- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
New York Public Library - Science, Industry, and Business
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
188 Madison Ave
(between 34th St & 35th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 592-7000
188 Madison Ave
(between 34th St & 35th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 592-7000
- Nearest Transit:
-
33rd St-Park Ave (6)
34th St-6th Ave (B, D, F, V, N, Q, R, W)
33rd Street (PATH)
10 reviews for New York Public Library - Science, Industry, and Business
Since Science, Industry, and Business are probably my three least favorite things to read about, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this library. It's very new, clean, and aesthetically pleasing, the bathrooms are snazzy, the exhibits downstairs are cool, and if I knew what the stock market was I'd probably appreciate the ticker they have going in the lobby.
That said, there are a couple of odd policies enforced at this library which I've never encountered elsewhere in this city. First, they require you to have a printed-out receipt for every book you take out with you, whether you checked it out during that particular visit or not. Second, apparently they have a policy that you can't bring more than three bags of any kind into the library? I had a shopping bag, a tote, and my purse, and they wouldn't let me in. Weird.
Plus hardly any fiction, which makes me sad, although they have some romance novels and whatnot in the lobby. Still, a fine place to do some lunch break reading.
My favorite of the NYPL branches. The reading area on the basement level has really comfortable desk chairs, tons of outlets for laptops, and enough desktop dividers to give you some privacy from your neighbors. Everything about this library just seems modern and clean and the wall of televisions playing the major news channels is pretty cool too. The WiFi can be a little slow but the library has a large public computer lab if you don't have a laptop. This library only has a few stacks of non-business materials but those stacks have tons of new dvds and new fiction and non-fiction publications and the check-out lines are much shorter than at the Mid-Manhattan branch.
This is a great place to get work done.
Yes, it doesn't have your regular fiction books and general reading, but the basement level has lots of areas to set up shop and study or get some work done. The areas have outlets and internet jacks, so there is no problem with bringing your laptop.
If you get bored of working, you can check out the free exhibit "Not a Cough in a Car Load: Images Used by Tobacco Companies to Hide the Hazards of Smoking." It is a collection of old cigarette ads from all the different manufacturers. Seeing some of these today makes you wonder what the hell was going on back then.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
Chemistry has always eluded me. I still half believe that elevators work because there's a dwarf on his bicycle peddling furiously in the basement. My concept of money fails beyond 3rd grade knowledge.
So what was I doing at the New York Public Library of Science, Industry, and Business?
I had come to see the exhibition called "Lives they left behind," a presentation of the lives reconstructed from the personal belongings found at the Willard Asylum. The Willard Asylum was a mental health institution on Seneca Lake that operated from 1869 till 1995, during which time it housed over 50,000 patients. The title of the show not only refers to how many of these patients were forced into the asylum, barring them from the lives they had, but also how their trunks, filled with letter, photographs, embroidery, and even spoons, found in the attic when the institute was being closed, reveal about lives of which we know nothing else. And because not all the records were kept, and because many of the patients were buried in unmarked graves, the things found in the trunks are the only tokens that are left.
While I was at first disappointed because there were little of the actual artifacts were actually shown and most of the information were put on large display boards, I quickly was amazed by not only the content of the material, but how the library managed the show with so little room. The library actually has no exhibition space; everything was put on the small lobby, and the lack of actual items seemed more to be a spatial issue, not an inadequate curatorial effort.
And despite the small size, it was one of the most fascinating exhibits I've been to in a long while. Though I'd assume that the lives featured were selected due to their heartfelt stories and cruel treatments, it was still harrowing to realize how wrongfully so many were put away and shocking to understand that some of this were so very recent.
An African-American man was instituted till his death in 1984 because he had once made a fuss that a restaurant (during the segregated 1940s) served him on a broken dish. A nun was put away, and though she insisted that she served for the convent, the people working didn't bother to check with the church, and wrote in their notes of her hallucinations of being a sister; when she died, her body was used for medical research.
I was thoroughly impressed of how the small branch of the public library system put together a succinct but powerful exhibition despite its limited resources. And looking at the pamphlet for the upcoming exhibition, I was amazed by the director's efforts to engage the public and broaden expectations with the creative shows.
The library is also very clean and neat. Though I did skim through the books, I can't say much about the collection because I'm completely ignorant of the materials; it did look impressive and thorough, and as the designated library science, industry, and technology in NYC, I'd imagine that it is quite excellent. There were also televisions broadcasting different business things (Dow reports, pundits, etc.) downstairs. The staff was also really friendly and helpful when I asked questions about the exhibit. (On a completely irrelevant note, about 1/7 people at the computers were unabashedly looking at porn. I mean, they didn't even try to hide the browser whenever anyone walked by.)
If you're ever in the neighborhood (perhaps your friend is late for lunch at Korea town), check the library out. Even if you're not a business or technology person, the exhibitions are still fascinating, and small enough for a quick browse. Plus, it's free.
People thought this was:
- Useful (8)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (10)
Disclaimer: I am only reviewing this library for the study-factor. High marks, because there are plenty of quiet desk spaces to set up study shop and tons of those handy dandy laptop portal thingies. The library is very well lit, organized and maintained. I especially appreciate the security guards who roam around all up in my studyage.
Cons: The hours are not ideal if you have a 9-5 job and there was a bum basically sponge bathing in the ladies room.....ick.
Very nice library with helpful staff. I came here doing some research for a tv pilot and it was very helpful to be able to Access Bacon's Directory which lists all the executives at every network. I also found the ethernet docking stations a nice addition.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Great new building and good collection.
Science, Industry, and Business
Decent bathroom, too.
Not nearly as epic as the main library, but beautiful none-the-less. Loved the 'founders of Madison Ave' exhibit on the lower level and was definitely a fan of the 10am opening time so we could browse around a bit before the Morgan opened at 11:00.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
This is the greatest resource in NYC for people lacking a university affiliation doing science and business research. It is a beautifully designed library on two levels. The upper level is the circulating library and public internet access computers - careful when you peek to see what people are browsing, because sometimes it's shocking - and it is nothing short of a NYC moment to see the obvously homeless soul sitting at an internet station browsing umm - you know what.
The lower level is the research library, and it is a rich resource. The librarians are also very helpful.
This is a stellar NYC resource, part of what makes this city great.
I like this branch because it epitomizes what I think a library experience should be: informative, resourceful, and most importantly quiet. Growing up in NYC I've come to associate libraries with a chaotic mess. This one is completely different. It's clean, well organized and the staff is efficient and friendly.
I typically "order" all of my books online and have them mailed to this branch. Pick up is at the circulation desk, which is to the left of the entrance. It's a quick 5 minute process.
Since this is a business library, they do have interesting classes geared towards small business development. I have yet to take one but the topics I've seen seem rather handy. Things like how to use the library resource to develop sales leads to authors speaking on the latest business guide.
