The New York Public Library's New Mulberry Street Branch Opens May 21

New Public Library is First Branch in the SoHo Neighborhood

Stylish Subterranean Library Mixes Modern Wood and Metal Finishes with Original 1886 Brick and Cast Iron

Soaring cast iron columns, dramatically lit underground vaults, brick archways, and massive wood beams are among the original architectural features that form a historic framework for The New York Public Library’s striking new $6.1 million Mulberry Street Branch Library, opening Monday, May 21 at 3 p.m. Located in SoHo at 10 Jersey Street, between Mulberry and Lafayette, the library fills the ground floor and two underground levels of an 1886 building that was formerly home to the Hawley & Hoops candy factory. The space has been renovated to accommodate a wide range of library resources, including extensive collections and an advanced infrastructure for library technology. The public is invited to join City Council Member Alan J. Gerson; former City Council Member and current Judge Kathryn Freed; and The New York Public Library’s President Dr. Paul LeClerc to celebrate the opening of the new facility.

The Mulberry Street Branch is The New York Public Library’s 40th branch library in Manhattan and 87th within the NYPL system. Designed by Rogers Marvel Architects, the 12,000 square-foot, three-level library has an extensive collection of 32,655 adult, young adult, and children’s books, DVDs, audio recordings, and other resources including 28 public access computers, wireless Internet access, and a user-friendly self-checkout station. In addition to English, the library also offers a selection of books in Chinese, Spanish, and Italian.

“The SoHo neighborhood was historically one of industrial and manufacturing use,” said Library President Paul LeClerc. “As it evolved into a residential area, a need for library service developed, and we are pleased to offer a striking new branch, flavored with history, yet rich in the latest library resources. We are grateful to Mayor Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Borough President Scott Stringer, Council Member Gerson, and former Council Member Freed for providing the support that has allowed us to build this new branch.”

Large single-pane windows on the library’s ground floor provide both a source of bright natural light and a view of the surrounding neighborhood, including a historic cemetery and a chapel adjacent to Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, located across Mulberry Street. The ground level offers collections of new nonfiction and literary fiction, popular fiction, periodicals, DVDs, compact discs, and recorded books. The Library's circulation desk and cushioned bench seating along the window walls are also located on the ground floor.

A dramatic stairway leads down to Lower Level One, which features resources for children, including books, computers, reading areas and a story hour space. As a design feature, the Library has lit the vaulted area outside the lower level windows, providing a rare subterranean view. There also is an opening that provides an elevated perspective of the expansive adult reading area on the next level down.

Lower Level Two features resources for teenagers, including dedicated areas for reading and computer user. The adult reading room on the same level holds the library's collections of adult fiction and nonfiction and provides a comfortable and welcoming location for reading and study. The room is 49 feet in length, with 20 foot ceilings and three large cast iron columns. This level also features a community room for library events and use by neighborhood groups.

"We welcome the community to our new library," said Jennifer Craft, who as Supervising Librarian will oversee the operations of the branch. "We offer resources for every age and every interest, and we want the community to know that we are here to help them with their needs for information and other resources. Whether for recreational reading, story hours, homework projects, job information, or internet access, among many other services, there is something for everyone here in our beautiful new branch."

Branch Hours
The Mulberry Street Branch will be open Mondays, 12 noon to 8:00 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Fridays, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Library will be closed on Sundays and Wednesdays.

About The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 with the consolidation of the private libraries of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox with the Samuel Jones Tilden Trust. The Library provides free and open access to its physical and electronic collections and information, as well as to its services. It comprises four research centers – The Humanities and Social Sciences Library; The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; and the Science, Industry and Business Library – and 87 Branch Libraries in Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Research and circulating collections combined total more than 50 million items, including materials for the visually impaired. In addition, each year the Library presents thousands of exhibitions and public programs, which include classes in technology, literacy, and English as a second language. The New York Public Library serves over 15 million patrons who come through its doors annually and another 21 million users internationally, who access collections and services through the NYPL website, www.nypl.org.

The Mulberry Street Branch Library was generously funded by:  The City of New York:  Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor; Christine C. Quinn, City Council Speaker; Scott M. Stringer, Manhattan Borough President; and Alan J. Gerson, City Council Member.

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Contact :             Gayle Snible  212.592.7700            |             gsnible@nypl.org

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