displayed in typical row-like fashion, homeowners are using books as decorative or statement pieces to provide accents to their spaces.  Many furniture companies have very interesting new styles of bookcases so that you can display your various books, using the color of their binding, or the fonts to give interest to the corner, or wall they inhabit.  I love hearing that libraries are now following suit by incorporating book displays into their design.

For example, downtown Seattle’s public library features books shelved in a four-floor spiral connected by gently sloping ramps. Elsewhere in the world, a library in Norway features book shelves that blend in seamlessly with the designs of the ceiling.

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And a library in The Netherlands created a display called “Book Mountain and Library Quarter,” which resembles a mountain of bookshelves contained by a glass-enclosed structure.

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To follow, the NYPL will be renovating one of their mid-Manhattan libraries to highlight the plethora of books that are available to check out. “Books create the look and feel for the spaces,” said Honig. “So they’re not only part of the design, they are a key part.”

The redesign will begin this fall and will incorporate more than just arranging books in a visually pleasing manner. The library will also use aspects that have become more demanded by patrons over the years: sitting areas, public space to host events, more outlets, a higher internet capacity, and more natural light will be in the new space.

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Photo: Jonathan Blanc / Courtesy of NYPL

These features are at the recently revamped Washington Heights branch and the Stapleton branch in Staten Island. The design includes an open floor plan, plenty of natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a soothing color palette.

However, there is one more important thing to note about the mid-Manhattan library renovation. Once it’s complete, a free rooftop terrace will be available for all patrons to use at their leisure. And outdoor space where the public can go to read That is luxury.

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Secrets of the New York Public Library

Are you a frequent visitor to the New York Public Library? No matter if you visit the library in the Bronx or the main building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, there’s always something new to discover when you take the time to learn about its history. Below are a small selection of historical facts and secrets you never knew about the main location of the New York Public Library.

The main building, formally named the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, took about 16 years to build. As the largest marble structure ever attempted in the United States, the main library building located on Fifth Avenue was a feat to plan and construct. After at open competition among architectural firms as to who received the privilege to build this historic structure, Carrère and Hastings was the winner. However, before construction could officially begin, the area had to be prepared for two years. The cornerstone of the building was finally laid in May 1902. After roughly nine years of structure and interior work, the library was officially opened on May 23, 1911.

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The exterior library walls are a foot thick! In fact, the New York Public Library used more than six times the marble in the New York Stock Exchange and the New York Chamber of Commerce combined.

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The main reading room is nearly the length of a football field. Formally named the Rose Main Reading Room, it is the largest uninterrupted room in America. Meaning it’s a completely open space without interior supporting columns or steel-reinforced walls.

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The first book lent out by the New York Public Library was “Ethical Ideas of Our Time.” Originally written in Russian under the title “Nravstvennye idealy nashego vremeni,” this formal study on the morals of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and writer Leo Tolstoy was authored by Nikolai I. Grot, a Russian idealist philosopher. The book was requested on the day of the library’s opening, and was quickly found and checked out in just seven minutes.

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Looking for more interesting facts about the New York Public Library? Visit their historical fact website here, where the library touches upon information from opening day to fun facts about Olympians who have been on the staff.

Also, take a look at this article – I loved this aspect about the library which I had no idea existed. 

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