125 Years of The New York Public Library

For 95 years, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has preserved, protected, and fostered a greater understanding of the Black experience through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and scholarship. In response to the uprisings across the globe demanding justice for Black lives, the Schomburg Center has created a Black Liberation Reading List. The titles on the list represent books we and the public turn to regularly as activists, students, archivists, and curators, with a particular focus on books by Black authors and those whose papers we steward. (Download the list.)

• For Adults: Explore the List
• For Teens: Explore the List
• For Kids: Explore the List

As the 19th Amendment turns 100, The New York Public Library reflects on the history of suffrage and feminism with the publication of NYPL’s Essential Reads on Feminism for adults, teens, and kids.

Discover the list and explore the Library's resources on feminism through its Digital Collections, research guides, online databases, and huge catalog of books, e-books, and more.

As New Yorkers prepare for Election Day on November 3, the Library is proud to present its 2020 Election Reading List. The books on this list illuminate voting issues including healthcare, education, climate change, and foreign policy, and explore subjects including political polarization, the media, and movements toward greater justice and socioeconomic equity. Make an informed decision. Read as if your vote depends on it.

We’re experiencing a pivotal moment in our history right now—and we want to hear and preserve your story.

The Pandemic Diaries Project invites you to submit, via an online form, audio recordings of yourself or your loved ones telling personal stories about life amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New York we know and love is one click away: cabs honking, pigeons cooing, bike messengers whizzing by, strangers gossiping, the hum of a local library. Anywhere you are can now become the city—all you need is Missing Sounds of New York, The New York Public Library’s new album.

Since its founding in 1895, The New York Public Library has been a source of inspiration and strength for all. Here's a look back at some of the Library's important moments.

As the world has changed, our lions have been there to see it—all while remaining steadfast symbols for what the Library represents: a source of inspiration and strength for all.