Branch History
The Kips Bay Branch of The New York Public Library opened in 1972, replacing two former libraries: St. Gabriel's and Nathan Straus. Designed by the award-winning architect, Giorgio Cavaglieri, it was one of the first branches to be built fully accessible to people who use wheelchairs. The branch is named after a 17th-century farmer, Jacobus Kip, whose farm extended from Second Avenue and 35th Street to the bay that came to bear his name. On the first floor there are adult, young adult, and reference collections. Non-print materials available for borrowing include CDs, videos, and books-on-tape. The children's room is located on the second floor and has a collection of books, videos, and book/cassettes available for borrowing.
