New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The library is located in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is part of the New York Public Library system, which also includes the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and the New York Public Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. It was founded in 1965 with the support of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Leonard Bernstein, and Ava Gardner, among others. The library's collections and programs are closely tied to the work of renowned institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, and Juilliard School.

● History

The library's history dates back to the early 20th century, when the Music Division of the New York Public Library was established, with the support of Oscar Hammerstein I and Irving Berlin. Over the years, the library's collections grew to include materials related to Theater, Dance, and Film, with significant contributions from Katharine Hepburn, Bob Fosse, and Martha Graham. In the 1960s, the library moved to its current location in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where it has since become a major resource for researchers and performers, including Plácido Domingo, Renee Fleming, and Twyla Tharp. The library has also been supported by the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts.

● Collections

The library's collections include over 700,000 items, including scores by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Igor Stravinsky, as well as playbills from Broadway shows such as Oklahoma!, West Side Story, and The Phantom of the Opera. The library also holds extensive collections of dance notation by George Balanchine and Merce Cunningham, and film scripts by Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder. Additionally, the library has significant holdings of materials related to Jazz, including the Duke Ellington Collection and the Louis Armstrong Archives, which have been used by researchers such as Wynton Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr.. The library's collections also include materials related to Circus and Vaudeville, with significant contributions from P.T. Barnum and Charlie Chaplin.

● Facilities

The library is housed in a building designed by Eero Saarinen and Kevin Roche, and features a recital hall and exhibition gallery. The library's facilities are also used by other organizations, including the School of American Ballet and the Juilliard School, and have hosted events featuring Lang Lang, Itzhak Perlman, and Renee Fleming. The library's reading room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including digitization equipment and audio-visual playback facilities, which have been used by researchers such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. The library also offers study carrels and lockers for researchers, and has been supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

● Programs and Services

The library offers a range of programs and services, including research assistance and instructional sessions on topics such as music research and dance history. The library also hosts exhibitions and performances, featuring artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, and Sutton Foster. Additionally, the library offers fellowships and grants to support research and creative projects, which have been awarded to individuals such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Sara Bareilles. The library's programs and services are also supported by partnerships with organizations such as the Drama Desk Awards and the Tony Awards.

● Special Exhibitions

The library has hosted a number of special exhibitions over the years, including exhibitions on the history of Broadway, the life and work of Leonard Bernstein, and the art of dance notation. The library has also exhibited materials from its collections, including manuscripts by Tchaikovsky and Gershwin, and costume designs by Cecil Beaton and Bob Mackie. Recent exhibitions have featured materials related to Hip-Hop and Electronic Music, with contributions from Grandmaster Flash and Daft Punk. The library's exhibitions have been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the New York State Council on the Arts, and have been recognized with awards from the American Library Association and the International Association of Music Libraries.

Category:Libraries in New York City