La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
The New York Public Library main branch on Fifth Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets is a Beaux-Arts wonder that opened in 1911. I haven’t been inside for years and I simply don’t have enough time when I walk by it almost every year to meet Cesar and Daisy at Grand Central Station. I take the train to 42nd Street and come up from underground at Bryant Park which is a beautiful park directly behind the library.
Bryant Park wasn’t always beautiful. When I lived there I remember it being a scary place with drugs and crime. I never entered. It’s now an oasis. At this time of year, there’s a wonderful holiday market on the west and north sides of the park. From the subway exit on 42nd Street, I pass the park and the library on my 8-minute walk to Grand Central Station.
News to me, the library was built on the site of the former Croton Distributing Reservoir, New York City’s primary water source when it was established in 1842. Before that time, water was obtained via cisterns, wells, and rain barrels. The water came from the Croton River in Westchester County about 40 miles north. If you go downstairs in the library you can see some of the granite foundations of the old reservoir. The things I learn now that I no longer live there!
Quick question: Are there people in the UK who pronounce it “lie-berry” or is that just an American embarrassment?
La sucursal principal de la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York, ubicada en la Quinta Avenida, entre las calles 41 y 42, es una maravilla de estilo Beaux-Arts inaugurada en 1911. Hace años que no entro y, cuando paso por allí casi todos los años, simplemente no tengo tiempo suficiente para encontrarme con Cesar y Daisy en la Grand Central Station. Tomo el tren hasta la calle 42 y subo desde el metro en Bryant Park, un hermoso parque justo detrás de la biblioteca.
Bryant Park no siempre fue bonito. Cuando vivía allí, recuerdo que era un lugar aterrador, lleno de drogas y delincuencia. Nunca entré. Ahora es un oasis. En esta época del año, hay un maravilloso mercado navideño en los lados oeste y norte del parque. Desde la salida del metro en la calle 42, paso por el parque y la biblioteca en mi caminata de 8 minutos hacia la Grand Central Station.
Para mí, la biblioteca se construyó en el antiguo embalse de Croton, la principal fuente de agua de la ciudad de Nueva York cuando se fundó en 1842. Antes de esa época, el agua se obtenía mediante cisternas, pozos y barriles de lluvia. El agua provenía del río Croton, en el condado de Westchester, a unos 64 kilómetros al norte. Si bajas a la biblioteca, puedes ver algunos de los cimientos de granito del antiguo embalse. ¡Cuántas cosas he aprendido ahora que ya no vivo allí!
Una pregunta rápida: ¿Hay gente en el Reino Unido que lo pronuncie “lie-berry” o es solo una vergüenza estadounidense?
• Empire State Building, al fondo a la izquierda.
• Embalse distribuidor de Croton 1875. Quinta Avenida, primer plano.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
“Lie-berry” drives me crazy, along with “birf-day”, both of which are unfortunately common around here. I’m also a bit of a grammar snob, but only in my head. 🙂
Jennifer
Jennifer,
I have a number of English language pet peeves. I wonder what I say that drives others crazy.
I think “Lie-berry” is an American thing. As with Jennifer, it drives me nuts too.
I have longed enjoyed the New York Public Library building and its lions. And the inside is just as cool. I recall years ago going there when my good friend, Mame lived in NYC. While he worked, I went there and read a book just to say I did. I have also been to Byrant Park at Christmas…it so pretty and festive and the main tree is always so well done. But because of crowds, after 15 minutes, I’m over it. Last time we were there, I hit the park for the last hour, not near as crowded and one could get to the gift cabins to actually see the wares vendors were selling.
Philly does a similar Christmas market with artisan vendors and ice skating too.
The “lie-berry” pronunciation doesn’t seem to be an issue in Canada, insofar as I know. When I was a kid, our teachers’ hit list of words not to mispronounce or use included “ain’t,” “punkin” and “tay-ger.”
Debra,
I’m sorry. I should have asked Canadians, too. What’s a tay-ger?
A tiger.
What a place! I’m going to hunt down some interior photos.
The main, central library in St. Louis City, is gorgeous, much like this outside, and stunning inside. It had a wonderful makeover quite a few years ago, now, but it’s still beautiful. And, in a not-great area to hang out in.
Judy C,
A beautiful interior, too. Too bad about your library’s neighborhood.
No wonder you are ‘so at home’ in Spain with all the history and monumental structures/buildings all around……you grew up with them.
I think we may have a ‘wanna-be’ architect amongst us. Hey….maybe in your next life.
Jim,
When I was a kid I did want to be an architect. I was always “designing” houses and apartments. I think I simply lost the confidence as I grew up.
I expect lieberry is what the nucular people say. All I know of this one is the lions, usually in the newspaper, covered in snow. Boud
Boud,
Ugh! Nucular!
There is a great restaurant around on the park side of the Library. The inside is very worth the time to wander around.
David,
Yes, I’ve heard it’s good. And you can get pancakes for less than $30 (unless you want juice).
I will smack anyone who says lie-berry.
I have been into the library many times on trips to New York just because of the fabulous spaces inside. I was neevr in New York when Bryant Park was nasty; it was always a nice spot to sit in the sun.
Bob,
I left my in the late’70s. I was shocked years later to see the transformation of Bryant park.
It must be cold going to the lie-berry wif-out your coat in Fe-boo-erry , I’d go nucular!
Deedles,
Fuhgeddaboudit!
If I ever went to NYC, I believe the library is the main place I would want to visit. Just walking past those lions would give me a thrill.
I recently listened to an audio book narrated by someone who kept saying “lie-berry” and I cannot remember who the narrator was but I was so shocked because he was someone whom I would NOT have expected to use that pronunciation. Who was it and what was the book? I am losing my memory, losing my mind. I hate this.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon,
It’s a beautiful and impressive place. And I still get a thrill myself when I see the lions. Icons. If you were really losing your mind I don’t think you’d realize. What was the other thing you mentioned losing? I forget.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone pronounce it lie-berry. I’m curious how the Croton reservoir transitioned into the library.
ellen abbott:
You’ve never even heard children pronounce it liberry? That’s usually how it starts. You can read all about the reservoir on Wikipedia (there was this distribution center and a reservoir lake in Central Park. It fell into disuse because it couldn’t support the growing population.
Oh, well, yes children I suppose. I thought you were referencing adults.
Just the other day I heard someone say “chimley” instead of chimney. I also remember Jimmy Carter always saying “nucular” despite the fact he was a nuclear engineer. I think his pronunciation is actually accepted now.
I think George W. Bush used to say “nucular” too, didn’t he?
I just looked it up and evidently Eisenhower, Carter, Clinton, AND George W. all pronounced it that way!
Kelly,
Embarrassing.
Kelly,
Chilly I remember being a southern thing. Nucular drives me crazy. I hate the idea that this is normalized.
What a great old picture of the reservoir. I had no idea you could still see bits of its foundation. I am embarrassed to say that in the entire time I lived in New York I don’t think I ever went into the old Fifth Avenue library. I always used the newer building across the street, which I think is a sort of annex but it’s where the more popular reading could be found.
I’ve never heard anyone in the UK say “lie-berry.” I think that’s a southern USA thing.
Steve,
Children often said liberry but MOST adults seemed to outgrow it. It wasn’t just southern. You would love the main branch.
A grand building, indeed – but the reservoir was quite an edifice, too!
Over here, the most common mispronunciation is probably “li-bree”…
Jx
Jon,
The reservoir building was monolithic! Libree is a posh old NY and old Hollywood way of pronouncing it.
I’d like to climb on top of that lion.
Kirk,
I’m sure the guards have chased plenty of people off.
I’m glad someone else said Libree because that’s the way we say it here in northern england. I didn’t know there was another way to say it!
Anonymous in Northern England:
Libree was the posh way I heard it in NYC and in old Hollywood movies. So, Northern England is posh! I say LIE-breh-ree