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The Library's Many Chapters:
For more than a century, The New York Public Library's main location has been a part of history as it has served millions of visitors each year. From the First World War and the Great Depression, through the financial instability and social upheaval that affected New York in the 1970s and 80s, and through the present day, the Library has provided open access to knowledge and to its grand public spaces to all who walked through its doors.
Displayed here are the ways in which the building and its spaces have endured the passing of time -- from its iconic front steps as a beloved gathering place for millions, to the ongoing work the plaza and facade have required as a result. Also on view are the ways in which many of of its rooms have evolved over time, and the subsequent revitalizations of these spaces that have been undertaken. Together, these images show the profound ways the library must be continuously protected, preserved, and restored to ensure its legacy of service in the next century. |