Inside the ‘Real’ Lions of 5th Avenue
Have you ever been to New York City during the Christmas Holidays? It’s quite a treat!! The decorated store windows, the carriages of Central Park, the skating rink at Bryant Park! And, in case you never noticed, the NYC Public Library is right there, behind or front of depending on where you are standing, Bryant Park. A recent article in the ‘untapped new york’ section of the New York Times, we get an inside view of some of the things many people don’t know about the Public Library. Nicole Saraniero is the talented researcher and author of this series. First of all, and very interesting, is the unique ‘book train.’
The stunning Rose Reading Room inside the New York Public Library underwent a major restoration from 2014 to 2016. The intricate plaster work of the ceiling was restored, the mural was recreated and the lights got an upgrade. The historic room also got a new mode of book transportation, a “book train.” Before the advent of the book train, books from the tracks were transported via a conveyor belts system and dumbwaiter for oversized books.
The New York Public Library has innumerable treasures tucked away in its stacks. In addition to millions of volumes, the library also possesses priceless historical artifacts. Some of the library’s items can be seen in their rotating special exhibitions and you can request to see certain items if you are conducting research. Among the amazing pieces found at the library are literally thousands of Virginia Woolf‘s personal letters, e.e. cummings‘ typewriter, boxes of personal items that belong to writer Jack Kerouac(including his shoes, library card and prayer bells), Charles Dickens‘ writing desk, a handwritten poem from Emily Dickinson, and George Washington’s recipe for beer!https://82a1b90ff2ac47b74cc025121ef9a130.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
The New York Public Library has 125 Miles of Book Stacks
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Television/Film Production. Through her work in those fields, specifically working at a film location agency on Long Island’s Gold Coast, and her travels through Europe while studying abroad, she discovered a love for architecture and uncovering the hidden histories of places. She recently earned a Certificate in Historic Preservation Studies from NYU’s School of Professional Studies.