NYPL Wire–The New York Public Library

May 16

Today in History Coney Island’s Luna Park in opened today in 1903. This photo was taken shortly after the park opened, in 1907 (Courtesy of NYPL Digital Gallery.) DId you know that NYPL teamed up with Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to create a beer fit for a Founding Father – a porter based on George Washington’s handwritten “small beer” recipe, which can be found in the Library’s extensive collections. What’s your favorite Coney Island attraction?

Today in History

Coney Island’s Luna Park in opened today in 1903. This photo was taken shortly after the park opened, in 1907 (Courtesy of NYPL Digital Gallery.)


DId you know that NYPL teamed up with Coney Island Brewing Company in Brooklyn to create a beer fit for a Founding Father – a porter based on George Washington’s handwritten “small beer” recipe, which can be found in the Library’s extensive collections.

What’s your favorite Coney Island attraction?

May 15

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You can sharpen your pencil AND you can sharpen your mind at NYPL’s Baychester Library. (Yes, this is one of their pencil sharpeners) They even have a chess program for the kids! Now that takes some serious mental sharpening! Visit this photograph at the exhibition, Reading Room at Mid-Manhattan Library, stop by Baychester Library for some interesting chess play, or you can just stop by your local branch and sign a letter to let the City know how awesome your library is. (That concludes the PSA portion of this post)

You can sharpen your pencil AND you can sharpen your mind at NYPL’s Baychester Library. (Yes, this is one of their pencil sharpeners) They even have a chess program for the kids! Now that takes some serious mental sharpening!

Visit this photograph at the exhibition, Reading Room at Mid-Manhattan Library, stop by Baychester Library for some interesting chess play, or you can just stop by your local branch and sign a letter to let the City know how awesome your library is. (That concludes the PSA portion of this post)

May 14

“He thought her beautiful, believed her impeccably wise; dreamed of her, wrote poems to her, which, ignoring the subject, she corrected in red ink.” —

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (published May 14, 1925)

Today’s a good day to correct with red ink or buy flowers yourself… or re-visit an old classic like Mrs. Dalloway. Or if you’d like to learn more about the inimitable author, visit the Library’s Berg Collection, which is a lovely spot to learn a great deal about English and American Literature. In any event, have a perfectly Dalloway day!

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May 13

Solomom J. Solomon, a British painter, is best known for his dramatic, theatrical scenes from mythology and the biblical context. Ironically, Solomon painted these scenes out of pure enjoyment. He mainly painted portraits to make ends meet.  NYPL has a great selection of works about Solomon’s work if you are interested in learning more about his style of art.  Happy Mustache Monday! (Image: NYPL Digital Gallery.)

Solomom J. Solomon, a British painter, is best known for his dramatic, theatrical scenes from mythology and the biblical context. Ironically, Solomon painted these scenes out of pure enjoyment. He mainly painted portraits to make ends meet. 

NYPL has a great selection of works about Solomon’s work if you are interested in learning more about his style of art. 

Happy Mustache Monday!

(Image: NYPL Digital Gallery.)

May 12

In 1940, Alice Bowen (right) was the oldest mother to attend the World’s Fair Mother’s Day ceremonies. Then 93, Bowen had seven children, 17 grand-children, four great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren! NYPL wishes all the mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day! [Image: NYPL Digital Gallery.]

In 1940, Alice Bowen (right) was the oldest mother to attend the World’s Fair Mother’s Day ceremonies. Then 93, Bowen had seven children, 17 grand-children, four great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren!

NYPL wishes all the mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day!

[Image: NYPL Digital Gallery.]

Need we say more? Nah, we think this 1899 sheet music from our Library for the Performing Arts pretty much covers it. Don’t forget your mother, and Happy Mother’s Day to all! 

Need we say more? Nah, we think this 1899 sheet music from our Library for the Performing Arts pretty much covers it. Don’t forget your mother, and Happy Mother’s Day to all! 

May 11

Here is an image just purrrfect for a Mother’s Day edition of Caturday - it’s a 1907 Beatrix Potter illustration from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection showing a feline mother doing what moms do: taking care of her baby (in this case, Tom Kitten). Happy Mother’s Day (and happy Caturday) to all! By the way, need a last-minute Mother’s Day gift? Check out our Library Shop!

Here is an image just purrrfect for a Mother’s Day edition of Caturday - it’s a 1907 Beatrix Potter illustration from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection showing a feline mother doing what moms do: taking care of her baby (in this case, Tom Kitten). Happy Mother’s Day (and happy Caturday) to all! By the way, need a last-minute Mother’s Day gift? Check out our Library Shop!

May 10

Pick your magazine poison, courtesy of New Amsterdam Library’s collection of magazines. But, of course that’s not all that is available at the Library. Books, magazines, DVDs, programming, workshops, educational classes… all are available at the Library. And it’s a great place to simply enjoy your neighborhood.  Support your local library and speak out against the $47 million budget that’s been proposed for NYPL. We need your help!

Pick your magazine poison, courtesy of New Amsterdam Library’s collection of magazines. But, of course that’s not all that is available at the Library. Books, magazines, DVDs, programming, workshops, educational classes… all are available at the Library. And it’s a great place to simply enjoy your neighborhood. 

Support your local library and speak out against the $47 million budget that’s been proposed for NYPL. We need your help!