Introduction

Alison Stewart: “Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this mission.”

Those are the words of one of American literature’s most renowned authors, and lifelong friend of The New York Public Library, Toni Morrison.

I’m Alison Stewart. As a journalist, writer, and longtime card-carrying member of the Library… I couldn’t agree more.

Since its founding in 1895, The New York Public Library has stood as a beacon of knowledge and a gateway to opportunity, for all. The Library is more than a single place—it’s a vast network spanning the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building—the grand marble building on Fifth Avenue with the lion statues out front—is the flagship of the New York Public Library system. It is also one of its premier research centers—a collector and preserver… but most importantly a provider… of a deep trove of knowledge. Writers, scholars, artists, creators—anyone with a desire and curiosity—come here from around the world. They put the millions of books, manuscripts, audio recordings, moving images, works of art, and many more historic and significant items to use every day.

This audio tour will be your guide as you explore the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, as well as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, NYPL’s largest lending library, located diagonally across Fifth Avenue at 40th Street.

You can take the tour in any order you like. Keep an eye out for the audio symbols throughout both buildings, and pick up a map at the information desks to see where there are audio stops. Those will indicate places where you can hear from me as well as key members of the Library community who will share their insights on the history, the architecture, the knowledge, the ideas, and the people that inhabit these spaces.

Step inside… There’s so much to discover.