NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Built in 1911, the N.Y. Public Library is, like Grand Central, one of the most beautiful Art Deco buildings in New York. It is also one of the largest public libraries in the world. Flanked by two carved lions, dubbed "Patience and Fortitude" by Mayor LaGuardia in 1930, in recognition of the qualities New Yorkers had to display during the Great Depression, its monumental staircases are a favorite hangout for New Yorkers. The interior of the building, which spans the equivalent of two blocks, is grandiose, and the atmosphere is much less staid than at the National Library in Paris. A short stay in New York is probably not the right time to dive into the city's archives, but a visit to the Public Library is a must, if only for the beauty of its reading rooms. On the first floor, the Newspaper Room (about 10,000 periodicals published in 22 languages in 124 countries) is decorated with thirteen beautiful murals representing the main buildings of New York; on the top floor, the Rose Main Reading Room (closed for more than 2 years for renovations), is the jewel of the complex; the computer consoles now blend very well with the beautiful wooden furniture and the original bronze lamps. A guided tour of the library includes the following sections: maps, economics, law, art, architecture, photography, microfilm, American history, rare manuscripts, Jewish, Slavic, Baltic, and Oriental cultures and civilizations. Numerous exhibits punctuate the life of this venerable institution throughout the year in each of the following four locations: the Gottesman Exhibition Hall, the Berg Exhibition Room, the Edna B. Solomon Room, and the third floor galleries. For the record, remember the very first scene in the movie Ghostbusters when the three scientists, frightened by an evil monster, flee from a library. That scene was shot here. As in all libraries, silence is golden and photography is prohibited in some rooms. If you venture into Gottesman Hall, on the first floor, you will have the opportunity to discover a fascinating permanent exhibition and, among the treasures on display, you will meet the real Winnie the Pooh! This is the stuffed animal that was the inspiration for author A.A. Milne. Winnie and all his friends were actually the stuffed animals of his son, Christopher Robin. Tigger and Piglet are to be discovered alongside Winnie.