By Aliza Gans, Arts and Culture Editor
Tucked in the corner of Lincoln Center Plaza sits a sleek building overflowing with knowledge about theater, dance and other performing arts. This is the New York Library for the Performing Arts (LPA). Due to its location being near Juilliard, you can often find students carrying around instruments, big and small, from a flute to a cello, adding to the artistic atmosphere of the location.
The LPA is part of the greater New York Public Library (NYPL) system making that one card the key to more theater knowledge than you can imagine. A benefit for students living in the city for their time at Yeshiva University (YU) is that it lets you register for a NYPL card under your dorm or apartment address, even if you don’t live in New York full-time. All you need is proof of address to show the librarian which is essentially just any piece of mail sent to you.
Unlike other libraries around the city, the LPA carries materials exclusively about the arts. There you can find biographies of your favorite actors and playwrights, in-depth artistic designs for your favorite shows, as well as hundreds of different plays that one can peruse the shelves and admire. Many books offer practical directions from stage food recipes to sewing tips and specific costume designs. There is also dedicated literature to film which offers behind-the-scenes information and insight to the process behind your favorite TV shows and movies. While they have children’s literature, it is a small collection mostly of novels where the arts are central to the plot. There is also an extensive collection of DVDs which appeared to be for many different seasons of TV shows of our childhood like Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony.
One of my favorite areas of the library was the section where they kept the scores of sheet music. Here, they have everything from classical pieces to Broadway musicals to Jewish songbooks. Looking through the section, I felt that I gained insight into Jewish life of the past. There were songbooks with collections of popular Jewish music, as well as different prayers, including those for Shabbat, hallel (prayer of praise) and slichot (prayer of forgiveness). Many of these books were on the older side; I even found one from the 1940s. Looking at these felt like unlocking the past in a medium I was so familiar with: song. Despite the time separating us from those before, many melodies and songs were the same as the ones we sing now. I can only imagine what the books were witnesses to, and the stories they could tell. And did I mention that the library lets you check out many of these sheet music books just like a regular library book?
The Library for the Performing Arts also has rotating exhibits on display for patrons to visit and explore. In my most recent visit, the exhibits on view were about the animal companions of many famous artists and the impact they had on the artists that owned them, and the other was on Martha Graham, a dancer known for her contributions to the theater world by approaching dance as psychological expression, and how her style stands in contrast to ballet. The exhibit featured costumes and set designs from pieces she choreographed or performed in as well as videos showcasing her work. The LPA is also constantly holding events like film screenings, panels, book clubs, lectures, workshops and even performances! Most of these events are free and offer something fun and interesting for the artistically inclined student to attend while on a budget. They even offer online events, which you can attend from the comfort of your own dorm room!
The LPA also has an extensive collection of materials for research such as newspaper clippings, correspondence and stage designs, among others. Best of all, they have many preserved archival recordings and videotapes of shows from Broadway’s past that you can watch right there in the library! Although I didn’t watch any videos while on my last trip, it would certainly be an interesting way to experience a show I never got to see while it was playing. Some shows on my list would be Anastasia, The Little Mermaid, and The Phantom of the Opera.
There are many spaces to work and hang out in the LPA as well. The first floor has an open seating area with record players at some tables along with some records to choose from. Those interested in listening to something need only plug in their headphones to enjoy this aspect of the library. Additionally there is also an outdoor terrace which is a perfect study spot for those warm and sunny days.
The Library for the Performing Arts offers many exciting ways to explore theater and the arts. The only thing you’ll need to get there? A library card.
Photo Credit: Aliza Gans