New York Public Library

New York Public Library (NYPL) will use its grant to collect and analyze data on user experiences; identify opportunities for improvements; and design, test, and employ new tools, which will be made available to other libraries. The project addresses the need for evolving access as technology changes. The rapid transformation brought on by the electronic information age has a created a critical moment in which libraries across the country must find ways to ensure democratic access to books, ideas, and information, regardless of format. The project will be supported by a large group of partner libraries and technical advisors and is aligned with the Readers First movement, which is dedicated to ensuring that library patrons have access to both virtual and physical collections. NYPL will test innovative library policies and practices while adopting new technologies in order to create improved patron experiences, with the goals of building new audiences and increasing the use of electronic collections.