The inauguration of a new modern and completely renovated library, which belongs to the New York City Public Library System (NYPL), was made on the morning of Tuesday, June 1, 2021, by the Mayor of the city, Bill De Blasio. This is the library that was re-established with the donation of the “Stavros Niarchos” foundation at the address 455 5th Avenue and bears the name of the donor.
It is one of the largest lending libraries in the United States. The building in which the library “Stavros Niarchos” is housed was for many years a commercial department store. And of course, its reopening comes at a time when it finds New York returning, slowly but steadily to pre-pandemic coronavirus rates.
The complex includes four floors with infinite choices of books for all ages, a section dedicated to lifelong learning, and a large rooftop that will be open to the public.
The President of the Library, Anthony Marx, referring to the donation of the Foundation, stressed that it is a sample of the long-term and stable support of the work of libraries all over the world”.
“As we all look to the long-awaited recovery, it is important that public infrastructure is strong and that there is easy and free access to education and opportunities. “There is no more important public project than this to achieve these goals”, the president of the Library pointed out.
In his turn, the President of the “Stavros Niarchos” Foundation, Andreas Drakopoulos, pointed out on the occasion of the donation that Public Libraries are an example of public institutions offering to the societies in which they operate and offer a very important range of services that extends much further from borrowing books. “Their role, therefore, makes them the crown jewel in the hearts of societies.”
“Essentially active public space is a space that people can really make their own. It’s a place where everyone feels they really belong, and SNFL is ideally designed to encourage just that. As citizens of the world and as part of this city, we could not be more proud and happy for everything that SNFL has to offer in the coming years”, Drakopoulos pointed out.
The donation of the Niarchos Foundation amounted to 55 million dollars while the total cost reached 200 million dollars.
The library from today, June 1, expanded the range of its services by opening the other floors, giving the opportunity to the visitors to use the Computers, upon reservation.
As for the fifth floor, this will only work for research. The building has two more floors, which are still closed to the public.
Among the other departments that operate from today is the department for children and young people.
The opening hours of the library are Monday-Wednesday and Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Tuesday 1 pm. – 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
