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Floating University: Thinkers and Leaders Come to NYPL

Think differently, explore unfamiliar territory, and ponder provocative questions with some of the nation’s most esteemed scholars and teachers. Starting in November, NYPL and the new education media venture The Floating University present Great Big Ideas, an exciting new series of thought-provoking video lectures. Hear from expert scholars such as Nicholas Christakis, Professor of Sociology at Harvard University; Paul Bloom, Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University; Joel Cohen, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of Populations, Rockefeller University, Mathematical Biologist, Columbia University; and many more.

Learn more about this program

Browse the Floating University schedule

The Birth of Promotion: Inventing Film Publicity in the  Silent-Film  Era 
November 22, 2011—January 2012
Library for the Performing Arts (Map & Directions)

Catch a special sneak peek of The Birth of Promotion: Inventing Film Publicity in the Silent-Film Era, the latest exhibition at the Library for the Performing Arts. Explore the development of the promotion and distribution of film through posters, lobby cards, promotional magazines, advertisements, and exploitation campaigns from the pre-cinema era to the transition to sound film. Highlights include a pro-Union sketch for The Birth of a Nation, plus periodicals, calendars, and other items the public was never meant to see. You’ll be in for a surprise!

Watch the exhibition preview

Plan your visit to the Library for the Performing Arts

From Our Blogs
Who Lived in a House like This? Researching the History of Your NYC Home 

Have you ever wondered who lived in your apartment before you? Thanks to the Library's Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, you can gain access to hundreds of resources to help solve the mystery. NYPL blogger Philip Sutton explains how you can jump-start your research.

Uncover the history of your home

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Schomburg Director Wins Top Award in American Studies

Schomburg Director Dr. Khalil Muhammad was awarded the John Hope Franklin Publication Prize from the American Studies Association for the best book published in 2010. It is the highest honor for anyone working in the field of American Studies.

Read an interview with Dr. Muhammad about his book

See the Stacks and Celebrate Your Library! 

Join fellow Library lovers and supporters at the 30th annual Holiday Open House. On December 4, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue will be transformed into a festive winter wonderland where you can explore the century-old stacks, test your knowledge in a trivia challenge, and rejoice in the music of the season. The Holiday Open House is open to donors at the $40 level and up.

Become a Friend of the Library today

Dos and Don'ts for Your Personal Book Collections

There's no better time to take care of your home library than when it's getting cold and dark outside. Shelly Smith, NYPL's Head of Conservation Treatment, shares tips on how to keep your treasured books in shape.

Read Shelly's recommendations

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Can’t get enough of NYPL? Join more than 40,000 NYPL fans on Facebook and receive daily updates about programs, reading recommendations, news, and more.

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Selected Programs at Neighborhood Libraries

Demystify Databases
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
2 p.m.
Bronx Library Center (Map & Directions)

Writing Workshop Led by Ellen Aug Lytle
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
2:30 p.m.
New Dorp Library (Map & Directions)

Author @ the Library
Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
6:30 p.m.
Mid-Manhattan Library (Map & Directions)

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