Astor Library
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc RG1 5975
NYPL Archives Record Group 1 consists of the records of the Astor Library, a non-circulating reference library established in 1849 by the terms of the will of John Jacob Astor. In 1895 the Astor Library was consolidated with the Lenox Library and...
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NYPL Archives Record Group 1 consists of the records of the Astor Library, a non-circulating reference library established in 1849 by the terms of the will of John Jacob Astor. In 1895 the Astor Library was consolidated with the Lenox Library and the Tilden Trust to form The New York Public Library.
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Lenox Library
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc RG2 4856
NYPL Archives Record Group 2 consists of the records of the Lenox Library, a non-circulating research library founded by James Lenox (1800-1880) in New York City in 1870. In 1895 the Lenox Library was consolidated with the Astor Library and the...
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NYPL Archives Record Group 2 consists of the records of the Lenox Library, a non-circulating research library founded by James Lenox (1800-1880) in New York City in 1870. In 1895 the Lenox Library was consolidated with the Astor Library and the Tilden Trust to form The New York Public Library.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4945
Administrative filess and correspondence of Edwin Hatfield Anderson, Director of The New York Public Library from 1913-1934.
New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Executive Committee
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4908
23.25 cubic feet
The Executive Committee, one of the original standing committees of the Board of Trustees, takes general charge of the administration of the affairs of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. It is empowered to act on behalf of the Board of Trustees in between...
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The Executive Committee, one of the original standing committees of the Board of Trustees, takes general charge of the administration of the affairs of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. It is empowered to act on behalf of the Board of Trustees in between Board meetings. Records of the Executive Committee consist of handwritten, typewritten and printed documents as well as photographs and architectural drawings. Minutes are records of the meetings of the Executive Committee. To 1949 they are bound in volumes and early volumes include photographs of the Carnegie sites under construction. From 1967 the minutes are typewritten and loose. There are no minutes for the period 1950 to 1966. The Letterbooks consist of three volumes, 1902-1903, 1903-1906, and 1912-1928, of official letters written by the Executive Committee. Many of the letters are signed by John Shaw Billings or Edwin H. Anderson, who as Directors of the Library also served as Secretary to the Executive Committee. The bulk of Letters Received concern library construction and finances. The General Files are arranged alphabetically by subject. They relate to various Library matters but especially the construction of the Carnegie branch libraries and the Central Building, operations of the Circulation and Reference Departments, and finances. Central Building Files relate to the design, construction and maintenance of the Central Building, which were overseen primarily by the Executive Committee. Assorted Records include correspondence regarding the appointment of John Shaw Billings, as well as printed agreements between the City of New York and the Library regarding a pension plan for employees.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Finance Committee
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4912
9 cubic feet
The Finance Committee, one of the original standing committees of the Board of Trustees, has general direction of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation's finances, particularly the investment of funds. It consists of no fewer than three trustees, the Treasurer...
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The Finance Committee, one of the original standing committees of the Board of Trustees, has general direction of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation's finances, particularly the investment of funds. It consists of no fewer than three trustees, the Treasurer being ex-officio a member of the committee. Records consist of minutes, reports, correspondence and other materials that document the activities of the Finance Committee. Minutes are bound in volumes for each year and are records of Finance Committee meetings. Reports are printed summaries of finances issued annually by the committee. Correspondence & Other Records include some Treasurer's Reports, estimates for appropriations, and vouchers. Roland L. Redmond Files are correspondence retained by Redmond, who was a trustee from 1938 to 1969. The bulk of it is Finance Committee related correspondence between Redmond and the Board's Assistant Treasurer, the United States Trust Company. Copies of Board of Trustees Resolutions, arranged chronologically in three letterbooks, were presumably retained by the Finance Committee because of their stipulations regarding appropriations.
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New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5116
Administrative files from the office of Harald Osvold, Chief of the Reference Department of The New York Public Library from 1958-1963.
New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5109
3.5 cubic feet
Harry Miller Lydenberg (1874-1960) started at the Lenox Library, then served as administrative assistant to John Shaw Billings from 1899 to 1908, helping to plan the Central Building for the newly consolidated New York Public Library. He was the...
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Harry Miller Lydenberg (1874-1960) started at the Lenox Library, then served as administrative assistant to John Shaw Billings from 1899 to 1908, helping to plan the Central Building for the newly consolidated New York Public Library. He was the first Chief Reference Librarian from 1908 to 1927, and in 1928 became Assistant Director under Edwin H. Anderson, assuming the directorship in 1934. Records consist of 1921 Census of Books. Other Lydenberg records are included in Central Administration collections.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4946
Records of Harry Miller Lydenberg, Director of The New York Public Library from 1934-1941. Collection spans the years 1926-1970 (bulk 1926-1944), covering his term as Director and also his participation in numerous professional associations.
New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5118
Administrative files and correspondence of James W. Henderson, Director of the Research Libraries of The New York Public Library from 1963 to 1977.
New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4947
Records from the office of Franklin F. Hopper (1878-1950), Director of the New York Public Library from 1941-1946.
New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4937
Records of the first Director of The New York Public Library. John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) served as Director of NYPL from its founding in 1895 until 1913. He helped create NYPL by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research...
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Records of the first Director of The New York Public Library. John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) served as Director of NYPL from its founding in 1895 until 1913. He helped create NYPL by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx.) He also planned and oversaw the construction of the NYPL Central Building which was opened to the public in 1911.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4952
Correspondence from the offices of three Directors of The New York Public Library: Harry Miller Lydenberg, Franklin Ferguson Hopper and Ralph A. Beals.
New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5113
1.2 cubic feet
Keyes DeWitt Metcalf (1889-1983) was Chief of the Reference Department (called Research Libraries since 1966) from 1928 to 1937. Prior to that he held various positions at the New York Public Library including Chief of the Stacks, Executive...
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Keyes DeWitt Metcalf (1889-1983) was Chief of the Reference Department (called Research Libraries since 1966) from 1928 to 1937. Prior to that he held various positions at the New York Public Library including Chief of the Stacks, Executive Assistant, and Chief of the Preparation Division. After leaving the Library he was Director of the Harvard University Library until 1955. Records consist of Census of Books (1930), a survey of the Reference Department (1929), and study of the use of the Reference Department (1937).
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New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5114
Administrative files from the office of Rutherford D. Rogers, Chief of the Reference Department of The New York Public Library from 1955-1957.
New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4960
.4 cubic feet
Richard De Gennaro (1926-) was Director of the New York Public Library from 1987 to 1990, at which time he assumed the position of Librarian of Harvard College. Prior to his appointment at N.Y.P.L., he had held senior library positions at Harvard...
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Richard De Gennaro (1926-) was Director of the New York Public Library from 1987 to 1990, at which time he assumed the position of Librarian of Harvard College. Prior to his appointment at N.Y.P.L., he had held senior library positions at Harvard and was the Director of Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1986. Records consist of De Gennaro's chronological file, 1987-1990; material on the FBI Library Awareness Program, 1987-1988; and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), 1987-1990.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Space Committee
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4928
.8 cubic foot
The Space Committee of the N.Y.P.L. Board of Trustees was established in 1955 to discern the space needs of the various divisions in the Research Library. Its members were: Chairman Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Edward G. Freehafer, Morris Hadley, Carl...
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The Space Committee of the N.Y.P.L. Board of Trustees was established in 1955 to discern the space needs of the various divisions in the Research Library. Its members were: Chairman Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Edward G. Freehafer, Morris Hadley, Carl H. Pforzheimer, Roland L. Redmond, Deoch Fulton, and Rutherford D. Rogers. The committee was active through 1959. Records of the Space Committee span the years 1955 to 1959 and include supporting material from the 1940s before the Committee's founding. Correspondence consists of letters and memoranda from committee members. Reports, Studies & Plans are formal written findings of the Committee and supporting visual materials. Drawings are architectural space plans of the Central Building.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Public Education Program
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5078
395 sound recordings (341 audiocassettes and 54 digital files)
The New York Public Library's Public Education Program (PEP) was established in 1983 as a forum for public lectures, panel discussions, interviews, and performances. Sound recordings in this collection consist of audiocassettes and digital sound...
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The New York Public Library's Public Education Program (PEP) was established in 1983 as a forum for public lectures, panel discussions, interviews, and performances. Sound recordings in this collection consist of audiocassettes and digital sound files of Public Education Programs that took place at The New York Public Library between 1983 and 2004, most between 1985 and 1988. Included are lectures, panel discussions, and presentations made in conjunction with Library exhibitions. The recordings showcase the diverse topics covered by Library programs, including modern literature, cinema, the history of New York City, current events, and community issues. Annual programs include those sponsored by the Library's Jewish Division, the Pforzheimer Lectures on the history of printing and the book arts, and the Book of the Month Club's "Art and Craft" of writing series. Well-known speakers in these recordings include Toni Morrison, Robert Caro, Alfred Kazin, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Glass, Nat Hentoff, Gore Vidal, Joyce Carol Oates, and Joan Didion, among others.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4951
Records from the office of Ralph A. Beals, Director of the New York Public Library from 1946-1954.
New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Secretary
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4883
Records of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of The New York Public Library. The Secretary is a member and officer of the Board and is responsible for the keeping of the records of The New York Public Library Corporation and the minutes of...
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Records of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of The New York Public Library. The Secretary is a member and officer of the Board and is responsible for the keeping of the records of The New York Public Library Corporation and the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Trustees and all its committees. Those who held the position of Secretary for the period of the records here described are: George L. Rives (1895-1902), Charles H. Russell (1902-1921), William Sloane (1921-1922), and Frank L. Polk (1923-1932).
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Art Committee
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc RG5 4923
.1 cubic foot
The Art Committee of the Board of Trustees, established in the Library's early years, has general supervision over pictures, paintings, statuary, and other objects of art belonging to the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. Records of the Art Committee consist...
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The Art Committee of the Board of Trustees, established in the Library's early years, has general supervision over pictures, paintings, statuary, and other objects of art belonging to the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. Records of the Art Committee consist of handwritten, typewritten and printed documents. They constitute the series Correspondence & Memoranda, 1966-1971, which includes memoranda regarding policies for the acceptance of works of art and correspondence concerning specific cases of acceptances and rejections.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Agent for Carnegie Sites
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc RG5 4934
Alanson T. Briggs (1871-1946) served as Agent for Carnegie Sites of The New York Public Library from 1901-1910. He assisted the Board of Trustees in selecting sites for branch libraries, appraised them in conjunction with the Board of Appraisors,...
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Alanson T. Briggs (1871-1946) served as Agent for Carnegie Sites of The New York Public Library from 1901-1910. He assisted the Board of Trustees in selecting sites for branch libraries, appraised them in conjunction with the Board of Appraisors, and negotiated their purchase for the Carnegie program. During this period he also served as Agent for the Carnegie programs in Queens and Brooklyn.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Treasurer
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4894
12.75 cubic feet
The Treasurer of the Board of Trustees is a member and officer of the Board, responsible for the financial matters of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. Those who have served as Treasurer for the period of the records here described are: Edward King...
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The Treasurer of the Board of Trustees is a member and officer of the Board, responsible for the financial matters of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation. Those who have served as Treasurer for the period of the records here described are: Edward King (1895-1908), Edward Sheldon (1909-1933), Lewis Cass Ledyard, Jr. (1934-1935), Junius S. Morgan (1936-1942, 1952-1954), Henry Bruere (1943-1951), Dana T. Bartholomew (1955-1959), Grant Keehn (1960-1973), Bradford A. Warner (1974-1977), and Ralph E. Hansmann (1977-1985). Treasurer's Reports are the financial accountings of Library assets and expenditures issued annually. Correspondence concerns mostly bills of the Law and Executive Committees and the Circulation and Reference Departments. Director John Shaw Billings and N.Y.P.L. Business Superintendent I. Ferris Lockwood are the principal correspondents. Financial Statements & Budgets include budgets of the Treasurer and reviews of them and income and assets statements by outside accounting firms. Stock Holdings & Transactions include an 1897 Treasurer's Report of securities holdings, stock transaction receipts and letters.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4953
Records of Edward Geier Freehafer, Director of The New York Public Library from 1954-1971. Records pertain to financial matters, library space, preservation of older library materials, acquisitions of new collections of art, manuscripts and rare...
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Records of Edward Geier Freehafer, Director of The New York Public Library from 1954-1971. Records pertain to financial matters, library space, preservation of older library materials, acquisitions of new collections of art, manuscripts and rare books, and the introduction of library automation.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Committee on Research Libraries
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc RG5 4919
1.6 cubic foot
The Committee on Research Libraries was originally named the Library Committee when it was created by the N.Y.P.L. Board of Trustees shortly after the incorporation of the Library. The Library Committee stood to oversee the selection, arrangement...
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The Committee on Research Libraries was originally named the Library Committee when it was created by the N.Y.P.L. Board of Trustees shortly after the incorporation of the Library. The Library Committee stood to oversee the selection, arrangement and cataloging of noncirculating research materials at the Central Building. In 1953 the Committee was renamed the Reference Department Committee. In 1967 it received its current name. Today the Committee on Research Libraries makes recommendations to the Board on the collections and services of all the N.Y.P.L. Research units. The Committee consists of no fewer than five persons, a majority of whom must be trustees. It can establish ad hoc subcommittees and in 1977 formed the Subcommittee on Responsibilities Procedures. Records consist of minutes, correspondence, reports, memoranda and other materials that document the activities of the Committee on Research Libraries. Minutes, arranged chronologically, are records of meetings of the Committee on Research Libraries. Correspondence includes outgoing and incoming letters sorted roughly by date and subject. Memoranda are arranged chronologically. The CORL COBL Joint Meeting Minutes are minutes of the joint meetings of the Committee on Research Libraries and the Committee on Branch Libraries, arranged chronologically. Loan Lists are lists of research materials approved or not approved by the Committee for loan to extra-library exhibitions. The records of the Subcommittee on Responsibilities and Procedures constitute the series Memoranda (1977).
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees. Committee on the Consolidation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4902
.2 cubic foot
The Committee on Consoliation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries was created in 1895 and reached an agreement to consolidate and establish the N.Y.P.L. on May 23 of that year. Its nine members were: T.M. Markoe, John L. Cadwalader, and...
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The Committee on Consoliation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries was created in 1895 and reached an agreement to consolidate and establish the N.Y.P.L. on May 23 of that year. Its nine members were: T.M. Markoe, John L. Cadwalader, and Edward King, representing the Astor Library; Alexander Maitland, Frederick Sturges, and George L. Rives of the Lenox Library; and Lewis Cass Ledyard, Andrew H. Green, and Alexander E. Orr of the Tilden Trust. The records of the Committee on Consolidation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries date from 1894 to 1899 and consist of legal papers and correspondence regarding the creation of the N.Y.P.L. Corporation.
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New York Public Library. Central Administration. Committees
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5004
Records of standing and special committees formed to facilitate the programs and activities of The New York Public Library.
New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5117
.2 cubic foot
Edward Geier Freehafer (1909-1985) was Director of the New York Public Library from 1954 to 1971. Except for a brief tenure in 1944-1945 as Assistant Librarian of the Brown University Library, he spent his entire career at the New York Public...
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Edward Geier Freehafer (1909-1985) was Director of the New York Public Library from 1954 to 1971. Except for a brief tenure in 1944-1945 as Assistant Librarian of the Brown University Library, he spent his entire career at the New York Public Library. Between 1932 and 1954, he was Chief of the American History and Genealogy Division, Chief of the Personnel Office and Chief of the Reference Department. He also served as Acting Director before assuming the directorship of the Library in 1954. Records include correspondence, memoranda and statistics relating to student use of the Library. Other Freehafter records are with the Central Administration collections and some materials are included in the records of James W. Henderson.
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New York Public Library. Board of Trustees
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 4931
Records of three founding members of The New York Public Library Board of Trustees: John L. Cadwalader, Lewis Cass Ledyard and George Lockhart Rives. Records document the founding and early years of The Library.
New York Public Library. Board of Trustees
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5636
.2 cubic foot
The Councils of the New York Public Library are groups of citizens who work closely with the Board of Trustees to promote knowledge of and support for the Library. The first council to be created by the Board, in 1949, was the Women's Council, now...
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The Councils of the New York Public Library are groups of citizens who work closely with the Board of Trustees to promote knowledge of and support for the Library. The first council to be created by the Board, in 1949, was the Women's Council, now called the Council. Membership in it is by invitation of its own executive committee and numbered about 500 in the late 1960s. In 1975 membership was extended to men, occasioning the group's change of name. The Council organizes library tours and lectures for its members and was involved in the restoration of the Central Building. The other councils are: the Advisory Council established by the Board in the 1970s to provide assistance with fund raising, and the Branch Library Council which generates support for the Branch Libraries and their programs. Records consist of memoranda, program announcements, and related materials pertaining to the activities of The Council, the Advisory Council and the Branch Library Council.
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New York Public Library. Research Libraries. Director's Office
New York Public Library Archives | MssArc 5115
.2 cubic foot
Paul North Rice (1888-1967) began working at the New York Public Library in 1914 and held various positions including Chief of the Preparation Division from 1820 to 1927. After serving as Director of the New York University Libraries, he was Chief...
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Paul North Rice (1888-1967) began working at the New York Public Library in 1914 and held various positions including Chief of the Preparation Division from 1820 to 1927. After serving as Director of the New York University Libraries, he was Chief (Director) of the Reference Department at the New York Public Library from 1937 to 1953 and then Librarian of Wesleyan University from 1953 to 1956. Records consist of Rice's subject files from 1938 to 1953, including correspondence dealing with topics such as student use of the Library, defense measures during World War II, statistics, and personal matters. Some Rice materials are included in the records of James W. Henderson.
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