The New York Public Library offers great spaces and resources across the city…read more This Harry Belafonte branch offers many tables with outlets, free Wifi, and computer stations for those to take advantage of - an important resource for the neighborhood! On the rare occasion that I've interacted with the staff, they've been friendly and helpful! While the branch's Adult media lending portion is relatively small, that's OK since you can order online from NYPL's spectacular, vast collection to pick up here! Upstairs, while I haven't visited, there's a Children's section. The only real negative for this location is that talking and other noises from the Children's section reverberate throughout the downstairs non-Children's space. A 2nd Floor noise barrier between the space and stairs might help alleviate the regular sounds of constant tumult heard by 1st Floor patrons. Also, I've noted some people who bring kids to this 1st Floor section to do homework can be quite chatty and, while fantastic and I absolutely commend them for helping kids, it's not always at a volume respectful of others who come there to use the facilities - preferably in a silent atmosphere. On the whole, it's awesome that NYPL maintains this W. 115th St. branch for the community! Thank you, NYPL!

New York Public Library the Harry Belafonte Branch opened two years after the book 'The Jungle' was…read morepublished in 1906. It's the classic architecture for libraries of the time it opened in 1908. This library is a nice walk from my apartment. The layout of reading material is by floor so you navigate upward for age appropriate reading materials. Last time I was in the neighborhood I forgot to stop in. I'm definitely going to return when I'm in the neighborhood. I know you want to see photos. Here's a photo of the book that changed the food industry. Or has it? Sometimes I feel that nothing really changes or we get lax. I recommend you read this book because it moved me. Look for it at the branch or NYPL online. The more you know........

This is bit more than standard but the gift shop is terrific. Seemed to me to be far more there…read moreis on the web link. I was visiting from out of state next time will bring an empty bag or two.The staff are great and know where everything is. I had some things to buy, got on line, took out card up in walletwallet but it was too much to carry back. I stepped back, moved to return tee shirts and left with friends. Opened my purse card in but no card wallet.... Checked cafe. Went back to very busy store, over to the register I'd been at and asked if a wallet was left. She immediately called her manager who appeared within 2 minutes . If I could have hugged and thanked the manager, cashier and people behind on that line... I recommend the materials and all staff in the shop they made my day

I love the New York Public Library and have bought several things from the gift shop over the…read moreyears, both in person and online. It's an excellent spot, with the artful curation that makes museum gift shops worth browsing, and a particularly nice selection of book and New York-related merchandise. I'm a writer in my off-Yelp life, and was actually a finalist for the NYPL's Young Lions Fiction Award in 2020, a year when all events were canceled. I missed out on a free trip to New York and a fancy party, but I took some of my prize money (I didn't win, but I somehow got paid just for being nominated) and sent it right back to the library, spending it at the online gift shop. I had a new baby named Leo and went kind of nuts on library and lion-themed gear, buying a bundle of apparel for our whole family as well as some picture books, a Christmas ornament, and heavy bookends modeled after the library's marble lions, Patience and Fortitude. I've been more restrained in person, but I have enjoyed browsing whenever I've gone, and my COVID kid Leo, now four, loves the place too. He's a big fan of the New York subways and has gotten a couple of toy train cars and a grown-up coffee table book about the subway at this gift shop. I don't live in New York, but I visit often and always like coming by the library. As long as they keep selling book and lion branded merch, I'll keep giving them my money.

This is my favorite CUNY library. I always get work done here because:…read more1. They have really good wifi 2. Comnecting to their wifi gives me access to different journals and databases 3. Outlets work 4. It is so conducive to reading and studying 5. They allow library users to bring drinks (with lid) 6. They are usually open on weekends. I also love their elevators and how it's right in across the Empire State Building.

Sad that the National Archives are NOT accessible to the public in this building. False advertising…read moreon side of building.

If you have hives on the arches of your feet (ew) then you have Archives. Well not ew if you're…read moreBarbie or Summer Brielle or Aletta Ocean or something. But anyway. While it has nothing on the massive version of this in Washington DC, it is still a pretty cool building in the financial downtown of Manhattan and well worth a visit. I like it more than a lot of other grand buildings in NYC, so I give it 4.

The New York Academy 02/25/20…read more "The New York Academy of Medicine is a health policy and advocacy organization founded in 1847 by a group of Metropolitan Area Physicians. This group served as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and in the area of Public health reform. The early leaders of the academy worked to improve public health by focusing on the living conditions of the poor. In 1866, the academy was instrumental in the Metropolitan Board of Health the first modern municipal public health authority in the United States. Today we call it the Department of Health. In recent years the academy has functioned as an effective advocate in public health reform, as well as a major center for health education." CC Wikipedia I've been visiting the Academy Building for at least Four Years. I noticed between 96th Street and 105th Street on Fifth Avenue a section of Museum Mile I call Medical Row! The Architecture of this building enticed me to enter. Plus there's a Cafe inside. I've felt welcome for the most part. There is a Concierge/Security to your right when you enter. I've taken photos and haven't been thrown out so that's a good thing. They have lots of events on a multitude of topics. During breaks you can grab lunch and coffee at Cafe on Fifth located on premises. I enjoy my time spent visiting the Academy. I'm writing this review for informational purposes. You may share my interest in urban community public health. Or you may just want to absorb the historic presence of this 1926 building both inside and out.

I had the opportunity to attend an event in the rare book room at the NY Academy of Medicine…read more First of all, the building is very grand. Wiki tells me it's a mix of Byzantine Revival and Lombardian Romanesque styles, my eyes tell me it must've been expensive. The elevators in the building received their 15 minutes of fame when they were featured in The Royal Tenenbaums in the scene where Gene Hackman was working as an elevator operator. Unfortunately, in the last 10+ years, they moved from having an operator to the self-service model. Now when Skynet takes over they'll be one elevator stronger. Our event was about Women and Medicine and was held in the rare books room, accessible only by those with a special elevator key. Once inside, you get a strong whiff of old books and leather binding. It's sort of magical and what I imagine Hogwarts smells like. In the talk, they showed us all kinds of treasures including ancient medical tomes with handwritten recipes for piles (this was apparently a huge problem for the lady who wrote this book), medical texts with multi-layered anatomy diagrams (the old school version of 3D/VR), and even the only copy of one of the first books teaching people about birth control. The ladies leading the talk were super knowledgeable and kind enough to answer silly (and serious) questions about both the topic and the various interesting things in the room. It slipped my mind during the Q&A period but apparently, you can see George Washington's dentures! I'd love to get the opportunity to go back and learn more! ---------- * The elevator: https://goo.gl/images/hL18os

This is a beautiful old library. Absolutely gorgeous. We stopped in here after an annoying…read moreexperience with giving blood, for peaceful relaxation and hopefully books on decorating. It turned out that this branch doesn't sell donated or deaccessioned books, alas. I think the librarian, a lovely and kind woman, told us that sales are centralized at only one location, which I forget. Maybe near Bryant Park? I love libraries, always have. Being surrounded by books brings me peace. So much knowledge! About everything!!! I tend to go down rabbit holes and want to learn everything I can about a particular topic. I like actual paper books, as my eyes tend to glaze over after reading a lot online. Please support your local libraries. They're a treasure, and so are librarians.

First Time at the Library sad to say the Security person is so rude .. Not pleasant and friendly at…read moreall !!

Apparently a ton of people try to come into this library and want to use it, so the clerks at the…read morefront desk scrutinize you for awhile before letting you in. Luckily, I am affiliated with the Weill-Cornell-New York Presbyterian behemoth of a healthcare system. Ugh, what in the world... So after chatting up a few librarians on staff for over 20 minutes and they checked out my credentials and felt I was worthy of entering, I was allowed in...wow, talk about jumping through hoops... Nice, big beautiful Macs to use all over the library and plenty of places to study and you could basically just set up camp here. I got some research done, downloaded some recent medical articles, and left without too much of a fuss. I'll be back to do more work, but goodness, the security here is more stringent than any red-roped VIP dance places in the city. At least in the dance venues, you can just smile or flirt your way in...the price you pay for knowledge.

Love the University library at Weill Cornell. There are so many study places w/o computers, the…read moreceiling is high and its very airy, but since talking isn't allowed it's silent anyway. There aren't a lot of books here, but in the basement there's a storage room where you can go in search for that special lexicon of anatomy or whatever you need for your studies. You will need an access card to enter, so you have to work at NYP or study at Weill Cornell to get in. I love to go here to read up on article, or just get a nap in between surgeries. In the entrance of the library, there is a small gift shop for Weill Cornell (has its own Yelp-page).

Great library has been a great help for me in so many ways!polite wonderful atmosphere…read more Charles is very helpful with all my computer needs Thank you very much for the much needed support!

I seen a mean comment on Google try to downplay the far walk away public library saying it was…read moredirty and how they just had random people taking up space When I went there, it was the total opposite for me. They even had live music playing, and a small group from the community was watching as it was free Also there you did not make no sense. The public library is for everybody and if people choose to sit there, I do not see the problem it is as long as you're not making a ruckus. I do not see the problem. Secondly, the place was not. The bathroom were nice. The floors were nice. I said no trash no nothing minding their business or with a friend doing their thing. The only thing I do agree with that review is that there is a small selection of books, but they do have videos DVDs, which is pretty cool. All I can say is I think what time collection of books could possibly grow with donations and then buying more books. It also has a computer which is free because all you need to get a library card is your ID and that's it you're in.