1. Today marks the 109th anniversary of the Wright Brother’s historic first flight at Kitty Hawk. (December 17, 1903). To mark the occasion, we’ve selected this image of the brothers Wright in 1903, courtesy of the Library’s Digital Gallery, where you can find (if you’re so inclined) a wide array of aeronautical images to satisfy anyone’s care for air -planes.

    Today marks the 109th anniversary of the Wright Brother’s historic first flight at Kitty Hawk. (December 17, 1903). To mark the occasion, we’ve selected this image of the brothers Wright in 1903, courtesy of the Library’s Digital Gallery, where you can find (if you’re so inclined) a wide array of aeronautical images to satisfy anyone’s care for air -planes.

  2. Happy (almost) Birthday to legendary science fiction writer, Philip K. Dick (and happy Caturday to all)! While Dick’s birthday isn’t actually until tomorrow, we figured the man whose tales often twist reality wouldn’t mind if we played a bit with space and time. Plus, we couldn’t wait to include this somewhat eerie photograph, circa 1960, of the author and his cat, taken by his wife, Anne. Even if you haven’t read any of Dick’s work (which you absolutely should), you probably know the movies based on his stories: Blade Runner based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Total Recall from the short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, and The Adjustment Bureau, from short story The Adjustment Team, to name only a few (PS - The film The Adjustment Bureau filmed many scenes at NYPL). This is just a small selection of the many tales he wrote over his lifetime, so check one out from the library in celebration of his birthday, and happy Caturday!

    Happy (almost) Birthday to legendary science fiction writer, Philip K. Dick (and happy Caturday to all)! While Dick’s birthday isn’t actually until tomorrow, we figured the man whose tales often twist reality wouldn’t mind if we played a bit with space and time. Plus, we couldn’t wait to include this somewhat eerie photograph, circa 1960, of the author and his cat, taken by his wife, Anne. Even if you haven’t read any of Dick’s work (which you absolutely should), you probably know the movies based on his stories: Blade Runner based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Total Recall from the short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, and The Adjustment Bureau, from short story The Adjustment Team, to name only a few (PS - The film The Adjustment Bureau filmed many scenes at NYPL). This is just a small selection of the many tales he wrote over his lifetime, so check one out from the library in celebration of his birthday, and happy Caturday!

  3. It’s a cat tree! Actually, it’s just a woman holding a lot of cats at the base of the Trylon at the 1939 World’s Fair. I know, seems just as weird as a cat tree, but actually, it’s a nice story. The photo - from our World’s Fair Collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division - is of Anne Stone of Flushing, Queens, who is holding her cats Freedom and Peace, and their kittens. According to the caption info, when Freedom went missing, Peace searched all over to find her, and eventually located her and the kittens at the base of the Trylon. So Anne is just reliving and enjoying the moment. There’s a nice story to kick off the holiday season - happy Caturday!

    It’s a cat tree! Actually, it’s just a woman holding a lot of cats at the base of the Trylon at the 1939 World’s Fair. I know, seems just as weird as a cat tree, but actually, it’s a nice story. The photo - from our World’s Fair Collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division - is of Anne Stone of Flushing, Queens, who is holding her cats Freedom and Peace, and their kittens. According to the caption info, when Freedom went missing, Peace searched all over to find her, and eventually located her and the kittens at the base of the Trylon. So Anne is just reliving and enjoying the moment. There’s a nice story to kick off the holiday season - happy Caturday!

  4. With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching (can anyone else not even believe how fast that happened) we just wanted to emphatically state that we are thankful for Caturday and for cats, in general. So we thought to highlight that point, we would share one of the cutest darn cat photos ever taken, of a ridiculously adorable child holding a ridiculously adorable cat at the World’s Fair cat show. Who would not be thankful for this? The photo comes from our 1939 World’s Fair collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division (the collection that was the subject of our first amazing, free Biblion app, which you should download today). Happy Caturday!

    With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching (can anyone else not even believe how fast that happened) we just wanted to emphatically state that we are thankful for Caturday and for cats, in general. So we thought to highlight that point, we would share one of the cutest darn cat photos ever taken, of a ridiculously adorable child holding a ridiculously adorable cat at the World’s Fair cat show. Who would not be thankful for this? The photo comes from our 1939 World’s Fair collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division (the collection that was the subject of our first amazing, free Biblion app, which you should download today). Happy Caturday!

  5. This photo from the 1940 World’s Fair shows 93-year-old LA Wilcox - a Civil War vet born in 1846 - teaching little Antoinette Falabella of Brooklyn about his various medals, including one he received for Gettysburg. So Happy Veterans Day (well it was yesterday) AND Mustache Monday. Just a reminder that NYPL is closed today, Nov. 12, for Veterans Day, but you can still download free eBooks or the two editions of our app Biblion - the first one highlights our 1940 World’s Fair collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division (which includes the photo of LA and Antoinette). The second one is on Frankenstein. Enjoy, and salute a veteran today!

    This photo from the 1940 World’s Fair shows 93-year-old LA Wilcox - a Civil War vet born in 1846 - teaching little Antoinette Falabella of Brooklyn about his various medals, including one he received for Gettysburg. So Happy Veterans Day (well it was yesterday) AND Mustache Monday. Just a reminder that NYPL is closed today, Nov. 12, for Veterans Day, but you can still download free eBooks or the two editions of our app Biblion - the first one highlights our 1940 World’s Fair collection in our Manuscripts and Archives Division (which includes the photo of LA and Antoinette). The second one is on Frankenstein. Enjoy, and salute a veteran today!

  6. Shout out to WNYC Radio and @WNYCArchives - as part of their Hurricane Sandy coverage, they posted historic photos of famous NYC super storms, including the 1947 blizzard, which dropped 26.4 inches of snow on Central Park. They found this pic of our landmark 42nd Street Library (and poor, stoic Patience and Fortitude) in the aftermath of that storm, and we thought - considering that NYC is shut down and recovering after Frankenstorm - that it was appropriate to share. Remember, NYPL is closed on Oct. 30; stay tuned for the latest on reopenings. Meanwhile, New Yorkers and beyond, if you want to donate to the Red Cross so they can provide shelter, food, emotional support and more to those affected by Sandy, text the word REDCROSS to 90999, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to their website.

    Shout out to WNYC Radio and @WNYCArchives - as part of their Hurricane Sandy coverage, they posted historic photos of famous NYC super storms, including the 1947 blizzard, which dropped 26.4 inches of snow on Central Park. They found this pic of our landmark 42nd Street Library (and poor, stoic Patience and Fortitude) in the aftermath of that storm, and we thought - considering that NYC is shut down and recovering after Frankenstorm - that it was appropriate to share. Remember, NYPL is closed on Oct. 30; stay tuned for the latest on reopenings. Meanwhile, New Yorkers and beyond, if you want to donate to the Red Cross so they can provide shelter, food, emotional support and more to those affected by Sandy, text the word REDCROSS to 90999, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to their website.

  7. Since we all may be trapped inside thanks to Hurricane Sandy (be careful, folks) we thought we’d provide some added reading material with a double dose of Caturday!! After all, what’s better than one cat? Two cats! So here we go, with a second Caturday courtesy of our own Jeremy Megraw: of all the phenomena synonymous with New York City (besides those giant pretzels nobody eats), the subway system is one of the most iconic. 108 years ago today the NYC subway system began operating its first underground section. What better way to celebrate then with the 50th anniversary of the MTA’s “Etti-Cat” subway ad campaign. Above is the rather wordy anti-graffitti spot. NYPL is one-stop shopping for research into the history of the NYC subway system, its cars, tunnels, construction, and layout maps. There are even guides to the subway’s wonderful ceramic mosaics, bas reliefs and plaques. Hardcore social historians may also want to consult the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Records. Happy Caturday!

    Since we all may be trapped inside thanks to Hurricane Sandy (be careful, folks) we thought we’d provide some added reading material with a double dose of Caturday!! After all, what’s better than one cat? Two cats! So here we go, with a second Caturday courtesy of our own Jeremy Megraw: of all the phenomena synonymous with New York City (besides those giant pretzels nobody eats), the subway system is one of the most iconic. 108 years ago today the NYC subway system began operating its first underground section. What better way to celebrate then with the 50th anniversary of the MTA’s “Etti-Cat” subway ad campaign. Above is the rather wordy anti-graffitti spot. NYPL is one-stop shopping for research into the history of the NYC subway system, its cars, tunnels, construction, and layout maps. There are even guides to the subway’s wonderful ceramic mosaics, bas reliefs and plaques. Hardcore social historians may also want to consult the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Records. Happy Caturday!

  8. Today, we reached 70,000 followers! That’s more than a crowd of people watching a model boat float in a body of water (circa 1939). And for that we say thank you for your support! 

    Today, we reached 70,000 followers! That’s more than a crowd of people watching a model boat float in a body of water (circa 1939). And for that we say thank you for your support! 

  9. We thought it would be simply purrrrfect to share some of the Library’s hair-raising Halloween-related cat images on Caturdays throughout the month of October. So here’s the first one - an 1894 print from The Picture Magazine of a witch and her black cat. It’s currently in our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection. Happy October, and happy Caturday!

    We thought it would be simply purrrrfect to share some of the Library’s hair-raising Halloween-related cat images on Caturdays throughout the month of October. So here’s the first one - an 1894 print from The Picture Magazine of a witch and her black cat. It’s currently in our Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection. Happy October, and happy Caturday!

  10. This intriguing snapshot is brought to you by NYPL’s Manuscripts and Archives Division, home of the Library’s 1939 World’s Fair Collection. For those who might not be able to make out the image above, our digital gallery states “National Cash Register building - Men trying to get a monkey down from giant cash register.” We don’t know why there was a monkey climbing the National Cash Register building. What we do know is this…  Do not monkey around with your finances! This Friday, stop by SIBL on 34th and Madison for Financial Planning Day. It’s all day (starting at 11) and it’s FREE.

    This intriguing snapshot is brought to you by NYPL’s Manuscripts and Archives Division, home of the Library’s 1939 World’s Fair Collection. For those who might not be able to make out the image above, our digital gallery states “National Cash Register building - Men trying to get a monkey down from giant cash register.”

    We don’t know why there was a monkey climbing the National Cash Register building. What we do know is this… 

    Do not monkey around with your finances! This Friday, stop by SIBL on 34th and Madison for Financial Planning Day. It’s all day (starting at 11) and it’s FREE.