Did you know? Brooklyn and Queens are each served by their own library systems. Information and remote resources for accessing COVID-19 vaccine information, healthcare resources, mental health services, and more.
The main entrance to the library is located at Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 40th streets. The closest subway stations are the Fifth Avenue/Bryant Park station on Line 7 and the 42nd Street/Bryant Park station on Lines B, D, F, or M. Literary lovers should start their journey at Madison Avenue and 41st Street and walk to the library from there.
Our librarians are here to help. Submit your questions via email, chat, phone, or text. Nuestro personal bibliotecario está aquí para ayudar. Envíe sus preguntas por correo electrónico o llámenos.
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 by combining the collections of the Astor and Lenox Libraries with a $2.4 million trust from Samuel J. Tilden that was given to, "establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York.".
Attendance at Library Public Programs All members of the public are welcome to attend the Library's public programs, subject to any occupancy limits and, where applicable, ticketing requirements.
Ask NYPL is the virtual reference and support service of The New York Public Library. Chat with our expert staff in real-time, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM Eastern Time. . .
Carrie BradshawAstor Hall Two grand marble staircases lead up to the second floor, and astute visitors might recognize this as the filmed location in which Carrie Bradshaw was left at the altar by Mr. Big. Although John Astor sadly died on the Titanic when it sank, his legacy lives on in the main lobby of the library.
Cards are free for anyone who lives, works, attends school, or pays property tax in New York State. Out-of-state visitors can apply for a temporary card.
In most cases, taking photographs and/or recording videos of library staff or patrons without their permission can be prohibited as a matter of library policy.
The library does not charge for overdue or lost books, but you must return books in order to get new ones.
One of New York City's most iconic locations, the majestic Rose Main Reading Room measures 78 feet by 297 feet—roughly the length of two city blocks—with 52-foot-tall ceilings displaying murals of vibrant skies and billowing clouds.
The Main Branch appears in such films as 42nd Street (1933), Portrait of Jennie (1948), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), You're a Big Boy Now (1966), A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Chapter Two (1979), Escape from New York (1981),Prizzi's Honor (1985), Regarding Henry (1991), Quiz ...
Movies and Television Shows Filmed at The New York Public LibraryBreakfast at Tiffany's (1961)You're a Big Boy Now (1966)Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)Network (1976)The Wiz (1978)Chapter Two (1979)Exposed (1983)Ghostbusters (1984)More items...
The Tri-State Region is home to the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Residents of New York City and people who live, work and/or go to School in New York State are all eligible to a Library Card from the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library.
New York residents ages 13 and older can get a digital library card through our online card application and gain access to an array of digital resources. You may also request physical items with your digital account; however you will need to check out your items with a physical card.
Yes, you'll need a library card for each library you want to borrow from. You can add multiple libraries to Libby, and you can even add multiple cards for each library. Each library has their own guidelines for getting a card.
Did you know? Brooklyn and Queens are each served by their own library systems.
Information and remote resources for accessing COVID-19 vaccine information, healthcare resources, mental health services, and more.
Information about a wide array of housing resources, including affordable housing, options for those experience homelessness, senior living, and more.
Resources for information on unemployment and job seeker sources, small business support, and more.
Resources for options for food-insecure people and families who are able to leave their home, as well as delivery options for homebound, elderly, or ill persons, and more.
Help school-aged children from elementary through high school with tutoring and mentorship opportunities, many remotely.
NYPL has collected a selection of links to help our patrons find important information and help.
The term NYPL technically refers to all library branches, buildings, and research centers, with the flagship location officially known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Fortunately, if you ask any local for the "New York Public Library," they'll know exactly which one you're talking about.
While people often refer to the landmark building in Midtown as the "New York Public Library" or NYPL, it's actually just the main branch of the entire New York Public Library system which stretches across Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx (Brooklyn and Queens each have their own borough-specific library systems).
Not only do you get a full-frontal view of the building's gorgeous facade as you approach, but this block of 41st Street is also dubbed "Library Way" because the cement is filled with plaques featuring quotes from famous writers around the world.
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 by combining the collections of the Astor and Lenox Libraries with a $2.4 million trust from Samuel J. Tilden that was given to, "establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York." Sixteen years later, on May 23, 1911, President William Howard Taft, along with New York Governor John Alden Dix and New York City Mayor William J. Gaynor, dedicated the new library and opened it to the public the next day.
Exploring this great free attraction is easy and open to all—you only need a library card if you want to actually check something out or use the research rooms. To learn about the library in a more formal setting, you can join one of the two free tours for a more comprehensive visit. The Building Tour is one hour and is the best way to take in the highlights of the building's Beaux-Arts architecture. The Exhibition Tour offers a chance to look inside the library's current exhibitions .
Before NYPL was the capital building of all things literature, it was a reservoir for the city’s main water supply . If you look hard enough, you can still see remnants of the reservoir’s foundation on the first floor of the library, which open to the public.
The NYPL has collected upwards of 25,000 restaurant menus, dating as far back as 1850. These menus are regularly used by chefs, novelists and researchers. Recently, a marine biologist even consulted the menus for a study of fish populations in the 1900s.
It was made in memory of his cat Bob, and the great novelist had the cat’s paw stuffed and affixed to the handle. Keep an eye out because it’s pretty hard to see from the hallway—and maybe also keep an eye on it, as it’s a little creepy.