The New York Public Library To Offer Pop Up Reading Room Outside Iconic 42nd Street Building

AUGUST 4: The New York Public Library is kicking some of its key services to the curb this summer – and is inviting the public to take advantage.

For nearly two weeks in August, the Library will offer an outdoor reading room outside of its landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, located at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. 

“The Library Inside Out: Read Everywhere” will be open from Tuesday, August 5 until Friday, August 15, staffed by dedicated volunteers and offering wi-fi, books recommended by librarians, library card sign ups, and a seating. All readers are welcome in the space, which is being offered in partnership with Bryant Park Corporation and will be open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting.

“The New York Public Library is being used more than ever, with branches packed full of people enjoying our free and irreplaceable services," said NYPL President Tony Marx. "Why limit that vital work to within the walls of our libraries? This summer, we’re bringing a taste of what we offer outside to the public in midtown, with the picturesque backdrop of our beautiful landmark building as inspiration. We invite New Yorkers to take a break, take a seat, and pick up a book on Fifth Avenue.”

In addition to the services being offered, The Library Inside Out: Read Everywhere will also offer a photo tribute to the iconic public reading spaces of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, specifically the magnificent Rose Main Reading Room, located on the third floor of the central library and currently closed for an inspection. For updates on the status of that room, check out nypl.org/readingroomupdate.

The photo tribute will also display how the Library has brought reading outside of its branches throughout history – with book mobiles, for example, or during the Great Depression, when the 42nd Street building (with its free services) was so crowded that an outdoor reading room had to be added in Bryant Park to accommodate users.

In addition to the outdoor reading area, the Library is celebrating the power of reading online, with a social media campaign titled #IReadEverywhere. The Library is calling on the public to post photos of themselves on Twitter or Instagram reading in their favorite spots – whether it’s a library, a couch, a park bench, a beach, a restaurant, and so on. The photos (which should be tagged #IReadEverywhere) will hopefully inspire others to pick up a book and start their own adventures – wherever they are.

Media Contact:

Angela Montefinise |  angelamontefinise@nypl.org

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.