Reading Room

The original Reading Room began in August of 1935 as a public response to the Depression Era job losses in New York. Many people did not have anywhere to go during the day, and no prospects for jobs. The New York Public Library opened the “Open Air Library” to give these out-of-work businessmen and intellectuals a place to go where they did not need money, a valid address, a library card, or any identification to enjoy the reading materials.

The 1935 Reading Room consisted of several benches, a few book and magazine cases, and a table with a beach umbrella for the five librarians who ran it. It operated every day except Sunday from mid-morning until mid-evening. Most of the books were from the New York Public Library’s circulation, but all magazines and trade publications were donated by publishers or individuals. When it rained the books and periodicals were quickly put in a large water-proof chest and readers and librarians took cover. No cards were required – patrons were simply asked to sign in and out. The Reading Room was closed in 1944 due to an increase in jobs and World War II.

The Bryant Park Corporation has repeated history by recreating the Bryant Park Reading Room. It is modeled after the original with the additions of custom-designed carts for an extensive and eclectic selection of books, periodicals and newspapers; readings and programs at lunchtime, after work and for kids; movable furniture to create a more intimate environment; and kid-sized carts and furniture for children to use. The programming, publications, and environment of the Reading Room are available to everyone for free, without any need of cards or identification.

Books and Staff

We are fortunate to receive book donations from publishers of the periodicals, books, and newspapers that fill the shelves of the Reading Room. Thanks to all that donate.

Thanks also go to the dedicated people who staff the Reading Room whenever it is open. If you have a question, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Special Thanks To:



HSBC Bank

HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
Exclusive sponsor since 2003



Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press
Classics and Reference Library

Scholastic

Scholastic
Gift of all Children’s Books

Mitchell's NY

Mitchell's NY
Newspaper Delivery since 2003

Special thanks also go to Condé Nast, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Time Inc., and Rodale, who have steadily supplied the Reading Room with magazines since 2003.

View map of the park

Hours

  • Daily: 11:00am – 7:00pm

Upcoming Reading Room Events

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Richard Blanco
Lesley Wheeler
Ely Shipley
Scott Hightower

Rain Venue(s):
*The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

*Not all rooms in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen are handicapped accessible - we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Confab on the environment between Andrew Blackwell and his travelogue Visit Sunny Chernobyl: And Other Adventures in the World's Most Polluted Places, and NYU Prof Andrew Ross, who takes you to Phoenix with Bird on Fire: Lessons from the World's Least Sustainable City. The authors will share their findings and discuss how New York City measures up to the most polluted cities in the world.Hosted by senior fellow at the Pace Academy for Applied Environmental Studies and New York Times Dot Earth blogger, Andrew Revkin.

Rain Venue(s):
*The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

*Not all rooms in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen are handicapped accessible - we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 
Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Poetry and Music Combine

Fitting in with the poetic theme of the evening, MAC will feature poetry and recitation along with music circa 1900-1925 played on period crank up phonographs.

Rain Venue(s):

*The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

*Not all rooms in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen are handicapped accessible - we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

A baseball double header with former PR rep Marty Appel, Pinstripe Empire: The New York Yankees from Before The Babe to After the Boss, and NY Times sports reporter Harvey Araton, Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift.

Hosted by ace WFAN Sports Anchor Rich Ackerman.

Rain Venue(s):
*The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

*Not all rooms in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen are handicapped accessible - we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 
Tuesday, June 5, 2012

(Special Tuesday Date)

Ultra runner and champion Scott Jurek and co-author Steve Friedman with tips on diet, endurance, and what it takes to be a world class athlete - Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness. Hosted by Christopher McDougall, author of the international phenomena Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. With special guest Peter Sarsgaard, writer and director of the up-coming film Born to Run.

Rain Venue(s):
*The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

*Not all rooms in The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen are handicapped accessible - we are sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Word for Word on YouTube

Visit the Bryant Park Reading Room playlist on YouTube to see highlights from our Word for Word series.