new york public library

i love me a good novel. so naturally i love to see bookshelves all aligned with those lovely paper and hardbacks.
nyc has a library system worthy of its masses.
within a half mile of our house there are 3 different libraries. (87 branches in nyc total)
the big kahuna is on 5th ave and 42nd street.
nypl has the 2nd largest collection in the united states (1st being the library of congress) and 3rd largest in the world.
almost 53 million items circulate through this system-
1 of the 48 surviving copies of the gutenberg bible and the first one in the United States is owned by the library.
founded in 1895 it has all the glamour of the day
and with historical contributors like john astor and andrew carnegie nothing was too grandiose.
here are some pictures of this historic building

the lions at the front have had a few name changes

initially: leo astor and leo lenox (in honor of the founders)

later: lord astor and lady lenox (although both lions....)

today: patience and fortitude- changed in the 1930s; in similitude of the two attributes they deemed necessary to overcome the great depression (my favorite)

**fortitude pictured below**

mary's thrown arrival

here is patience the lion

if you have the time this is a nice addition to a nyc visit.
you find yourself looking up as much as you do when you're outside.
they just don't make buildings like this anymore... and it's a shame.
my love of novels has increased due to such fine architecture.
here's hoping your love deepens too.
happy reading.