NEW YORK—New York Public Library Chairman Catherine C. Marron and President Paul LeClerc joined Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison on Wednesday at Astor Hall to announce a $1 billion initiative to transform the New York Public Library system.
The five-year plan, which has been endorsed by the library’s Board following a comprehensive 18-month review, aims to double the number of unique users who use the system to access information. The major goals of this initiative include:
• Renovation and remodeling of the 5th Avenue building into a state-of-the-art lending library to accompany existing research divisions.
• Addition of new branches in Northern Manhattan and Staten Island to support local communities through expansion of services and hours of operation.
• Expansion of Web-based services and access worldwide, and creation of novel online communities led by librarians and curators.
• Increasing operational efficiencies and financial support.
“I want to congratulate the staff and the Board for setting the bar high, with a sprawling and ambitious billion-dollar plan that completely transforms the New York Public Library for the 21st century,” stated Mayor Bloomberg. “Our city’s great institutions need to keep making the investments that will keep New York a place that attracts the best and the brightest and nurtures the next generation of leaders in different fields.”
The fundraising efforts for this initiative were jumpstarted by a $100 million donation made by Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chairman, CEO, and co-founder of The Blackstone Group and a Library Trustee since 2001. His gift has been noted as the biggest unrestricted gift by an individual to any cultural organization in New York City. The library plans to rename the Humanities and Social Sciences Library located at 5th Avenue to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in recognition of this contribution.
“The New York Public Library is the most effective organization in this city to help people achieve their goals and improve their lives,” said Chairman Marron. “Steve Schwarzman’s gift moves the library’s plan forward in a powerful way and will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”
The five-year plan, which has been endorsed by the library’s Board following a comprehensive 18-month review, aims to double the number of unique users who use the system to access information. The major goals of this initiative include:
• Renovation and remodeling of the 5th Avenue building into a state-of-the-art lending library to accompany existing research divisions.
• Addition of new branches in Northern Manhattan and Staten Island to support local communities through expansion of services and hours of operation.
• Expansion of Web-based services and access worldwide, and creation of novel online communities led by librarians and curators.
• Increasing operational efficiencies and financial support.
“I want to congratulate the staff and the Board for setting the bar high, with a sprawling and ambitious billion-dollar plan that completely transforms the New York Public Library for the 21st century,” stated Mayor Bloomberg. “Our city’s great institutions need to keep making the investments that will keep New York a place that attracts the best and the brightest and nurtures the next generation of leaders in different fields.”
The fundraising efforts for this initiative were jumpstarted by a $100 million donation made by Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chairman, CEO, and co-founder of The Blackstone Group and a Library Trustee since 2001. His gift has been noted as the biggest unrestricted gift by an individual to any cultural organization in New York City. The library plans to rename the Humanities and Social Sciences Library located at 5th Avenue to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in recognition of this contribution.
“The New York Public Library is the most effective organization in this city to help people achieve their goals and improve their lives,” said Chairman Marron. “Steve Schwarzman’s gift moves the library’s plan forward in a powerful way and will have a lasting impact for generations to come.”
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