Patience and Fortitude

May 15, 2015
The struggle to save a New York icon. Patience and Fortitude, the names of the venerable lions flanking the entrance of the New York Public Library, serve well as the title of journalist Sherman's debut book about the determined and courageous protestors battling vast changes to the library. Based on articles that he published in the Nation, Sherman presents a scathing expose of a proposed Central Library Plan that would have demolished the NYPL stacks, sent 3 million books off-site to Princeton, New Jersey, and left branch libraries destitute. Many noted writers and scholars were aghast: Salman Rushdie signed a protest letter, as did Tom Stoppard, Ann Patchett, Donna Tartt, Jonathan Lethem, and others. But the library's board of trustees were equally notable-including Toni Morrison, former Harvard president Neil Rudenstine, and historian Robert Darnton-and they struggled to address the institution's dire economic straits. The NYPL, the only private library among the world's great research libraries, "must find about 70% of its revenues from the private sector." Benefactors' donations temporarily stemmed the erosion of money, but soon after Brooke Astor donated $5 million, for example, the library was once again broke. In the 1980s, under Vartan Gregorian's presidency, the NYPL's endowment rose to $172 million, but the need for more funds never abated. The library took to selling off art and property, closing branches, and retaining architect Norman Foster to revamp the Fifth Avenue building, de-emphasizing research but creating modern, inviting spaces. It would become, one critic said, "a vast internet cafe," where visitors could check email and read e-books. Many of the library's trustees would not talk to Sherman, and even Bill de Blasio, who supported the protestors, declined to be interviewed. Nevertheless, Sherman has unearthed convincing evidence that the CLP was misguided; the library, he urges, "needs government regulation" and "a new generation of public-spirited trustees." A compelling exploration of the battle over "a world-class library that lost its way in the digital age."

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Starred review from June 15, 2015

For over a century, the New York Public Library (NYPL) has been considered a cultural mecca, with its iconic lion statues "Patience" and "Fortitude" welcoming tourists, scholars, writers, new immigrants, and its fellow New Yorkers. As Sherman (contributing writer, The Nation) details in this real-life thriller, the historic research center and its branches recently faced an uncertain future in light of financial struggles and misguided good intentions. NYPL officials and trustees formulated a plan to renovate the central library by transporting three million research books to a storage facility in New Jersey in order to make room for Internet and technology labs. To raise money for the project, they also wanted to sell several rundown branches. When the public heard about the plan, they fought to keep the renowned research library intact and save the branches from closing. Famous authors, scholars, and library lovers built a grassroots campaign, which ultimately succeeded, in support of these vital neighborhood centers. VERDICT This cautionary tale is of interest to library professionals, MLS/MLIS students, bibliophiles, and citizens who want to preserve the civic and cultural life of their community.--Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
In 2007 the trustees of the New York Public Library hatched a plan to consolidate public services dispensed from three midtown Manhattan sites. This scheme called for gutting the iconic research library on 42nd Street and moving its incomparable collections to New Jersey. Opponents of the plan perceived that the oligarchs dominating the board were less concerned with the institution than on striking a real-estate deal. And they had powerful Mayor Bloomberg firmly on their side. The trustees presented the plan as a forward-looking redesign of an old building to meet the digital age's challenges, and they cast their opponents as old-fashioned bookworms and lofty elitists. The financial crisis of 2008 stalled this plan, and that gave critics a chance to rally public support. Successful mayoral candidate de Blasio's opposition to the plan ultimately quashed it. Journalist Sherman meticulously re-creates the controversy, which appeared to many a clash between corporate greed and the world of high culture.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)