Jefferson Market Library was built in 1875-1877 as a courthouse. It served that purpose until 1945, and then became vacant in 1958. The building was to be razed, but community members advocated on its behalf. As a result, the building became a city library, opening in 1967. The building is located along Avenue of the Americas in Greenwich Village and is instantly recognizable from its tall Victorian Gothic clock tower standing above many of the other buildings in the vicinity. The building itself is mostly brick, but looks a bit like a Gothic-style church. Next to the library sits a small garden oasis, filled with greenery and, in the spring and summer, beautiful flowers.

 

The interior of the library also features Gothic architecture with large vaulted ceilings, large windows with rosettes, and ornate wood carvings–like the outside, the inside feels like you are sitting in a Gothic-style church. In one of the library’s main rooms, wallpaper that looks like old library slips hangs on the wall, a fun element in the otherwise quiet, subdued space. The rest of the interior has been made functional for the library’s purposes, with bookshelves lining the walls and seating, both individual and communal, scattered around the room. Even if you don’t want to check out a book, Jefferson Market Library is a beautiful building that provides a fascinating atmosphere for reading or work.