New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a public library system in New York City with nearly 53 million items and 92 locations. It is the second-largest public library in the United States and the fifth-largest public library in the world. The library has branches in the boroughs of the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and affiliations with academic and professional libraries in the New York metropolitan area. The library was developed in the 19th century through the amalgamation of grass-roots libraries and social libraries aided by the philanthropy of wealthy Americans. The Main Branch of the library, declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, is easily recognizable by its lion statues named Patience and Fortitude. The library's history dates back to the Astor Library, built in 1854, which was a free reference library that did not allow books to circulate, and the Lenox Library, built in 1877, which charged admission and did not permit physical access to literary items. The two libraries were eventually merged with the Tilden Library, established after Samuel J. Tilden's bequest in 1886, to form the New York Public Library.learn more on wikipedia