Among the many significant documents in The New York Public Library’s resources for the study of George Washington is a recipe that, while likely not historically impactful, will be of interest to history buffs and beer connoisseurs alike. A handwritten entry in a 1757 notebook, kept by Washington during his time as a colonel with the Virginia militia, notes a recipe for “small beer”. In the 18-19th centuries, “small beer” was characterized as weak bear with little alcohol content intended to be consumed immediately after brewing, and even considered appropriate for children. The recipe, now posted on the NYPL website, is as follows: Read more…

Mad Men, the hit show centered around an advertising firm in the 1960′s has inspired more than a love for retro fashion and classic cocktails over lunch. It was also the impetus for the “Mad Men Reading List”, created by Billy Parrott, manager of the Battery Park City branch of the New York Public Library. The list includes all the books read by characters in the series. “I love the show,” says Parrott in an interview with the New York Daily News. “And being a librarian, I always take note when someone’s reading something.” The list, which is featured on the library’s blog as well as on Twitter under the name batteryparkcity, is becoming quite popular with patrons. “Now, the day after the show, people come in and start asking about stuff.” Read more…

New York Public Library logos old (left) and new (right).

The New York Public Library has updated its brand identity for the digital age. The new logo, a bolder more streamlined version of a lion profile inside a circle, is designed to work both on-line and in print. The simple shapes and smooth curves, along with a new color pallet, allow the mark to be used in a variety of sizes and resolutions without losing any detail. Kievit, a new sans-serif typeface, was chosen to compliment the logo with its contemporary look. The re-design, the first in over 25 years, was done in-house by the library’s creative team, and is based on the stone lions that adorn the main library steps. “It’s primarily based on Fortitude [the northern lion], but it’s a combination of both,” explains Marc Blaustein, art director for the library system. “The angle is Fortitude, but some of the features are inspired by Patience.”

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