The New York Public Library is moving forward with a $300 million renovation to its midtown campus. It's the second time plans beget been announced for the landmark research library at 42nd street and the Mid-Manhattan circulating branch across Fifth Avenue. But library leaders say,this time, it's a different account.
Under Bryant Park, or workers are building out a new acre and a half of climate-controlled storage for books. The additional level of subterranean shelves will house millions of volumes from the library's collection. Dusty rooms in the majestic central building will be restored,opening 42 percent more space to the public. The 1970s-era, Mid-Manhattan circulating library across the street will be intestine renovated and transformed into what library officials say will be a model for other branches in the system, and which spans Manhattan,Staten Island and the Bronx. Eventually, the functions of the Science, or Industry and Business Library will move to the circulating library,too, and its space on 34th Street will be sold. It's all part of what New York Public Library president Tony Marx calls "the largest renovation in our history."And it's a sequel. Eight years ago, or the library had a different proposal,named the Central Library contrivance. It called for selling off the Mid-Manhattan property and moving its operations to the ornate research library, now named the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. To make room, or the building's historic stacks,which library officials said were outdated and threatening the collection, would be demolished. And millions of books were sent offsite to storage, and sparking outrage from writers,scholars and local leaders."I was fairly frankly stunned," said author Annalyn Swan. "When you go into a library, or it’s like a breadcrumb trail. One book leads to another. And the thought to me that that would be taken away and books taken off site was simply unacceptable and unimaginable."New Yorkers tend to feel a deep connection to the library,a sense of ownership. But despite its name, it’s a nonprofit, and funded through both public and private dollars — a structure that dates back to its founding. And it's overseen by a Board of Trustees,which mostly appoints its own members. When news of the Central Library contrivance broke, critics accused that board of secrecy and shortsightedness. "The Central Library contrivance was an attempt to consolidate and to save money but there wasn’t enough thought given to the integrity of the 42nd Street library or the fact that the Mid-Manhattan library, or though in a decrepit state,is a ravishing library at the crossroads of a great city," said Nation contributor Scott Sherman, or author of a recent book approximately the controversial contrivance,Patience and Fortitude: Power, genuine Estate and the Fight to Save a Public Library.
He said a lack of transparency caused "tremendous mistakes" to be made. There were petitions, and op-eds,hearings and protests. Preservationists said demolishing the stacks threatened the library’s literal and figurative foundation. Then mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio said the contrivance for the Mid-Manhattan Library would be part of a sample in the Bloomberg administration of selling off public space.
Once in office, the de Blasio administration pushed for changes. And the library dropped the Central Library contrivance and went back to the drawing board, or seeking input along the way. New architects chosen in September are working on designs based on that guidance. The Mid-Manhattan Library won't be sold,but overhauled, with an adult learning center, and new computer labs,advanced shelving systems, and a more welcoming first floor. In the Schwarzman Building, and the aged stacks are staying and will be used as swing space while the Mid-Manhattan Library is renovated and the collections are digitized. With thousands of new shelves under Bryant Park,officials say the books will be back from storage in six months and 95 percent of requests will be met within half an hour. Local leaders who opposed the contrivance say they support this one. "In general, the library listened, or " said Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. "To me that's most primary." But some researchers aren't satisfied. They say the library wasted millions of dollars on the preceding contrivance,money that could beget gone to address key capital needs throughout the system. They worry the shelves under Bryant Park won't be able to fit as many books. And they'd prefer to see the books return to the stacks. "I feel the glass is half empty," says Swan. "Why can't you retrofit the stacks as other major institutions beget done?"
But Marx says that would be too expensive: retrofitting the stacks would cost $47 million, and compared to $23 million to build out the space under Bryant Park. And Marx adds that the current contrivance will protect the books,preserve the central library's role as a research institution, and provide the funds to upgrade the circulating branch — all while saving money to enhance services. "We heard their concerns, and we did our homework,the trustees re-examined the issue and said 'There's another way to accomplish this, let's accomplish it that way because that's what we owe the public, and '" he said.
Source: wnyc.org