NEW YORK — The New York Public Library celebrated the grand reopening of the 125th Street Branch in Harlem Wednesday. Neighbors explored a space they haven't been able to access since 2021. Restoring a staple of 125th Street, the 1904 gift from Andrew Carnegie gleams with new life, light and limitless possibilities pouring through the original walls of tall windows.
After being closed for the past three years, the landmarked library underwent a $34.4 million renovation, updating almost the entire interior. "Much of what you see is the beautiful sort of reality," said NYPL's Merryl and James Tisch director Brian Bannon, "but there's a lot of stuff behind the scenes, so elevator, infrastructure, shoring up the architecture, so that it can serve for another hundred years.
" The third floor saw the biggest transformation. The brand new teen center used to be a custodian's apartment that had been abandoned for years. The high ceilings and cozy corner nooks were the perfect fit for more than books, now housing a 3-D printer and tech space for teens.
The supporting columns are among few remnants of what was. Harlem collections on each floor highlight the hometown authors who remember. "The heart of the library is reading," said Jonathan Neris, a patron perusing the selection.
"There's a lot of stuff the internet can't teach you, you know." Harriet Sepinwall got her first library card at the branch in first grade, in the 1940s. "When I read all the books that I wanted, they would ta.
