NY Sites - The NY Public Library

Most of my free time I spend exploring this absolutely amazing city. It is so exciting and full of energy that I just can't justify spending time at home when I could be outside walking around. You never know when you are going to find something super cool in a nook or cranny of the city!

Therefore, I'm starting a new segment in my blog entitled "NY Sites" where I will chronicle some of the cool places I have had the honor of visiting.

The first site to be chronicled is the NY Public Library located in midtown, near Times Square and Bryant Park. This library is IMMENSE. The actual historic building, from what I could tell, seems to mostly hold exhibits and an absolutely GRAND reading room (see the pic - I couldn't even capture the rows and rows of tables to study at!) The majority of the stacks are located in a separate building located across the street. As you walk up the stairs to the main entrance, the sheer size of the building grabs your attention. NY takes its library seriously! There is an exhibit about the history of the building that I perused and found interesting, but not interesting enough to devote precious brain space away from remembering what blood pressure number is considered borderline versus hypertensive versus hecka serious (obviously not the scientific term).

Every corner of the library is grand and displays the grandeur for which NY is often known. It truly is a great place to spend an hour in if you are just perusing, or the whole day in if you are actually studying. And the best part is that there isn't a deafening silence in the place - there is some mild and quiet noise to keep your eardrums fascinated even as your eyes take in the statues and paintings and enormity of the place. Definitely a must see!

UPDATE: One of my very good friends here in NYC from med school shared this extra tidbit of library trivia in the comments section: The names of the marble lions that guard the entrance-way are Patience (south) and Fortitude (north). They were named by Mayor LaGuardia during the Great Depression, signifying virtues he believed New Yorkers would need in order to weather the economic storm of the time. Thank you to my friend for sharing this!

Next to be chronicled: Stay tuned to see some paintings from Van Gogh that are on display at the Museum of Modern Art in NY. This includes my favorite, the Starry Night!