New York Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New York Public Library |
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| The New York Public Library Main Branch in Manhattan | |
| Established | May 23, 1895 |
| Location | 476 Fifth Avenue, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°45′11″N 73°58′55″W / 40.75306°N 73.98194°W |
| Branches | 92 |
| Collection | |
| Size | 55 million |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | 3.5 million (the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) |
| Other information | |
| Budget | US$302,208,000 (2017) Endowment: $1,448,838,000 |
| Director | Anthony Marx, President and CEO William P. Kelly, Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries |
| Staff | 3,150 |
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a huge library system in New York City. It has almost 53 million items and 92 locations! This makes it one of the biggest public libraries in the United States. It's also the fourth-largest public library in the whole world. The NYPL is a special kind of organization. It's a private, non-profit group that gets money from both private donations and public funds.
The library has branches in three parts of New York City: the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. If you live in Brooklyn or Queens, those areas have their own library systems. The NYPL has many "circulating libraries" where you can borrow books. It also has four "research libraries" where you can study and look at special collections.
The library's full name is "The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations." It started in the 1800s when several smaller libraries joined together. Rich people helped by donating money to create this amazing library system.
When people say "New York Public Library," they often think of its main building. This famous building on Fifth Avenue has two lion statues guarding the entrance. Their names are Patience and Fortitude. This main branch is a very important landmark. It has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a New York City Landmark.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: The Library's History
The idea for the New York Public Library began with a man named John Jacob Astor. In 1848, he left $400,000 in his will to start a public library. This was a lot of money back then! The Astor Library opened in 1854. It was a free library for research, but you couldn't take books home.
Later, in 1870, the Lenox Library was created. A kind person named James Lenox gave it many rare books and artworks. This included the first Gutenberg Bible in the Americas.
Another important person was Samuel J. Tilden, a former governor. When he died in 1886, he left about $2.4 million for a free library. This money helped bring the Astor and Lenox libraries together. Both libraries were having money problems.
On May 23, 1895, these libraries officially joined. They became "The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations." This was a big step for public good! John Shaw Billings became the library's first director.
In 1901, a very rich man named Andrew Carnegie offered to donate $5.2 million. This money was used to build 65 new branch libraries across the city. He wanted the city to take care of them. Famous architects helped design these beautiful new buildings.
Over the years, the library has collected millions of books and items. Experts carefully choose what to add to the collection. They want to make sure people can find all kinds of information. During the World Wars, the library even helped the military. Its map experts found and shared important maps for the war effort.
Amazing Buildings: Research Libraries
The Main Library Building
The people who started the NYPL wanted a grand main building. They picked a spot on Fifth Avenue, where the Croton Reservoir used to be. The first director, John Shaw Billings, helped design it. He imagined a huge reading room above seven floors of books. The goal was to get books to people as quickly as possible.
The building was designed in a beautiful style called Beaux-Arts architecture. It opened on May 23, 1911. At the time, it was the largest marble building in the United States! The two stone lions at the entrance, Patience and Fortitude, were carved by skilled artists. The main reading room inside was huge. It was 77 feet wide, 295 feet long, and had 50-foot-high ceilings!
Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, more storage space was added. This space was built underground, beneath Bryant Park next to the library. The building was also carefully cleaned and fixed up from 2007 to 2011. A generous gift of $100 million helped pay for this. Today, the main reading room has computers and internet access. It's a great place for writers and scholars to do their research.
Other Research Centers
In the 1990s, the library moved its science, technology, and business books to a new place. This became the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL). It opened in 1995 and is the largest public library in the U.S. focused on science and business. The main library on 42nd Street was then renamed the Humanities and Social Sciences Library.
Today, the NYPL has four main research libraries. They hold about 44 million items! The Humanities and Social Sciences Library is still the main one. The other two are the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Some of these research libraries also let you borrow items, just like a regular branch library.
Recent Changes and Services
The New York Public Library has always been a mix of private and public support. The research libraries mostly get private money. The local branch libraries get most of their money from the city government. In 2009, the library started to combine some of its operations. This helped them work more efficiently.
In 2010, the NYPL opened a new Library Services Center. This building in Long Island City helps sort books. A huge machine, almost as long as a football field, sorts 7,500 items an hour! This means books get to you much faster. The center also has offices for ordering books, cataloging them, and preserving old items.
The NYPL has its own security team. These special officers help keep the libraries safe for everyone.
To celebrate its 125th birthday, the NYPL shared a list of its most borrowed books. The top book was The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. The Cat in the Hat and Nineteen Eighty-Four were also very popular.
Until 2021, the NYPL used to charge late fees for books. But on October 5, 2021, they stopped charging these fees! All old late fees were also removed from people's accounts. This makes it easier for everyone to use the library.
Sometimes, the library's budget changes. In late 2023, some Sunday services and programs were reduced. This was due to budget cuts from the city.
BookOps: Working Together
In 2013, the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library decided to work together. They combined their "technical services" departments into a new group called BookOps. This helps them save money and improve how they get books ready for you. BookOps is located in Long Island City. It helps select, prepare, and deliver new items to both library systems. Before BookOps, these jobs were done in different places, and it took longer for books to reach the shelves. Now, everything is in one building, making it much faster!
Local Branch Libraries
The New York Public Library system has many local branches. These are the libraries where you can borrow books, movies, and other items. They are located in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. There are 40 branches in Manhattan, 35 in the Bronx, and 14 in Staten Island. The newest one, the Charleston Library, opened in 2022.
In total, the NYPL has 4 research centers and 89 neighborhood branch libraries. Anyone can use these libraries for free! As of 2019, the research libraries have 46.8 million items. The branch libraries have 9.9 million items. Together, that's almost 53 million items! Only the Library of Congress and the British Library have more.
Library Services
ASK NYPL: Your Questions Answered
Have a question? You can call or go online to ASK NYPL. This service answers about 100,000 questions every year! They even answer questions for The New York Times.
Website and Digital Collections
The library's website is a great resource. You can search for books and other items in the library's catalogs. You can also find information about free events, exhibitions, and classes. They even have classes to help people learn English.
If you have a library card, you can get free access to thousands of online magazines, newspapers, and research materials from home. The NYPL Digital Collections has over 900,000 images from the library's collections. Time Magazine even called it one of the "50 Coolest Websites"!
One NYPL: A Unified System
In 2006, the library started a plan called "One NYPL." The idea was to bring the branch libraries and research libraries closer together. Now, there's one online catalog for all the collections. And you only need one library card to use both types of libraries!
Community Oral History Project
The NYPL has a special project to collect stories from people in New York City. It's called the Community Oral History Project. They record interviews with people from different neighborhoods and backgrounds. This helps save important local history.
Reaching Out to the Community
The New York Public Library offers many services to help people. They have free classes for work and life skills. They also help immigrants learn English and get used to life in the U.S. In 2018, library cardholders could even visit many famous New York museums for free!
Past Programs
In 2017, the library had a cool program called "Subway Library." It let New York City Subway riders read e-books and short stories for free while riding the train. This program has ended, but you can still download free e-books using the SimplyE app.
How the Library is Run
The New York Public Library is run by a group of people called a board of trustees. This board makes important decisions about the library. The Mayor of New York City and other city leaders are also part of this board.
Other Libraries in New York City
The New York Public Library is one of three main public library systems in New York City. The other two are the Brooklyn Public Library and the Queens Public Library. Together, these three systems have 209 branches and 63 million items! They had 37 million visitors in 2006.
Cultural Importance
Many people think the New York Public Library is one of the most important libraries in the United States. It's often mentioned alongside the Library of Congress and the libraries at Harvard and Yale universities.
The NYPL also works with other big university libraries like Columbia, Harvard, and Princeton. They share resources and even have a shared storage facility for books.
See also
In Spanish: Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York para niños
- Education in New York City
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
- List of New York Public Library branches
