New York Society Library

The Oldest Library in New York City

As I'm catching up on various visits, travels, and reports, I thought I'd only provide minimal commentary on places that had substantive and informative websites, for example. Today's post is about the old library in NYC, the New York Society Library, which the New York Area Theological Library Association (NYATLA) visited on its January excursion. Founded in 1754 the NY Society Library is an extraordinary find in the city's hustle and bustle, and something that is part of its cultural and historical fabric. Now located on Manhattan's upper east side, the library is somewhat tucked away, not far from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We had a fine day, touring with the lovely staff around the library and learning a great deal of its history. Below are images from our meeting and presentations that were giving of the rare collections that day. A coda to this story is that if this weren't enough of a splendid day, on the way home, a colleague and I walked by Woody Allen on the way to the bus. But I'd say that the library was surely more exciting for the group to experience than a momentary flash of the bashful director. Who said books were boring!?