New York Public Library – Riverside Library

This library is a homeless convention. When the weather is bad many of NYC homeless come here to sleep and relax. The downstairs area smells like cheese and body odor. The library does not police it enough by asking them to wake up or don’t talk. It’s like a movie! It’s pretty gross to be honest with you. It’s total comedy when the homeless start arguing over a newspaper and want to fight, that’s when I usually say, what am I doing here.

I am totally in love with this library. After living across the street for over a year, I finally decided to get a NYPL card and start reading again.
The actual library is very small, and doesn’t seem to have much of a selection. I think people just come here to work and read. The second story is a children’s area, where they do readings and playtime, etc.
But the reason I like the library so much is that you can order a book from anywhere in the NYPL system and get it sent to your local library. So that’s what I do. I get an email when my books are ready, and I go pick them off the shelf, do self checkout, and I’m on my way in two minutes.
I haven’t used these yet, but the library also offers free events, like Saturday morning yoga. Definitely plan to check that out one day.

This particular branch used to be my local when I was growing up, however, back then it was located about 4 blocks more north in an older building (an even older building, constructed with funds from Andrew Carnegie in 1905, housed the original branch at that same location).
«In September 1992, the Riverside Branch re-​opened in a new building at 127 Amsterdam Avenue. The main floor features extensive collections for adults and teenagers. The Children’s Room on the second floor combines materials from the Riverside Branch with the specialized children’s collections formerly housed at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.»
Back in the day I would do my research here for elementary school projects as this was before the internet … how times have changed.
Check their website for the current opening hours as budget cuts keep reducing the hours of operation.

Fancy lookin’ library for the performing arts, right next to Julliard.
Ah, to go to school in this area… you’ve got the beautiful Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle.
Free wifi, books, a mini museum… I dig it!

The
Children’s
Section is great
And good spots for
Working on the laptop by a window.

This is a pretty decent library right near Julliard. Not like my other favorite library in midtown east but this one gets the job done when searching for the right book. Also, alot of computers that you can use for internet access, it is not that crowded before the afternoon school kids I guess rush in. The staff here seems pretty nice as well, better than most other libraries I have been to.
*I was just there earlier this morning killing some time before a television show appearance that I never got to make.