After the fact I realized I should have snapped photos. As I said to a friend, 'if I was shooting a…read moremovie with scenes in a classic library, it would be here." Originating in 1893 as the parish library of St. Agnes Chapel, the library ultimately became part of the NY Public Library System. In 1906 the library was established as we know it, on Amsterdam Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets. (It was originally ten blocks north.) Industrialist Andrew Carnegie donated funds to build public libraries through the city's five boroughs, which is how this building came to be. The library's architects were Babb, Cook and Willard who also designed the Carnegie mansion. (I recently visited the Cooper Hewitt which is housed in the mansion. Terrific museum! Beautiful building!) The library hosts a film series in its third-floor community room, which is why I was there. (Saturday's movie was "Harold and Maude" -- a classic dark comedy from the 1970s.) To my surprise, the library supplied free snacks, water bottles and chair cushions. It was a very comfortable and pleasant afternoon. This appears to be an active branch well-used by neighborhood residents. A wonderful NYC resource!

One of the Carnegie Branch libraries spread throughout the city. Spacious and beautiful building…read more Ample selection of books and media. As appropriate the library is kept clean and quiet even when it gets crowded . Lines for checkout move quickly. Children's section on ground floor can get very busy with toddlers / parents / nanny's during school hours. Lots of events held here. Check their calendar online.

This is a smaller branch but the staff are very kind and knowledgeable. They have great programming…read moreparticularly for young adults. They are a vital part of the Upper West Side.

The Bloomingdale branch is better than ever! This is the…read morefirst time I've been back since the renovation. I didn't go to the second floor where the Children's section and the restrooms are so I can't speak on them. But I hope they added stalls to that weird Ladies restroom. There was WAY too much room to only have a single toilet. The big change on the first floor is the new Teen room. The main area is so much quieter now. Not that the kids were ever rowdy, it's just that it's impossible for any group of teens to keep to library standards of quiet. I came to print out some documents (my Epson gave up the ghost) and to renew my library card. NYPL cards expire every 3 years. I only realized mine had expired when I tried to use the kanopy app, which is a collection of films you can use your library card to view. My timing was great because there's a limited edition card celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop. It's a fantastic looking card. Much better than the Queens Library one in my opinion. It was my first time using the printer here. There are various rates according to size and media but a regular 8"x11" black & white page is 20¢ each. The process isn't too confusing but if you need help a librarian will be happy to help you. There's a time limit on the computers and you're able to make a reservation at the screen next to the printer. I only needed the 15 min. limit computer so I was in and out fast. The hours are great. They're open until 7pm Mon-Thurs, 5pm Fri-Sat, closed on Sunday. I love the NY Public Library. It's the absolute best.

What a fun and unique library right next to Lincoln Center and the Julliard school. I had a very…read morepleasant experience during my visit. There was security at the entrance and it was easy to manage. On the lower levels of the library there is a very interesting magician exhibit, with real artifacts from Houdini, Kellar, and other notable magic performers. Such a fun spot to spend 30 minutes or so reading about the history of the magic community. The library even gave out free postcards at this exhibit. Cute! On a higher level of the library, you can make an appointment or walk in to watch, original tapings of musicals and movies. I did not do this during my visit, but my friend signed up to enjoy the original taping of Wicked in the future. Although they take walk-ins for this, it is best to make an appointment in advance in case they are busy.

This is a wonderful haven for study and experience and enjoyment I have been watching old operas…read moreand plays on good quality monitors. There are plenty of DVDs and CD's in general circulation. Great for free home entertainment. A very friendly and helpful staff. The video room staff is great. I'm sure the other departments are too. They have many live performances and events as well. Plenty of indoor and outdoor space for lounging. Just a great place to discover after many years in the city

2/18/2026 4 floors of history the lamps, silver, makeshift…read morerooms. Art fills the walls with descriptions in more than one way. Pick up an old school phone or headphones and hear historic figures, sit in the Oval Office and make a call. New York's first museum holds so much. Very clean and colorful it was a great visit on a cold day. Bathroom rating: 5/5

Great museum! Diverse content for all to enjoy. Great for all ages and multiple levels with…read morebathrooms. Clean and definitely worth a visit.

Pretty small branch of the NYPL located in the Upper West Side. I think the main highlight is the…read morekid's library on the 2nd floor. The main floor is pretty small. I wasn't really here to read library books, but rather get a little bit of work done. There are a few tables, but do be warned that there are no outlets to charge your laptops or your phones. For that, you have to go to one of the larger libraries in Midtown. Wasn't the biggest of deals as I merely used the stop to get some cool air, of which there was plenty. But if you need to study or read books (without needing to be on the laptop), this isn't a bad alternative.

I sat in the back near the magazines because the front door where the desk is, in fits and starts,…read morequite noisy. I ended up with my back to the magazine rack, at the end of the space, facing front. After an hour, someone loudly stomped over, plopped down facing me, shaking the table, plopped down a laptop and actually threw her phone down onto the table. I thought it was an angry male teenager but when I finally peeked up, it was a young woman with long straight hair wearing a sweatshirt with the logo from the U of Penn, ironically, where the killer caught today is from. I put on my earbuds and pretended to be listening to something on my own laptop, but it was just to plug up my ears, and as her friend joined, they proceeded to noisily engage in a mutual tutoring session. At one point, a woman from the next table turned to them, and I didn't hear what she said, but these two "elite" young women started laughing uproariously. Throughout the hour I sat there, one or the other of them regularly turned to look behind them at that woman whose back was usually turned to them, anxious to be glared at again. They laughed each time, pantomiming a glare at no one, just for show. I ignored them but I was in shock. I finally moved tables, and believe it or not, could still hear them from way across the room. They were studying for medical school, it seemed, and I hope I don't live long enough to experience them at another kind of table. A library, with a monitor who patrols the floor but says nothing with regard to noise is such a disappointment. The homeless people there were perfectly quiet, I might add. That's probably what the monitor is told to police. I expect the occasional whisper or text between table-mates, but this is my local library, where I, myself, want to read or even study, in peace. Not too much to ask for, is it? At a library?

The library is beautiful and majestic and I'm glad we visited during our trip. We didn't plan to…read morecome here but we were nearby at Bryant Park and decided to walk in. The library and exhibits are free to enter. For it being free I thought it would be way more crowded but it was manageable. It's really opulent inside and so beautiful, I loved watching all the wedding photoshoots going one. I bought recommend going to the top floor to see the mural on the ceiling. The best part was cooling down in the building LOL. Would def come back next time we're in New York.

I finally toured the NYPL Schwartzman Building last weekend after having it on my to do list for…read more... years? I'm so glad I finally made it! Also known as the Main Branch or just the New York Public Library, it's the flagship building for the library system. It was built after the New York Public Library was formed as a public-private partnership with two private libraries. The building opened to the public on May 23, 1911. The building was designed in the Beaux-Arts style, and it's gorgeous. The library offers docent-led building tours Monday through Saturday at 11am and 2pm. You book tickets online, and they release tickets every Sunday for the week ahead. You meet in the Visitor Center on the first floor for a one-hour tour. The tour was great. You learn about the history of the building and the library and then are taken by the docent to several beautiful areas of the library. The building is huge, and I really appreciated a guided tour which takes you to the highlights of the building. I'm not sure I would have found all the spaces on my own, and the architecture is worth it. They also have a permanent exhibit which highlights items from their research collections: "The Polonsky Exhibition of the New York Public Library's Treasures." Unfortunately, the exhibit was closed for a bit of time to change out some of the items on display (March 12-20, 2026) and that meant I couldn't visit the exhibit when I was there. They also have a gift shop. The docent who led my tour (Athena) was great, and I really enjoyed my tour of the library. I'll be back again for the Polonsky exhibit and a walk around on my own!

The staff here is absolutely lovely although the air conditioner was not working the day that we…read moreare here. Everyone is knowledgeable. It is clean very kid friendly. They had Lego time and wish they invited all the children. The books are organized, though limited selection.

Compact multi-floor public library located in Morning Side Heights. the library feels a bit oldish…read morebut is well-maintained for a public library. this is very much a neighborhood library--filled with residents and students at most times. the library was fairly quiet yet busy with people. libraries are really the only indoor common spaces left in nyc that people in any borough can enjoy. nypl makes it so easy to borrow books and other media that there's no excuse not to feed your mind.

New York Public Library on East 96th is my home library. Over the years I've known many of the…read moreemployees. Some retired and one very special employee died recently. I feel at home here. They have activities for all ages. They have cool art on display. I like to reserve books online and pick them up here. There's no reason not to give them Five Stars!

Good place to study on the 3rd floor. Have charging outlets on the tables, and have a quiet zone…read more Didn't see any homeless people which is nice. Still always be careful of your surroundings. Wifi is free and easy to connect to. Only bad thing is the people that work here. So rude and not helpful. I didn't know you were not allowed to eat fruit at the library and was asked if I needed a copy of the rules... how about just telling me nicely to put my food away? This is a huge turn off from coming here since I usually bring snacks with me to study as I study pretty much from 9-5 pm every day as a medical student. I guess if I want to eat any sort of food I would have to do it someplace else.

The first two times I went here in biting cold, the place was closed due to some reasons not listed…read moreon website or Google. Third time I got lucky. The librarians inside are some of the warmest people I met in my entire life. Not fake politeness, but genuine niceness. Especially the elderly man at the counter on ground floor. Everyone was extremely helpful and made me feel welcome for living in Weehawken. Guess what, they also let me check out 2 books on the day I went. At any time, with a library card one can check out as many as 56 books. The view from the library windows upstairs is great. This might be a great spot for studying. But honestly, book collection wise this library branch is not great, but 100 points for looking like Hogwarts.

Lovely atmosphere, considerate staff, in an architectural landmark. Not many foreign language books…read moreor translated books though.

My kids love Rh library and they were very accommodating. They often spend hours exploring the…read moreshelves, lost in the world of books. The staff knows them by name and always have great recommendations. On weekends, we attend storytime sessions, where the kids can listen to their favorite tales and even participate in fun activities. It's become our favorite family outing, and I've noticed their reading skills improving immensely. The library has truly become a second home for us, filled with adventures waiting to be discovered.

Updated 2025 Books, Recommended Request On Popular Books & Resources Is Known With Staff To Get…read moreHelp With Classes & Events.