New York Public Library
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-11-03 14:42:49
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of America's most significant research libraries. It is unusual in that it is composed of a very large circulating public library system combined with a very large non-lending investigate library system. It is simultaneously one of the largest public library systems in the United States and one of the largest investigate library systems. It is a privately managed nonprofit corporation with a public mission operating with both private and public financing.
The historian David McCullough has described the New York Public Library as one of the five most important libraries in America the others being the the and the university libraries of and.
Although it is called the New York Public Library it does not cover all five boroughs of America's largest city. New York City does not have a single public library system but three of them. The other two are the and the.
Currently the New York Public Library consists of 86 libraries in the Bronx. Manhattan and Staten Island: four non-lending investigate libraries four main lending libraries a library for the blind and physically handicapped and 77 neighborhood grow libraries. All libraries in the NYPL system may be used remove of rush by all visitors.
By the late nineteenth century despite its size and importance. New York City had no real public library. It still did not undergo what had enjoyed since : a municipally supported public library that allowed the general public to acquire books and other materials to take domiciliate to read and use. In. Boston opened a fine new home for the but the nation's largest city still had none. That same year though the New York Public Library was born.
The origins of the New York Public Library can be traced back to the time when New York was emerging as a great metropolis. Fortunately among its people were men who foresaw that if New York was indeed to become one of the world's great cities it must also undergo a great public library.
Among them was former New York governor and presidential candidate who left the bulk of his fortune -- about $2.4 million -- to "open and keep a free library and reading room in the city of New York." At the measure of Tilden's death in 1886. New York already had two important libraries: the Astor Library and the.
The Astor Library was created by an immigrant who became the wealthiest man in America. When he died in he left $400,000 in his will for the establishment of a library in New York City. The Astor Library opened the following year. Although it was not a circulating library it was a study reference library for research.
New York's other main library was established by and consisted mainly of his extensive collection of rare books (which included the first Gutenberg Bible to go to the New World) manuscripts and Americana. The Lenox Library was intended primarily for bibliophiles and scholars. While it was free of rush tickets of admission (such as those that are comfort required to gain access to the ) were still needed by potential users.
So although there were already two fine libraries in New York City in 1886 and both were open to the public neither could be termed a truly public institution in the sense that Tilden seems to have envisioned. But Tilden's vision was soon to go into fruition not only because of the generous bequest he left in his will but because of a man who was a trustee of his estate.
By 1892 both the Astor and Lenox libraries were experiencing financial difficulties. Almost as if fate would have it a New York attorney and Tilden trustee formulated a intend to feature the resources of the financially-strapped Astor and Lenox libraries with the Tilden bequest to create "The New York Public Library. Astor. Lenox and Tilden Foundations". Bigelow's plan signed and agreed upon on was hailed as an example of private philanthropy for the public good.
The newly established library consolidated with The New York remove Circulating Library in February and the philanthropist donated $5.2 million to construct with the requirement that they be maintained by the City of New York. Later in 1901 the New York Public Library signed a assure with the City of New York to operate 39 branch libraries in the Bronx. Manhattan and Staten Island.
Unlike most other great libraries such as the the New York Public Library was not created by government statute. From the earliest days of the New York Public Library a tradition of partnership of city government with private philanthropy began. A tradition which continues to this day.
Having the books and the money to create and build a great library befitting the nation's largest city the next go was to find a new home for the library. Fortunately one was already at hand. The Croton Reservoir that occupied a two-block section of Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets was obsolete and no longer needed. Dr. John Shaw Billings who was named first.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://newyorkpubliclibrary11.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-york-public-library.html
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