The Central Libraries > Mid-Manhattan Library > Building and History

Building and History

Timeline

The story of the Mid-Manhattan library begins long before the building opened its doors to the public.  The library’s site, on the corner 40th and 5th Avenues, has long been a cornerstone of mid-town activity.

1915 – The building housing the Mid-Manhattan library is built.  The building, made of limestone and granite, comprises six floors and 165,000 square feet.

1927 – The building becomes the home of Arnold Constable’s Department Store, one of NYC’s oldest department stores.

1961 – The store is purchased by The New York Public Library as the site for one of its central libraries.
A committee is formed to determine the new library’s collections and services.

1970 – Mid-Manhattan officially opens.
Floors four through six serve the library and it’s administration while the first three floors are leased to Constable’s
Architect: Herbert Shalat, Block Hesse & Shalat

1982 – Mid-Manhattan takes possession of the entire building after a thorough renovation.  The new library now includes most of its current departments.
Architect: Giogio Cavaglieri

1996 – Science and Business, Mid-Manhattan’s busiest departments, moves to SIBL.

Today Mid-Manhattan remains an invaluable city wide resource.  Its collections house the largest circulating and reference collections in NYPL’s branches.  As library services continue to grow and change, Mid-Manhattan continues to meet the needs of all library users.

 

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