MetaFilter posts tagged with NewYorkCity and NYPL

Beyond Books

codacorolla — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:07:08 -0800

"This technology cannot simply substitute for the great libraries of the present. After all, libraries are not just repositories of books. They are communities, sources of expertise, and homes to lovingly compiled collections that amount to far more than the sum of their individual printed parts. Their physical spaces, especially in grand temples of learning like the NYPL, subtly influence the way that reading and writing takes place in them. And yet it is foolish to think that libraries can remain the same with the new technology on the scene. The Bookless Library, by David Bell (print ready version). Two supporting links from the comment thread of the article: a series of letters in the New York Review of Books about the NYPL plan, and an editorial in n+1. Discussion of the NYPL's plan previously on Metafilter.

An Institution in Transition

codacorolla — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:52:12 -0800

Upheaval at the New York Public Library: an article in The Nation which looks at the current state of the NYPL, and highlights many of the problems facing public libraries across the United States.

Do You Have What It Takes to Find the Future?

ericb — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:05:41 -0800

"The New York Public Library launched a website Friday to introduce a massive, smartphone-based scavenger hunt that will officially kick off May 20 with an invitation-only, all-night lock-in in New York City. The game, which will continue through 2011, works by getting players to download an app for their iPhone or Android-based smartphones and then head to the library's Stephen A. Schwarzman building, which celebrates its centennial this year, to play (folks not near New York can play a digital version on the Web)."*

"Find the Future is the first game where winning means writing a book. Work together with the other players to complete the 100 Quests, and your contribution will go into the permanent collection of The New York Public Library — to be checked out and read by Library users for decades to come! The final publication will be available for purchase online and to view at the Library after the event." *

"To enter for a spot, respond to the question below through the game website:

'Just imagine who you are ten years from now. What do you want for the world? What extraordinary goal do you want to achieve? When you have a vivid picture of your future, just fill in the blanks: "In the year 2021, I will become the first person to _______________.'"

All Tomorrow's Parties

Joe Beese — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:38:08 -0800

Rock band reunions normally involve, at minimum, a little live music. But as The Velvet Underground are not your typical rock band, maybe none of us should have been surprised that the reunion of The Velvets at LIVE from the NYPL on Tuesday December 8th had none.

Menu History

languagehat — Wed, 20 Nov 2002 18:02:14 -0800

In the long stretch of culinary history, the creation of the menu was a notable development. In the U.S., New York is the restaurant capital, and the New York Public Library has an enormous collection of menus, many of which they are currently displaying in a third-floor gallery. If you're in NYC (or will be visiting this winter) and are interested in such things, don't miss it; it's showing until March 1.