New York Society Library

New York Society Library Founded in 1754, New York City's oldest library is a thriving community of readers, writers, and families. See nysoclib.org for more details.

We are open to all for reading, reference, and many events. Founded in 1754, we are the city’s oldest library and a thriving community of readers, writers, and families. The Library is open to all for reading, reference, exhibitions, and many events, with circulation and other services by subscription. Our landmark building houses roughly 300,000 volumes, reading rooms, study spaces, a children’s library, and an exhibition gallery. The Library is a not-for-profit organization supported in part by tax-deductible contributions.

The Library will be closed Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7 for Labor Day weekend. Otherwise, we’re ope...
09/04/2026

The Library will be closed Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7 for Labor Day weekend. Otherwise, we’re open for regular hours starting Tuesday, September 8.

The Library IS open today before the long weekend! Come spend a little time at the Library, from browsing the books and stacks to exploring our current exhibition (Collective Witness: A Library for a Young Country), to visiting and spending time in our beautiful rooms. 📚

Not a member? We offer day passes and a range of membership tiers. Stop by the front desk to learn more!

Or, if today doesn’t work, we’ll see you when we reopen. Our event season resumes next week!

We hope to see you soon and wish you a wonderful weekend.

Happy Labor Day weekend! 🏙️

We mourn the loss of Gloria Steinem, acclaimed journalist, writer, activist, and trailblazer whose work helped shape the...
09/03/2026

We mourn the loss of Gloria Steinem, acclaimed journalist, writer, activist, and trailblazer whose work helped shape the feminist movement in the United States. She founded the Gloria’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to activism and feminist advocacy from the past to the future, across the world.

📍 Stack 7 📖

Our hearts are heavy with the loss of many icons, and with all that our communities are carrying right now. Community matters more than ever, and so does remembering the voices that helped shape our world.

Historian, writer, and tour guide Keith Taillon came by the Library and signed our copy of “Walking New York: Manhattan ...
08/27/2026

Historian, writer, and tour guide Keith Taillon came by the Library and signed our copy of “Walking New York: Manhattan History on Foot” (Quadrille, Penguin Books)! 📚🗽

If you’re interested in NYC history, walking tours, and so much more, we recommend giving him a follow.

We at the New York Society Library are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Johanna Fernández, a distinguished hi...
08/05/2026

We at the New York Society Library are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Johanna Fernández, a distinguished historian, activist, and champion of Latinx history. Thank you to our friends at the The Graduate Center, CUNY for sharing the sad yet important news.

A true trailblazer, her 2020 New York City Book Award-winning work, “The Young Lords: A Radical History”, offered a powerful and definitive account of the Young Lords and their fight for justice, ensuring their legacy will continue to inspire generations.

We only wish we had known her better. Her passing is a profound loss, and our hearts are with all who knew and loved her.

May we continue to support her work and those who will follow her.

📍 Stack 3 📖

Wednesday musing 💭 What would you search for in the card catalog? (Yes, our card catalog is still actively used to this ...
07/29/2026

Wednesday musing 💭

What would you search for in the card catalog? (Yes, our card catalog is still actively used to this day!)

How many books would you stack on this table-like drawer? 📚

Tell us in the comments below! 👇🏼

Too hot to work from home? We got you! ☀️Escape the heat and settle into our spacious workspace (The Hornblower Room, 5t...
07/02/2026

Too hot to work from home? We got you! ☀️

Escape the heat and settle into our spacious workspace (The Hornblower Room, 5th floor) to tackle your project, research dive, or enjoy a productive change of scenery. You can connect with fellow members along the way! 💻

Not a member yet? We offer day passes, and our Reference Room is open and free to the public.
Visit us, cool off, and discover your new favorite place to work, learn, and create. Stay cool and don’t forget to drink some water! ✨📚


staycoolstayproductive librarylife

of TODAY’S EVENT! Widely acclaimed storyteller Greg Sarris will host a panel to discuss his latest novel, THE LAST HUM...
06/22/2026

of TODAY’S EVENT! Widely acclaimed storyteller Greg Sarris will host a panel to discuss his latest novel, THE LAST HUMAN BEAR, at the New York Society Library, in conversation with Sylvia L. White, Vice President of the distinguished Harlem Writers Guild and a multifaceted writer.

Our local indie bookstore The Corner Bookstore dropped off books for the book sale!

Join us at 6 PM TONIGHT - virtual or onsite. 📚💬
Linktree has the details. See you soon!!

Just a quick moment with the card catalog. 📚 Did you know that our card catalog is still active?
05/21/2026

Just a quick moment with the card catalog. 📚
Did you know that our card catalog is still active?

DID YOU KNOW? ✨We have a literary awards program called the New York City Book Awards, and it’s a big deal! Since 1995, ...
04/23/2026

DID YOU KNOW? ✨
We have a literary awards program called the New York City Book Awards, and it’s a big deal!
Since 1995, we have celebrated standout books that capture the spirit, complexity, and history of New York City. These voices are shaping how we see the city.📚

The winning authors will be honored at a ceremony at the Library soon. Mark your calendars: Monday, May 11, 2026 🗓️.

Our 2025-2026 Winners (and show them some love in the comments)🏆📖:
The Hornblower Award for a First Book: Alexander Wood, “Building the Metropolis: Architecture, Construction, and Labor in New York City, 1880-1935” (The University of Chicago Press)

Bench Ansfield, “Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City” (W.W. Norton & Company)

“Patrick Dougher, “Concrete Dreamland: Coming of Age in Underground New York” (Little, Brown and Company)

David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan, “City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island” (NYU Press)

Elon Green, “The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York” (Celadon Books)

A town shaped by its past.A mystery unfolding in the present.Discover a powerful new thriller in which a grieving archiv...
04/16/2026

A town shaped by its past.
A mystery unfolding in the present.

Discover a powerful new thriller in which a grieving archivist uncovers a connection between modern-day disappearances and centuries-old witch trials in THE DAUGHTERS by (Author of THE BEQUEST).

Join us for this captivating hybrid lecture, and for your next read! There will be a book sale by our local indie bookstore .

🗓️ Monday, January 20
📍 Hybrid event (in person and online)
🎟️ Open to the public (ticket required). LinkTree has the details.

Address

53 E 79th Street
New York, NY
10075

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

(212) 288-6900

Website

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