Beyond the Stacks: Exploring the New York Public Library

New York is an independent bookstore haven. You can’t walk 10 blocks without running into a paperback shack lined with floor to ceiling shelves and overcrowded display tables. Some specialize in new books, some in used, but all are welcoming, restful respites. While many book lovers flock to these literary institutions for their latest Sci-Fi, fantasy, or fictional fix, there are countless other erudite establishments that don’t receive nearly as much pageantry and fan fair. I argue that some of these institutions are just as, if not more, exciting to visit than some of your favorite bookshops. Here, we’ll explore a personal favorite bookish body that you might consider adding to your next NYC itinerary: The New York Public Library.

this is a picture of the rose reading room at the new york public library. it shows the bookshelves and the tables visitors can sit and read at.

History of The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library was christened on May 23rd, 1895 in a dedication ceremony led by President William Howard Taft. The landmark resulted from a consolidation between the Tilden Trust and both the Astor and Lenox libraries. The building cost $9 million and took 16 years to design and build. There is a rich, both expansive and expensive, history around the materials used in its construction. Stone was sourced from Vermont to Tennessee and upheld to the highest quality standard – you know the standards are astronomical when the castoffs were sent to Harvard’s Medical School. The pink Tennessee marble used throughout the building is the same stone used for Fifth Ave and 42nd Street’s Library Lions – commonly known as Patience and Fortitude.

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
Albert Einstein

Some facts about the NYPL’s official opening:

The building opened to the public on May 24th, 1911 at 9 AM. It remained open until 10 PM to accommodate more than 50,000 people.
The first book requested from the main stacks was Philosophy of the Plays of Shakespeare Unfolded, by Delia Bacon. The book was not cataloged at the time of the request, but a staff member added it to circulation two days later.
The first book to be delivered (which took under 7 minutes to retrieve), was a philosophical book on the morals of Friedrich Nietzsche and Leo Tolstoy, written in Bosnian.

Exploring the Facility

For anyone looking to visit the NYPL, there are multiple wings available to tour within the main building – The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. While the Rose Reading Room is the main event, there are so many research rooms and corridors to explore. You can apply for a free library card while you’re there, bring your own books to read or study, even tour the research stacks. The only way to access the Rose Reading Room is via a guided tour, which can be scheduled onsite or in advance, or you’ll have to show proof of study materials for quiet reading.

To learn more about the New York Public Library, you can visit their website.

First Floor:

Gottesman Hall
Wachenheim Gallery
Milstein Division of US History, Local History, and Genealogy
Irma Milstein Study
Milstein Family Reading Room
Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division
DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room
Dorot Jewish Division
Astor Hall

The Second Floor hosts a collection of private reading and study rooms reserved for library researchers. Researchers can also be either Cullman Center Fellows or scholars-in-residence enrolled through the Center for Research in the Humanities.

Third Floor:

Rose Main Reading Room
Wallach Division – Art & Architecture, Prints and Photographs
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room
Bill Blass Public Catalog Room
McGraw Rotunda
Salomon Room
Berg Collection
Stokes Gallery
Pforzheimer Collection
Rayner Special Collections Wing

this is a picture of the mcgraw rotunda. it shows people waiting in line to enter the facility under a renaissance-like mural on the ceiling.

Admission, Public Transportation, and Additional Branches

Admission is free, as are the guided tours, but they fill up on a first-come first-serve basis. The library is located at the corner of Fifth Ave and 52nd Street at the head of Bryant Park in Midtown. It easily accessible by multiple lines of public transportation.

Bus: M101, M102, M15, M2, M5, Q101, SIM1C
Train: Far Rockaway Branch, Harlem, Hempstead Branch, Hudson, Port Washington Branch
Subway: 4, D, F

After exploring the Main Building, feel free to explore any of the other NYPL branches across the city: