Some good news about the New York City public libraries from today's NY Times:
BOOKS | November 18, 2004
Public Library to Expand Hours and Services, and Restructure Branches
By Edward Wyatt
"The New York Public Library, forced to cut services after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks hobbled the city's economy, is preparing to expand its hours and services and to restructure itself to coordinate the neighborhood branches more closely with the library's central operations. As part of the changes, the library's landmark building, at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, will adopt a six-day schedule next month, opening on Sundays for the first time since 1970, library officials said yesterday." "Even at a time when books can be ordered online relatively cheaply and many bookstores function as libraries with cafes, the public library maintains an important role in the city's daily life. Nearly 2 million New Yorkers hold a library card, and the New York Public Library system had 15 million visitors last year. Roughly 98 percent of all computers with free public Internet access in New York City are in the public libraries."
ARTS | November 18, 2004
Lion Kings of Urban Jungle Get Facelifts
AP Story
"A pair of famous New York faces recently underwent face-lifts and chin-tucks to restore their youthful luster. The two-week makeover tightened things up on Fortitude and Patience, the twin pink marble lions positioned outside the New York Public Library for the last 93 years. The lion kings of the urban jungle needed the work after decades of pigeon droppings, winter weather and climbing kids. On Thursday, library President Paul LeClerc unveiled the spruced-up lions by yanking a bright blue plastic tarp off each lion, which had been caged in steel scaffolding during the project."Posted by Emily at November 18, 2004 05:29 PM | TrackBack