Day 4 - Wow...that's not just a library.

OK.  I have to admit.  Checking out the local libraries might not seem very interesting or exciting but maybe you haven’t seen the New York City Public Library Stephan A Schwatzman Building….or maybe you have.  It’s exterior has been featured in countless photos, movies and television shows.  The one that stands out to me the most is the Sex in the City movie.  It’s the grand venue that Carrie Bradshaw (lead character) planed to celebrate her elaborate NY wedding.

As I walked up the same steps she walked up in that scene with blissful anticipation I was moved by the massive structure of the columns and the archways.  Considering this building is over 100 years old (opened in 1911 after taking 16 years to build), I was in awe of what it must have taken to erect such a beautiful structure.  I looked up some info.  The marble facing on the front of the building is over 12” thick.  Just the cornerstone (which contains a time capsule of photos and papers) weighs 7.5 tons!  Imagine the manpower it took to put in place.  In all it cost $29million to build which is about $500million today.  Whew!

Inside the first thing I saw was the landing that Carrie stood on when she got the news that she was being no-showed.  That’s got to be bad karma…didn’t linger there long.  But it was a beautiful spot leading to the wide marble stairs that countless knowledge seekers have walked over the past century.  At the top of those stairs was ANOTHER flight of stairs…a pretty common thing in NYC…lots of stairs (I actually live at the top of a 4th floor walk up - a good friend of mine is getting ready to sign a lease for a 5th floor walk-up ;-0).  But just in between there’s a beautiful balcony overlooking the grand entrance that is lined with pictures and bits of historical facts about the library.  Definitely worth a read.

Up the next flight of stairs on the third floor I finally found the main reading room.  The ceilings alone are worth a days tour.  The artwork and the architecture give the space an art gallery feel.  I was the only one in there constantly looking up so I’m sure I was silently screaming “TOURIST…TOURIST!”.  No problem.  I hope I never start taking this dazzling room for granted.  I checked out some more fact.  The reading room is as long as 2 city blocks…really, 2 city block!  Amazing.

All of the furniture and light fixtures look exactly like the original photographs displayed in the balcony gallery so it felt a little like walking back in time.  But of course time has marched on so half of the room is now full of computers and docking stations.  In fact, the NYPL (there are actually over 40 branches just in Manhattan) is a great place to go if you want a beautiful, quiet place to work for an hour or a day (WiFi is free).  Today I got a guest pass for a library computer - that gave me 45 minutes to do my thing and move along.

Once my 45 minutes ran out I did run along to another branch for one more 45 minute fix and as luck would have it met a new friend named Omar.  When we’d exhausted our internet-link-to-the-world-quota we grabbed a quick coffee and Omar helped me expand the list of great free things to do in Manhattan.  Who says New York isn’t a friendly town?  Thanks Omar.  Good luck with your project.