The New York Public Library has announced that a number of significant upgrades to its iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building are now complete, further guaranteeing that it will remain a lively and welcoming destination for everybody.
This most recent phase includes a new ADA-accessible entrance, a new modern public stair and lift, as well as other amenities to improve the visitor experience. It also contains the first-ever visitor centre for the building and a new, 2,250 square-foot public plaza named after the Library’s previous chairman Marshall Rose.
In other news, the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures saw its millionth visitor on 10 July 2023. A New York Public Library tote bag was given to Eliana, an 8-year-old from Manhattan who attended the exhibition with family and friends, containing a copy of the book “Treasures of The New York Public Library,” a mug bearing the library’s logo, and other items.
Declan Kiely, director of special collections and exhibitions, and curatorial associate Sara Spink gave the group a tour of the Polonsky Exhibition. For Eliana and her friend Elly, witnessing Charles Dickens’ letter opener—made out of his deceased cat’s paw—was one of the tour’s highlights.
A Gutenberg Bible and Thomas Jefferson‘s handwritten draught of the Declaration of Independence are among the highlights of the Polonsky Exhibition, which debuted in 2021. Its average daily visitor count has climbed by 275% during the last 19 months.
Improving access for visitors
The Schwarzman Building refurbishments and the Polonsky Exhibition are both intended to improve access to the historic 1911 building and the Library’s vast collection.
Exhibits in the new 3,600-square-foot Visitor Center describe the Library’s history and contributions, as well as its holdings and how they are used to promote research. Physical tactile displays of the Library’s research collections, in addition to interactive digital screens, invite visitors to touch and interact with the exhibits. This approach also assists those who are blind or have low vision.
In addition, the centre’s displays are presented in English, Spanish and Chinese, the most widely spoken languages in New York City. This is consistent with other new and expanded offerings in the building, including new signage and visitor materials, a Treasures audio guide, a new building audio tour, and other behind-the-scenes videos.
More public space was a major focus of the recent improvements. The space where the Visitor Center is located was previously used as offices and storage for map collections. These are now protected in the Library’s cutting-edge Milstein Research Stacks, beneath Bryant Park.
Further additions
The Library also created a 2,250-square-foot outdoor public plaza out of an underutilised mechanical area on the outside. Thanks to the generosity of Richard D. Cohen and Leonard A. Lauder, the plaza was formally dedicated to the previous chair of the library, Marshall Rose, this April. In 1981, Rose became a member of the Library’s board; he is currently Chair Emeritus. Rose also was instrumental in the revitalization of Bryant Park.
The new public stair and lift bank and ADA-accessible entrance to the Library are connected by the Marshall Rose Plaza on 40th Street. The lift serves all four floors of the Library. New public restrooms and a 4,000-square-foot Library Shop & Cafe are two further highlights of the renovation project.
The Celeste G. and Mahnaz I. Bartos Exhibition Gallery, a new temporary display area, is also being built by the Library on the first floor. The Wachenheim Gallery, Gottesman Hall, and this new gallery will all work together to create exciting exhibitions that highlight the Library’s collection. The new gallery is expected to open in the spring of 2024.
See also: Telling overlooked stories at New-York Historical Society
