1. Today’s Caturday offering gives you three felines for the price of one (the price, as with everything at the Library, is, of course, free). This is a 1907 book illustration from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection by the one and only Beatrix Potter - who will be featured in an upcoming, amazing, free exhibition at the Library called The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter. It will open to the pubic on Friday, June 21 - be sure to come to our 42nd Street Library and check it out. A Beatrix Potter drawing will be in the show, along with recordings of E.B. White reading excerpts of Charlotte’s Web, a manuscript of The Secret Garden, the copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that Lewis Carroll gave to the woman who inspired the character, and much, much more. The exhibition explores children’s literature and why it has been - and continues to be - so important to individuals, and to society as a whole. So mark your calendars to June 21 - and happy Caturday!

    Today’s Caturday offering gives you three felines for the price of one (the price, as with everything at the Library, is, of course, free). This is a 1907 book illustration from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection by the one and only Beatrix Potter - who will be featured in an upcoming, amazing, free exhibition at the Library called The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter. It will open to the pubic on Friday, June 21 - be sure to come to our 42nd Street Library and check it out. A Beatrix Potter drawing will be in the show, along with recordings of E.B. White reading excerpts of Charlotte’s Web, a manuscript of The Secret Garden, the copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland that Lewis Carroll gave to the woman who inspired the character, and much, much more. The exhibition explores children’s literature and why it has been - and continues to be - so important to individuals, and to society as a whole. So mark your calendars to June 21 - and happy Caturday!

  2. Well, the weather here in New York City has been sort of terrible, so in honor of it raining CATS and dogs, here is chic 1922 French image from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection of a little cat, staring up at his well-dressed servant, who is standing statue-esque near an umbrella holder. It’s not the most direct connection, but it’s a connection, nonetheless (and the cat is super adorable). Happy Caturday, all. Stay dry!

    Well, the weather here in New York City has been sort of terrible, so in honor of it raining CATS and dogs, here is chic 1922 French image from our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection of a little cat, staring up at his well-dressed servant, who is standing statue-esque near an umbrella holder. It’s not the most direct connection, but it’s a connection, nonetheless (and the cat is super adorable). Happy Caturday, all. Stay dry!

  3. Come See This Cat’s Former Mom Speak About Her Book ‘Brain On Fire’ at NYPL

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    Happy Caturday! This Wednesday, June 5, journalist Susannah Cahalan - author of the renowned book “Brain on Fire” (which you can check out for free from NYPL) about her battle with an extremely rare (and unspeakably scary) autoimmune disease - will be at our Mid-Manhattan Library for a free talk about the illness, which drove a perfectly healthy woman temporarily mad. What does that have to do with Caturday, you ask? Well, this cat - Dusty - was Susannah’s cat at the time she got sick, and she appears in the book several times. Unfortunately, because of Susannah’s illness, Susannah couldn’t take care of her, so one of Susannah’s friends (who happens to also be a friend to this blog) took her in, and loves her like crazy. So support Dusty’s former mom (who originally rescued  Dusty from a shelter, and did sign a book to her, as you can see below) and come check out her talk Wednesday. She’ll be there with the doctor who basically saved her life. Did we mention it’s free? 6:30 p.m. - be there or be square. Happy Caturday!

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  4. This super artsy Caturday is brought to you by the Library’s Prints Collection. This black and white print — called “Tete de Chat” — was created sometime between 1866 and 1878, and was etched by Felix Bracquemond. While it’s a beautiful image, the cat does look a little down - maybe because he knows that the NYPL is closed for Memorial Day this weekend. But never fear, little kitty, we’ll be back open Tuesday. Happy long weekend, and happy Caturday! 

    This super artsy Caturday is brought to you by the Library’s Prints Collection. This black and white print — called “Tete de Chat” — was created sometime between 1866 and 1878, and was etched by Felix Bracquemond. While it’s a beautiful image, the cat does look a little down - maybe because he knows that the NYPL is closed for Memorial Day this weekend. But never fear, little kitty, we’ll be back open Tuesday. Happy long weekend, and happy Caturday! 

  5. Today’s Caturday is brought to you by the Music Division of our Library for the Performing Arts. This score for the song “Kitty” appeared in the music supplement of the New York American and Journal exactly 111 years ago today (or, more precisely, on May 18, 1902). The artwork features both a cat (of course) and a mouse in a tuxedo. That’s an obvious win. So happy Caturday! And, by the way, if you’re into music, the Library for the Performing Arts (at Lincoln Center) has two totally FREE exhibitions you should check out today, or soon - American Sabor: Latinos in US Popular Music and 100 Years of Flamenco In NY (check out the NY Times review of Flamenco). 

    Today’s Caturday is brought to you by the Music Division of our Library for the Performing Arts. This score for the song “Kitty” appeared in the music supplement of the New York American and Journal exactly 111 years ago today (or, more precisely, on May 18, 1902). The artwork features both a cat (of course) and a mouse in a tuxedo. That’s an obvious win. So happy Caturday! And, by the way, if you’re into music, the Library for the Performing Arts (at Lincoln Center) has two totally FREE exhibitions you should check out today, or soon - American Sabor: Latinos in US Popular Music and 100 Years of Flamenco In NY (check out the NY Times review of Flamenco). 

  6. 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!

  7. Today is the Kentucky Derby AND Caturday, so in honor of both, we present this beautiful lithograph, created in Germany sometime between 1837 and 1842. It’s called “Staedtischer Stall,” and is currently in our Art and Architecture Collection. Is it a coincidence that most of the other animals are looking up at the cat? We don’t think so. 

    Today is the Kentucky Derby AND Caturday, so in honor of both, we present this beautiful lithograph, created in Germany sometime between 1837 and 1842. It’s called “Staedtischer Stall,” and is currently in our Art and Architecture Collection. Is it a coincidence that most of the other animals are looking up at the cat? We don’t think so. 

  8. Is there anything better than a catnap in a sunbeam? These cats - sketched by Samuel Putnam Avery in 1876 and found in the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs - have the right idea and we suggest taking a page out of their book. In fact, why not take your favorite book, find your favorite spot in the sun and enjoy a relaxing Caturday…err, Saturday we mean!

    Is there anything better than a catnap in a sunbeam? These cats - sketched by Samuel Putnam Avery in 1876 and found in the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs - have the right idea and we suggest taking a page out of their book. In fact, why not take your favorite book, find your favorite spot in the sun and enjoy a relaxing Caturday…err, Saturday we mean!

  9. It’s Caturday, so we thought we’d share this 1890s newspaper poster from our Art and Architecture Collection of a little black cat running away from a loud newspaper boy declaring there’s a new opera house in town. The poster was an advertisement for the Boston Sunday Herald - quite appropriate, considering our thoughts have been with Boston and its people all week. 

    It’s Caturday, so we thought we’d share this 1890s newspaper poster from our Art and Architecture Collection of a little black cat running away from a loud newspaper boy declaring there’s a new opera house in town. The poster was an advertisement for the Boston Sunday Herald - quite appropriate, considering our thoughts have been with Boston and its people all week. 

  10. Now this is a cute picture (and we ain’t “lion.” Get it? Ha ha ha ha). These adorable little library lovers are showing some love to one of The New York Public Library’s newest additions -  two lion statues, donated by the Loews Regency Hotel, who will stand guard outside of our Riverdale Branch in the Bronx. We had a naming contest for the two “cubs” (who are, of course, reminiscent of our two famous lions Patience and Fortitude on 42nd Street) and we received over 300 submissions from all over the globe. The winning names, as chosen by our president Tony Marx and reported in The New York Times? River and Dale. “It was difficult to choose from such a wide range of creative names, but after looking over the finalists with much patience and fortitude, I couldn’t help but name the lions after their new home, a vibrant community with dedicated patrons,” Tony said. So welcome, River and Dale. And happy Caturday!!

    Now this is a cute picture (and we ain’t “lion.” Get it? Ha ha ha ha). These adorable little library lovers are showing some love to one of The New York Public Library’s newest additions -  two lion statues, donated by the Loews Regency Hotel, who will stand guard outside of our Riverdale Branch in the Bronx. We had a naming contest for the two “cubs” (who are, of course, reminiscent of our two famous lions Patience and Fortitude on 42nd Street) and we received over 300 submissions from all over the globe. The winning names, as chosen by our president Tony Marx and reported in The New York Times? River and Dale. “It was difficult to choose from such a wide range of creative names, but after looking over the finalists with much patience and fortitude, I couldn’t help but name the lions after their new home, a vibrant community with dedicated patrons,” Tony said. So welcome, River and Dale. And happy Caturday!!