1. Happy Mustache Monday! This week’s subject is John Good. We’ll just quote from “A Biographical Dictionary of People in Engineering” (Carl A. Wall, 2008) to tell you who he was, because there’s no way we could say it better than this: GOOD, John, 1841-1908, Irish American inventor; ropemaking, machinist, machinery to replace handmaking of rope, patented breaker, nipper, spreaders, regulators for rope-making, John Good Cordage & Machine Co. (1893-1898), organized John Good & Jennings Patent Machine Cordage Co. (1898), over 100 patents (DAB MEIA)

    Happy Mustache Monday! This week’s subject is John Good. We’ll just quote from “A Biographical Dictionary of People in Engineering” (Carl A. Wall, 2008) to tell you who he was, because there’s no way we could say it better than this:

    GOOD, John, 1841-1908, Irish American inventor; ropemaking, machinist, machinery to replace handmaking of rope, patented breaker, nipper, spreaders, regulators for rope-making, John Good Cordage & Machine Co. (1893-1898), organized John Good & Jennings Patent Machine Cordage Co. (1898), over 100 patents (DAB MEIA)

  2. Happy birthday Brooklyn Bridge! Today in 1883 our lovely bridge opened to the public. The NY Times has the short history of the day. Or, come over to the Manuscripts and Archives Division, where you can pour over the architectural plans and drawings of parts of the Bridge, including images of the Brooklyn anchorage and tower, derricks, and other equipment used in the bridge’s construction.

    Happy birthday Brooklyn Bridge! Today in 1883 our lovely bridge opened to the public. The NY Times has the short history of the day. Or, come over to the Manuscripts and Archives Division, where you can pour over the architectural plans and drawings of parts of the Bridge, including images of the Brooklyn anchorage and tower, derricks, and other equipment used in the bridge’s construction.

  3. Happy birthday us! On this day in 1911 the NYPL was dedicated by President Taft and opened to the public the next day.

    Happy birthday us! On this day in 1911 the NYPL was dedicated by President Taft and opened to the public the next day.

  4. Oscar Wilde was released from Reading Gaol Prison on May 19, 1897, the following year he completed his last work The Ballad of Reading Gaol. The above video (at the 56 second mark) features the curator of the Library’s centennial exhibition highlighting a personalized copy of the book, with an inscription from Wilde to Major Nelson, the warden of Reading Gaol. 

  5. Read a brief history of the Astor Free Library, which merged with Tilden Foundation and Lenox Library in 1895 to become the New York Public Library.

    Read a brief history of the Astor Free Library, which merged with Tilden Foundation and Lenox Library in 1895 to become the New York Public Library.

  6. The A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection is just full of men with mustaches. Seems like the rise of professional baseball corresponded with a fashion for facial hair.  A little research determines that this fellow, Mr. A.M. Wood, actually played cricket. You can read stats from several 1897 matches his team (the Philadelphians) played versus various teams in England if you are the type of person who likes reading old cricket scores. We say, that’s a cracking good mustache, sir! Happy Mustache Monday!

    The A. G. Spalding Baseball Collection is just full of men with mustaches. Seems like the rise of professional baseball corresponded with a fashion for facial hair. 

    A little research determines that this fellow, Mr. A.M. Wood, actually played cricket. You can read stats from several 1897 matches his team (the Philadelphians) played versus various teams in England if you are the type of person who likes reading old cricket scores.

    We say, that’s a cracking good mustache, sir!

    Happy Mustache Monday!

  7. Today we conclude our week of posting photographs of Rock icons and legends in celebration of the opening of Patrick Harbron’s Rock and Roll Photography Exhibition at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. We decided to post this rarely seen portrait that Patrick of Ray Charles. Can you say awesome?

    Today we conclude our week of posting photographs of Rock icons and legends in celebration of the opening of Patrick Harbron’s Rock and Roll Photography Exhibition at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. We decided to post this rarely seen portrait that Patrick of Ray Charles. Can you say awesome?

  8. Happy Birthday Minnesota! In honor of Minnesota’s 154th birthday, a classic stereogram of the state’s pineries, complete with log cabin. Happy Flashback Friday!

    Happy Birthday Minnesota! In honor of Minnesota’s 154th birthday, a classic stereogram of the state’s pineries, complete with log cabin.

    Happy Flashback Friday!

  9. Solar protuberances. Observed on May 5, 1873 at 9h, 40m. A.M. (1881-1882). Chromolithograph from The Trouvelot astronomical drawings: Atlas.

    Solar protuberances. Observed on May 5, 1873 at 9h, 40m. A.M. (1881-1882). Chromolithograph from The Trouvelot astronomical drawings: Atlas.

  10. Did you catch the library’s appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? a few weeks ago? Librarian Maria Liriano helped Edie Falco search the census records for her ancestors. Check it out!

    You can live like a celebrity, too — come over to the library’s Milstein Division and one of our stellar librarians will help you get started researching your own family history.

    Also, stay tuned for May 4 — we have another cameo on the show…