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New York Public Library

Born from a bold 19th-century idea, this landmark library grew out of the Astor and Lenox libraries and the Tilden Trust to create a free public resource for New Yorkers. It has since become one of the world’s great library systems, with its famed Fifth Avenue building opening to the public in 1911.

2 Audiobooks

The Beadle Collection of Dime Novels

The Beadle Collection of Dime Novels

by New York Public Library

Handbook of The New York Public Library

Handbook of The New York Public Library

by New York Public Library

About the author

The New York Public Library was formally established in 1895, when the Astor Library, the Lenox Library, and the Tilden Trust were brought together into a single institution. That plan was driven by a desire to create a truly free library and reading room for New York City.

Over time, the library became one of the best-known public library systems in the world. Its main building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street—now the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building—opened to the public in 1911 and helped define the library’s public identity.

Today, the library is known not only for its historic research collections but also for broad public access, education, and neighborhood library service across the city. Its story is one of philanthropy, public service, and the belief that knowledge should be open to everyone.