New York Public Library Online Collections: Highlights
E-Books & Audiobooks: A collection of over 300,000 e-Books, Audiobooks, and Magazines. In addition to bestsellers, popular magazines, and materials for individuals with print disabilities, NYPL's "E-Book Central" page also offers access to scholarly works like Oxford University's "Very Short Introductions" series.
Digital Collections: With nearly 900,000 digitized images from NYPL's collections, the Digital Collections are a "living database" featuring high resolution prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, historical videos and film, and more. An incredible resource for academic research, creative inspiration, and recreation.
Research & Academic Resources: NYPL's remote research offerings serve as an excellent supplement to Pratt Libraries' online collections. In addition to its suite of academic e-books and full-text article databases, NYPL offers online research assistance from research librarians and curators, as well as remote access to the popular genealogy site Ancestry.com.
Archives & Manuscripts: These vast holdings include diary and journal entries from notable historical figures, drafts of famous literary works, historical memorabilia, and archival audio recordings, film, and videos. Featured collections include the papers of author James Baldwin and musician Lou Reed.
Community Support Resources: A curated list of local community organizations offering business, career, and financial support, health and wellness materials, food security information, and resources related to affordable housing and tenant's rights.
Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List: A selection of nearly 100 books of different genres related to the African diaspora, African American experience, and Black liberation movements. Many of these titles are available in both print and eBook form.
Navigating New York Public Library's Online Collections
NYPL has developed a clear and approachable guide to navigating its vast online collections. Among other things, this guide offers best practices for starting your research, a breakdown of subject-specific research guides, tips on effective database searching, and current and historical newspapers available to browse. In addition, NYPL's research blog features database walkthroughs and interviews with historians and researchers who use NYPL's online collections to explore subjects like the Women's Suffrage Movement, Food History, and the Salem Witch Trials.
Tune in to the Sounds of New York City
With much of New York City currently shut down, many of us are missing the vibrant sights and sounds that make life here so special. Thankfully, NYPL's got us covered. They've recently released an anthology of soundscapes titled Missing Sounds of New York, a "combination of familiar, ambient canvasses on which mini stories are placed." Who knew the sounds of screeching subway cars and bustling parks could be so comforting?
