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| − | The '''New York Public Library''' has about six million volumes, making it the 27th largest library in the United States.<ref>American Library Association Fact Sheet 22, [http://www.ala.org/ala/alalibrary/libraryfactsheet/alalibraryfactsheet22.htm The Nation's Largest Libraries]</ref> Its massive structure on Fifth Avenue is one of the landmarks of Manhattan. But contrary to public perception, the New York Public Library was not the gift by [[Andrew Carnegie]] or anyone else. It is mostly the result of taxpayer funding. | + | The '''New York Public Library''' has about six million volumes, making it the 27th largest library in the United States.<ref>American Library Association Fact Sheet 22, [http://www.ala.org/ala/alalibrary/libraryfactsheet/alalibraryfactsheet22.htm The Nation's Largest Libraries]</ref> Its massive structure on Fifth Avenue is one of the landmarks of Manhattan. |
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| | + | It is one of the world's major research libraries. |
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| | [[Image:NY Public Library Postcard.jpg]] | | [[Image:NY Public Library Postcard.jpg]] |
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| − | The wealthiest man in American in the early 1800s was John Jacob Astor (1763–1848), who made his fortune from fur trade. He donated a library in New York City which opened in 1849, and a book collector named James Lenox (1800–1880) added to it. In 1886, Samuel J. Tilden (1814–1886) donated about $2.4 million to establish the first true library of New York City. This consolidated and added to the Astor and Lenox gifts. | + | The wealthiest man in American in the early 1800s was John Jacob Astor (1763–1848), who made his fortune from fur trade. He donated a library in New York City which opened in 1849, and a book collector named James Lenox (1800–1880) added to it. In 1886, former Governor [[Samuel J. Tilden]] (1814–1886) donated about $2.4 million to establish the first true library of New York City. This consolidated and added to the Astor and Lenox gifts. |
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| | + | [[Andrew Carnegie]] donated $5.2 million for branch libraries, on the condition that the City of New York fund their operations and maintenance. |
| | + | ==Further reading== |
| | + | * Jackson, Kenneth, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of New York City'' (1995), [http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-New-York-City/dp/0300055366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240594479&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search] |
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| − | Andrew Carnegie donated $5.2 million for branch libraries, but only on the condition that the City of New York fund their operations and maintenance.
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| | ==References and notes== | | ==References and notes== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |
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| − | [[category:New York]] | + | [[category:New York City]] |
| | [[Category:Libraries]] | | [[Category:Libraries]] |