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Shelf Space & Reading Room Shelf Space & Reading Room A Spatial History Of The New York Public Library by Andrea Hunniford A thesis presented to the University Of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Architecture Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2013 © Andrea Hunniford 2013 I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. iii ABSTRACT The New York Public Library’s Central Building, constructed just over a century ago, is in the midst of a major renovation. The Library’s trustees have asked the architects at Foster + Partners to imagine the space currently occupied by the research collections’ closed book stacks as a new, publicly accessible, circulating library. The administration’s public relations strategy glosses over the meaning of this architectural reinterpretation, selling the renovation plan with only carefully selected historical facts and opinions that show support for the project. However, this narrative is deceiving; it oversimplifies the issues at stake. Both the broader New York Public Library system and Central Library in particular have an incredibly complex history. The influences that shaped the decision to build the 42nd Street building, its design and construction, and subsequent adaptations over the past century demonstrate an important relationship between the objectives of the institution and the Central Library’s architectural form. Therefore, beneath the rhetoric of the renovation, beyond the positive inclusion of a main circulating branch in the central building, lies the decision to remove a large portion of the circulating collection from the center of the stronghold built to house it. This decision undermines the unique structure of the New York Public Library as one of the world’s premier research institutions, removing the heart of the building. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is impossible to express the full extent of my gratitude towards the many, many individuals who have challenged, celebrated, and supported my education at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. This past decade as part of the Waterloo Architecture community has been an incredible journey. Three years, three hundred pages, and thousands of conversations later, my thanks especially to the individuals who have helped me create and complete this final project. To my supervisor, Robert Jan van Pelt, for patiently teaching me how to tell a story, becoming my guide and mentor in the process. To my committee, Donald McKay and Anne Bordeleau, for keeping me on my toes, cutting to the essence of the argument with insightful conversations and questions. To my external reader, Sascha Hastings, for influencing my research direction with her own work at the beginning of this journey, and for her perceptive response to my work at the end. To the countless librarians and ‘book people’ across countries and continents who have made research such a joyful experience. To my truly amazing friends, who constantly inspire me to become the best possible version of myself. To my parents, Brenda and Mark, for their tolerance and understanding, and my whole family for their encouragement. And to my sister, Michelle, for her timely, tireless and often thankless support. vii CONTENTS iii DECLARATION v ABSTRACT vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xi LIST OF FIGURES xi THE BOOK STACKS 1 INTRODUCTION 7 FIRST IMPRESSIONS 23 42ND STREET & FIFTH AVE 39 FOUNDATION 89 CONSTRUCTION HISTORY 123 ADAPTATION 159 FRONT OF HOUSE, BACK OF HOUSE 187 YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PUBLIC LIFE 207 PUBLIC AWARENESS: A CONTROVERSIAL PATH TO RENOVATION 241 CONCLUSION 247 BIBLIOGRAPHY Sections in GREY denote collected contemporary OBSERVATIONS ix LIST OF FIGURES PAGE FIGURE xxix 001. BOOK STACK SHOP DRAWINGS: THE SNEAD & CO. IRON WORKS New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts And Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, And Tilden Foundations. xxxi 002. BOOK STACK FRAMING: THE SNEAD & CO. IRON WORKS New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xxxiii 003. BOOK STACK FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION: AUGUST 22, 1905 New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xxxv 004. BOOK STACK CONSTRUCTION: OCTOBER 2, 1905 New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xxxvii 005. BOOK STACK CONSTRUCTION: JANUARY 17, 1907 New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xxxix 006. A SECTIONAL VIEW OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY: MAY 27, 1911 “The New York Public Library.” Scientific American 104, no. 21 (May 27, 1911): Cover. xli 007. BOOK STACKS New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xi PAGE FIGURE xliii 008. BOOK STACKS New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xlv 009. BOOK STACKS New York Public Library Visual Materials. Manuscripts and Archives Division. The New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. xlvii 010. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK STACKS: SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Photograph By Author. xlix 011. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK STACKS: SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Photograph by Author. li 012. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK STACKS: SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Photograph by Author. lii 013. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK STACKS: SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Photograph by Author. lv 014. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK STACKS: SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Photograph by Author. 8 015. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH Screen shot of image search accessed 2013-08-15. (https://www. google.ca/search?rlz=1C5CHFA_enCA546CA558&hl=en&site=img hp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=879&bih=765&q=new+york+pub lic+library&oq=new+york+pu&gs_l=img.3.0.0l10.3519.6390.0.8440. 11.9.0.2.2.0.67.551.9.9.0....0...1ac.1.32.img..0.11.561.zdLXxXWjCP0) 10 016. GOOGLE SEARCH Screen shot of search accessed 2013-08-15. (https://www.google. ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=EsjJUraFG6aC8QfzkoC4Bw#q=new%20 york%20public%20library) 11 017. LOCATION Screen shot of map search accessed 2013-08-15. (https:// www.google.ca/maps/preview#!data=!1m4!1m3!1d3097!2d- 73.9819941!3d40.7527308!4m12!2m11!1m10!1s0x0%3A0x3b51df6e5 09a734c!3m8!1m3!1d36553982!2d-96!3d56!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1) 12 018. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY: ITS ARCHITECTURE AND DECORATION Henry Hope Reed. The New York Public Library: Its Architecture and Decoration. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1986. Page 3. Intro- duction xii PAGE FIGURE 13 019. FIFTH AVENUE FACADE Henry Hope Reed. The New York Public Library: Its Architecture and Decoration. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1986. Page 34. Pho- tograph by Anne Day. Key plan by Author, based on New York City Buildings and Open Space GIS Data, City of New York, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, 2009. 14 020. WIKIPEDIA ENTRY Screen shot of search accessed 2013-08-15. (http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/New_York_Public_Library_Main_Branch) 15 021. BRYANT PARK FACADE Bryant_Park_City_Pond_skating_rink_1.jpg. Author: Beyond My Ken, Date: 2 November 2011, Description: The City Pond skating rink in Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York City, with the rear of the main building of the New York Public Library in the background. Accessed 2013-08-18. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bryant_ Park_City_Pond_skating_rink_1.jpg) Key plan by Author, based on New York City Buildings and Open Space GIS Data, City of New York, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, 2009. 16 022. TRIPADVISOR SEARCH Screen shot of search accessed 2013-08-20. (http://www.tripadvisor. ca/Attraction_Review-g60763-d116236-Reviews-New_York_Pub- lic_Library-New_York_City_New_York.html) 17 023. ASTOR HALL Tempio della Cultura. Screen shot of review accessed 2013-08- 20. Author: Lido M, Follonica Italy. Visited October 2012, Re- viewed: 2012-10-03 (http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Re- view-g60763-d116236-Reviews-New_York_Public_Library-New_ York_City_New_York.html#REVIEWS) Key plan by Author, based on New York City Buildings and Open Space GIS Data, City of New York, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, 2009. 18 024. LIBRARY PAMPHLET Library Pamphlet: Discover the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Welcome and Building Highlights. The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, 2012. Ac- quired 2013-06-05. xiii PAGE FIGURE 19 025. ROSE MAIN READING ROOM Library Pamphlet: Discover the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Rose Main Reading Room. The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, 2012. Acquired 2013-06-05. Key plan by Author, based on New York City Buildings and Open Space GIS Data, City of New York, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, 2009. 20 026. NEW YORK TIMES Screen shot of review accessed 2013-09-17. Author Michael Kim- melman. Article: “In Renderings for a Library Landmark, Stacks of Questions.” The New York Times website. January 29, 2013. Image credit: Robert Wright (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/arts/ design/norman-fosters-public-library-will-need-structural-magic. html) 21 027. RENOVATION Screen Shot of online slide show accessed 2013-09-17. “Modernizing the New York Public Library” The New York Times website. Image Credit dbox/Foster + Partners. (http://www.nytimes.com/slide- show/2013/01/30/arts/artsspecial/20130139LIBRARY-6.html) Key plan by Author, based on New York City Buildings and Open Space GIS Data, City of New York, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, 2009. 25 028. 42ND ST + 5TH AVE: STREETS, NEIGHBORHOODS, TRANSIT AND MONUMENTS MUJI New York Playing Cards, Photograph by Author.
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