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Top 10 Amazing Facts about New York Public Library


 

New York Public Library also goes by the names Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Main Branch, or 42nd Street Library. It is the main branch of the New Public Library system of public libraries. The system has 92 branches located in New York. New York Public Library is located in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is one of the four research libraries in the library system.

The library now contains over 2.5 million volumes of stacks of books. The library’s main entrance steps are at Fifth Avenue. The entire structure has four stories that are open to the public. Lets have a look at the Top 10 Amazing Facts about New York Public Library.

1. The library was built using Beaux-Arts style

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The New York Public Library was designed by the architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings. In May 1897, the New York State Legislature passed a bill allowing the site of the Croton Reservoir to be used for a public library building.

A competition among the city’s most famous architects was subsequently held, and 88 designs were submitted. In 1897, the firm of Carrère and Hastings was selected to design and construct the library. On May 23, 1911, the main branch of the New York Public Library was ceremonially opened in front of 15,000 guests.

2. New York Public Library is a landmark

The building was declared a National Historic Landmark, a National Register of Historic Places site, and a New York City designated landmark in the 1960s.A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance.

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3. The library has a division full of a collection of rare books

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This is the rare book division. The Rare Book Division requires pre-registration for researchers before they are allowed to enter. The collection includes 800 incunable works published in Europe before 1501, Americana published before 1801, and American newspapers published before 1865, as well as over 20,000 broadsides, old atlases, and works about voyages.

The division also contains rare Bibles, including the first Gutenberg Bible to be brought to the U.S. In addition, it includes first editions and copies from notable writers, including William Shakespeare.

4. The main branch was once two libraries

The main branch was created from a merger of Astor and Lenox libraries. This occurred in 1895. One Andrew Carnegie made a huge donation of 5.2 million dollars which went into the creation of the magnificent library system.

Combined together, the two libraries had 350,000 items. Both Astor and Lenov were considered to be the physical location of the main branch. However, the trustees of the library settled on a fresh site along the Fifth Avenue. This was a central place between Astor and Lenox. This is the place where the main branch currently sits.

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5. It is a major research center

The main branch is known to be a place where one can successfully carry out a research. The best ingredient to a good research is the availability of multiple literary sources.

New York Public Library is never short of books, journals and reports. The famous Norbet Pearlroth who was a researcher for Ripley’s Believe it or Not spent years between 1923 and 1975 in the library. It is said that he perused over 7,000 books annually.

6. Inventions and notable works have been done in the library

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With the numerous resources in New York Public Library, it is a matter of opportunity meets preparedness. Many inventions have been made courtesy of the library.

Edwin Land did a research in the library from which he invented a Land Camera. On the other hand, Chester Carlson invented Xerox photocopiers after conducting a research on photoconductivity and electrostatics.

7. It is also known as Schwarzman

 

The New York Public Library is also known by the name Schwarzman. This is in honor of a donor. To cater for the renovation and expansion of the library, Stephen Schwarzman donated 100 million dollars to the library. A plaque honoring Stephen Schwarzman exists in the building. After this donation, British architect Norman Foster designed the renovations.

8. The plan faced criticism after a revamping plan was released

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The Central Library Plan was announced in 2012. The plan involved turning the Main Branch into a circulating library.

To realize the plan, over one million books were to be stored in the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP), a warehouse in Jersey. Protests were signed as many considered this to be ‘cultural vandalism’. In fact, two public interest law suits were filed against the library. The Central Library Plan was eventually abandoned in May 2014.

9. The building has a ‘library way’ leading up to it

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Between Park and Fifth Avenue on 41st Street, there is a series of plaques. This is known as the Library Way. The Library Way has a series of plaques featuring quotes from famous authors, poets and notable individuals in history.

The plaques are 48 in total. The quotes on the plaques were chosen by the Grand Central Business Improvement District and the New Yorker magazine. The exercise was done in the 90s.

10. The library has been featured in films, Television and literature

The beauty and grandeur of New York Public Library goes without saying. At it stands the structure is a landmark. It symbolizes the magnificence of New York City. It is for such reasons that many films and television shows have featured the library. Examples include Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Ghostbusters and Maid in Manhattan.

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