New York Public Library is one of the most extensive public library systems in the United States. It was founded in 1895. The library system operates four research libraries that depend heavily on private contributions: the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which houses the library’s research collections in the humanities and social sciences; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; and the Science, Industry and Business Library. Public funds from New York City support a system of branch libraries in the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. The landmark main building of the library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, now the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, was designed by American architects Thomas Hastings and John M. Carrère. Construction began in 1902, and the building was formally opened in 1911. The city has two other public library systems, the Brooklyn Public Library and the Queens Borough Public Library.
The research libraries contain vast collections of books, manuscripts, films, and other materials for scholarly research. The branch libraries provide a variety of resources and services for local communities.
