The purpose of the plan is to transform the Library so that it can better serve a growing public that is accessing information in rapidly changing and diverse ways. The Library's five-year goal is to double the number of unique users who take advantage of its collections, programs, reading rooms and online offerings. The plan, which calls for a total investment of approximately $1 billion, was adopted by the Library's Board following a comprehensive 18-month study by trustees and staff.
New York Public Library Chairman Catherine C. Marron and President Paul LeClerc also announced that Blackstone Group Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman has donated $100 million to the Library as the lead gift toward a newly launched fundraising campaign in support of the plan.
In addition to building two new hub libraries, renovating existing facilities, and increasing collections, the plan calls for $130 million for technology, online expansion, collections, education and staff.
Expansion Online
The New York Public was among the first large library systems to put its entire catalogue online. Through its award-winning Digital Gallery, the Library has scanned nearly 700,000 images from its original, rare and specialized holdings, making them available free of charge to the public through its Web site. The creation of the online exhibition In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience, demonstrates the power of marrying the Library's rich content with leading scholarship and cutting edge technology. The Library continues to partner with Google and Microsoft in the mass digitization of books that are in the public domain.
A new "Digital Experience" department at the Library was recently launched to build on the successes of the past and to develop deep digital content based upon the Library's unique collections. Its goal is to create a vast online resource for students, teachers, scholars and anyone else seeking access to texts, images and expert guidance in the Library's areas of excellence. Inherent in this goal is the Library's focus on the needs of the community and understanding of current and emerging information-seeking behavior. To that end, the Library has launched "NYPL Labs" to create and test information delivery modes in order to respond to the quickly changing digital environment and meet users wherever they may be.
The two great strengths of the New York Public Library are its expert staff and extraordinary collections. The Digital Experience initiative affords the Library the opportunity to use technology to move those two strengths beyond the walls of the Library.
The Library's plan also calls for a multimillion dollar investment in technology upgrades throughout the system, giving the public better access to computers and the Internet in all its locations.
In 2009, with the introduction of a new online catalogue, the Library will offer its users a powerful and simple search engine for all of its collections -- lending, research, and digital. At the same time, its Web site will be redesigned with a streamlined interface that will allow users to conduct transactions quickly and efficiently.
