425 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10011
212-243-4334
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10 AM–8 PM
Regular Hours
Day Hours
Monday 10 AM–8 PM
Tuesday 10 AM–8 PM
Wednesday 10 AM–8 PM
Thursday 10 AM–8 PM
Friday 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday 10 AM–5 PM
Sunday CLOSED
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Discover all the Library has to offer! Visit your local branch for books, Wi-Fi, computers, classes, stimulating and entertaining programs, and much more for all ages. 

Did you know? The Library no longer charges late fines! Find out more and plan your visit. 

Please note: Due to new Library policy, e-bikes, e-scooters, and electronic transportation devices are not permitted inside any NYPL location. This does not apply to mobility aids.

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About the Library

Interior view of Jefferson Market Library

Originally a courthouse, the Jefferson Market Library has served the Greenwich Village community for over forty years. The building, a New York City landmark, was designed by architects Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux (who also assisted in the design of Central Park) in a Victorian Gothic style. It was erected—along with an adjacent prison and market—between 1875 and 1877 and cost the city almost $360,000. What the city got for its money, in addition to an architectural gem—voted one of the ten most beautiful buildings in America by a poll of architects in the 1880s—was a civil court on the second floor, now the Adult Reading Room, and a police court, now the first-floor Children's Room. The beautiful brick-arched basement, now the Reference Room, was used as a holding area for prisoners on their way to jail or trial. Scattered about the building were offices and chambers, and looming a hundred feet above ground was the firewatcher's tower. The tower, still intact, commands an uninterrupted view of Greenwich Village, and houses the bell that would summon volunteer firemen.

Learn more about this location Learn about capital construction projects at this location