Class Descriptions (A-Z) for
the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
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"This is the Beat Generation" [check scheduled dates]
Description: In a 1952 New York Times article, John Clellon Holmes introduced the term “Beat Generation” and defined beat as “a sort of nakedness of mind, and, ultimately, of soul; a feeling of being reduced to the bedrock of consciousness…. A man is beat whenever he goes for broke and wagers the sum of his resources on a single number.” This class takes a closer look at this circle of writers who went for broke and explores the possibilities of researching their history.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Authentication and Appraisal: What You Need to Know [check scheduled dates]
Description: A professional appraisal of a fine or decorative art object involves examination, identification, and marketplace comparison, so that a fair market value can be placed on the object in question. This class explains and demystifies this process, and describes useful resources.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
CANCELLED!! Virtual Newsstand [check scheduled dates]
Description: This class has been cancelled. It will be offered again on January 24 at 2:15 p.m.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
CANCELLED!!! Investigating New York City Architecture! [check scheduled dates]
Description: This class will be offered again on January 31 at 3:15 p.m.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
CANCELLED!!! Preservation 101 [check scheduled dates]
Description: Preservation 101 has been cancelled.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
CANCELLED!!! Road Maps [check scheduled dates]
Description: This class has been Cancelled.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Computer Lab [check scheduled dates]
Description: Get the most out of using the Library's numerous databases and e-resources. A New York Public Library staff member will be on hand to answer your questions and assist with your research. This lab is self-paced and hands-on. You may stay for the whole session, or just stop in for a quick search.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Cooked Books [check scheduled dates]
Description: Explore the delicious world of all things culinary at the New York Public Library.
The Library’s cookery collection is vast and interdisciplinary. In this class we will investigate sources in the Library, around the city, and on the web. Rebecca Federman’s popular blog covers cookbooks and graphics, restaurants and recipes, and arcane culinary history.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Decoding the Art Market [check scheduled dates]
Description: Acquaint yourself with the tools used in the art market for the identification and valuation of fine and decorative art. Become familiar with reference books and databases in the field including biographical dictionaries, auction sale indexes, and catalogues raisonnés. You will learn how to search and interpret auction records while accessing auction catalogs here at the Library.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Digital Americana [check scheduled dates]
Description: Did you know that almost all books printed in America from 1639 to 1819 are now available in digital format? Many American newspapers and magazines from this period are also available, and searchable, as electronic facsimiles. Scholars and other researchers can now consult previously difficult-to-obtain and little-studied historical documents at workstations throughout the Library.
Learn how to search and explore newly developed resources such as Early American Imprints, Series I, Evans (1639–1800) and Series II, Shaw and Shoemaker (1801–1819); Early American Newspapers (1690–1876); and the American Periodical Series Online (1740–1900), which together provide a world of authoritative documentation for the study of all aspects of early American culture.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Digital Gotham [check scheduled dates]
Description: Did you know that you can search thousands of images and photographs of “old” New York City for free from your PC? This class will introduce you to a myriad of online resources, many of which are available from your own desktop. From digitized newspapers, magazines, and books to passenger lists, menus, and maps, come discover New York City history through a computer.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Discovering Primary Sources at NYPL [check scheduled dates]
Description: Primary sources provide a researcher with firsthand evidence of historical events from the perspective of someone who was there. This class will provide an overview of how to proceed through the research process using primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. We will learn how to locate primary sources both here at NYPL and on the web.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Downloading with Confidence: eBooks, Music, Audio [check scheduled dates]
Description: Electronic books, music files, digital images, and audio programs—a wealth of resources await you on the Library’s website. In this hands-on training session, you will learn how to take advantage of new services that give you free access to new media—often from the comfort of your own home! Also, you will glimpse some recent exciting projects such as Google Books. Take this class to make the most of your Library card.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Egypt: A Cyber Journey [check scheduled dates]
Description: The Library’s Digital Gallery stores images of more than 650,000 primary sources. As part of an ongoing effort to make NYPL collections more accessible, Dr. Lundquist has compiled hundreds of images documenting archaeologists’ rediscovery of ancient Egypt to create the Library’s first-ever web-based publication, Egyptian Ideas About the Afterlife, Illustrated through 19th-century Prints and Photographs. Join us as Dr. Lundquist discusses this exciting time in human history, gives us an intimate look at the actual materials used in this groundbreaking publication, and shows us how these items have been given immortal form through digitization.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Eminent Domain: Contemporary Photography and the City [check scheduled dates]
Description: Join Stephen C. Pinson, Robert B. Menschel Curator of Photography, for a special gallery walk-through of the Library exhibition of which he is curator. Limited to 20 people; meet outside Gottesman Exhibition Hall on the first floor. Register in advance by e-mailing southcourt@nypl.org or by calling 212-930-9284.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
From Chaos to Clarity: The Life Cycle of an Archival Collection [check scheduled dates]
Description: What happens to manuscript and archival materials after they are donated to a library? Delving into one NYPL collection, this class examines the process by which family letters, diaries, photographs, and other documentary materials are arranged, described, and prepared for research. The Schwimmer-Lloyd Collection—letters and photographs of a group of pacifist women who traveled to Europe with Henry Ford’s 1915 Peace Expedition—is used as an illustration.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Haggadah 2.0 [check scheduled dates]
Description: In April 2005, the Library exhibition "I am the Rose" celebrated a gift from the Rose family of a three-volume 20th-century illuminated haggadah (see page XX for the Library’s annual exhibition of a selection from the Rose Haggadah). For over half a century the Roses have commissioned major artists to add their interpretations of the Exodus theme to the haggadah for the extended family's seder. This extraordinary family haggadah serves as a starting point for an exploration of the ways in which successive generations have used the haggadah, and now emerging technologies, as a vehicle to express a particular experience within the context of an enduring universal narrative.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Handmade: Then and Now [check scheduled dates]
Description: Are you an enthusiast of objects made by hand—from knitted goods to book arts, from home sewing to handmade paper? In this class you will learn more about the histories and cultures of the handmade. Jessica Pigza (www.nypl.org/blogs/handmade) shows you how NYPL’s books, magazines, and digital collections can inform and inspire you in your own handmade work.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Introduction to Literature Research [check scheduled dates]
Description: The study of literature requires not only the close examination of the texts, but also a thorough consideration of the history of their reception. This class explores the most up-to-date tools for literary research. Topics covered include specialty resources in poetry and fiction, essential databases of literary criticism, and online literature archives.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Investigating New York City Architecture [check scheduled dates]
Description: Researching the architecture of a building in New York City can be difficult and bewildering. This class will introduce print and online resources that can make this process less daunting and more productive. The collections of The New York Public Library will be emphasized, but important resources throughout the metropolitan area will also be introduced.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
New Tools in Map Research--reservations required [check scheduled dates]
Description:
This hands-on class will be taught in the newly renovated Map Division. Users will learn how to research antiquarian maps using traditional methods as well as new geographic information systems accessible only in the Map Division. You will learn about new tools to research the latest New York City property information, as well as how to make your own map using the latest G.I.S. software.
The class is limited to 6 people and will be held in the Map Division, Room 117. Please register before the class by e-mailing Training@nypl.org, or by calling (212) 930-9284.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Old Books, Rare Books [check scheduled dates]
Description: The Library has many resources to help you develop an appreciation for antiquarian books. This class will teach you about tools that will help you to determine if your books are rare, as well as techniques for finding out as much as you can about an old book before buying or selling it.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Preservation 101: Caring for Your Collections [check scheduled dates]
Description: In this class you will learn the best ways to care for books, photographs, papers, and other items in your personal collections. Learn what everyday objects are made of, how they age, why they break, and what you can do to keep them safe and in good repair. We will also debunk some of the common myths about preservation and make sure that you know what to look for in products and services.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Rare Books 101 [check scheduled dates]
Description: For bibliophiles and the intellectually curious, this class offers an inside look into the world of rare book libraries. How are collections formed? What kinds of materials do modern rare book libraries collect? How are these rare and sometimes priceless materials cared for? Using the collections of the Rare Book Division as a backdrop, you will explore topics of interest in the field of rare and antiquarian books. You will investigate some of the latest electronic information resources for conducting rare book–related research.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Research 101: The Basics [check scheduled dates]
Description: Learn the ins and outs of effective research at The New York Public Library. You'll find out how to use and interpret CATNYP, the online catalog of NYPL's Research Libraries, as well as how to search a variety of electronic databases in order to locate relevant journal articles and other types of information. The class covers skills and strategies that will enable you to find the information you need.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Research 102: Getting the Most Out of Online Databases [check scheduled dates]
Description: In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn hidden CATNYP tricks, such as how to limit and export your searches. You’ll also be assisted in exploring several of the more than 300 databases to which the Library subscribes. You’ll learn how to search with greater precision, and you’ll discover the astonishing range of information available.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Researching an Artist [check scheduled dates]
Description: Utilizing books, periodical articles, and biographical material, this class will provide a systematic approach to researching a well-known or obscure artist. In addition, the class will cover auction indexes for artist listings as well as ephemeral material.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Researching Asian-Americans [check scheduled dates]
Description: Discover the wide range of resources available in The Humanities and Social Sciences Library on the Asian-American experience. You'll find out how to use and interpret CATNYP, the on-line catalog of NYPL's Reserach Libraries, as well as a variety of on-line databases to locate information about both individuals and historic events across various disciplinary perspectives.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Researching Costume and Fashion History [check scheduled dates]
Description: The collection of fashion, costume, and dress materials at NYPL is one of the richest in the nation. The collection includes long runs of popular fashion magazines, as well as rare copies of prized eighteenth- and nineteenth-century publications. Important examples of plate and pattern books complement the extensive holdings of monographs and serials. This class will highlight the strengths of the collection and introduce research techniques ranging from use of the Research Libraries' online catalog and electronic server to image research.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Shakespeare: From Stratford-upon-Avon to the New York Public Library [check scheduled dates]
Description: Discover the world of William Shakespeare at The New York Public Library. Ponder the textual problems of the quartos and folios. Explore various beautiful and unusual illustrated editions of Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Experience Shakespearean research for the 21st century through the Library’s databases. Requirements: 1. A conviction that the plays of Shakespeare were written by Shakespeare. 2. A belief that the works of Shakespeare constitute one of the cornerstones of world literature.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Uncovering Your Roots: An Introduction to Genealogy Research [check scheduled dates]
Description: The Library boasts one of the country’s largest free public collections of genealogical tools. This introductory class will show you some of the key resources available. With the skills learned here, perhaps you’ll find the name of an ancestor on a passenger list from a ship that sailed into New York Harbor in the nineteenth century. Your search of historical census records may reveal the names of family members. You will acquire the knowledge to begin an engrossing lifelong project of research and exploration.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Virtual Newsstand: America's Newspapers Online [check scheduled dates]
Description: A wide range of historic newspapers and magazines—from the first, Publick Occurrences, published in Boston in 1690, to today's New York Times—is now available digitally and is fully searchable. Many illustrated periodicals from the 19th century are also available as well as contemporary popular magazines such as Vogue and Forbes. This hands-on survey class will provide researchers with the knowledge and basic skills to consult hundreds of titles to explore everything from Benjamin Franklin’s political commentary to 20th-century world events and last week’s restaurant reviews.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
Wanted Dead or Alive: An Introduction to Biographical Research [check scheduled dates]
Description: This hands-on class will introduce you to the wide variety of biographical resources available to New York Public Library users. We will trace the lives of two individuals to contrast ways of researching historical figures and ways of researching contemporary writers and thinkers.
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Prerequisite: Participation in all classes assumes a basic level of computer skill and experience.
