Public New York Library

The New York Public Library ( NYPL ) is one of most important the Bibliothèque S American are. Its principal building is located on the island of Manhattan at New York, along the 5 {{E}} which occurred. It was built by Carrere and Hastings. Today, its Endowment (equipment) is approximately 462 million dollars.

History

At the end of the 19th century, the town of New York had two large public libraries:

Astor Library, created thanks to a legacy of a value of 400 000 dollars coming from John Jacob Astor, (1763 - 1848), which had opened its doors in 1849.
Lennox Library, created by James Lennox (1800 - 1880), a collector of books, which was located on the 5th avenue at the current site of the Frick Collection.

In 1886, Samuel J. Tilden (1814 - 1886), made a legacy of approximately 2,4 million dollars to create a new library. John Bigelow (1817 - 1911), a New Yorkean lawyer who was the executor of Tilden, combined a plan to associate the resources of the libraries Lennox and Astor (which were with money court) with the gift of Tilden to create a private foundation on May 23rd, 1895.

The new library also amalgamated with the New York Free Circulating Library in February 1901, and Andrew Carnegie offered 5,2 USD million to build branches, in the condition which the town of New York ensures their operation and their maintenance. This kind of partnership between the state and a philanthropist is characteristic of a certain very American way of doing. 2.509 “Carnegie libraries” will thus see the day between 1883 and 1929, of which 1 689 with the the United States, 660 in Great Britain and Ireland, 156 with the Canada, the remainder in New Zealand, in the islands the Caribbean and the islands Fiji.

The principal building was built along the 5th avenue of Manhattan between the 40e and the 42e street, opened with the public on May 24th 1911. The famous lions which keep the entry of it were carved by Edward Clark Potter. In the Years 1930, they were called “courage” and “patience” by the mayor Fiorello LaGuardia.

In the Years 1980, the library was increased of more than 10 000 m ², by the addition of underground rooms.

Appendices

The NYPL manages forty appendices with Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. These branches place at the disposal of the public works of fiction and material of research. There are also libraries specialized by field:

The Humanities and Social Sciences Library (social sciences, history and geography)
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (performing arts)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Science (study of the black culture))
Industry and Business Library (industry and economy)

See too

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