The Library of Links is a list of resources to help facilitate preservation research. The Library of Links includes articles/ websites for basic preservation knowledge, preservation organizations, historic architecture, archiving, documentation, funding and sustainability.
Archives and Reports:
• The New York Public Library Digital Collection: NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 800,000 images digitized from the The New York Public Library’s vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs and more.
• New York City Photo Archive (PDF): New_York_City_Photo’s_05-07-12
• New York Preservation Archive Project: The New York Preservation Archive Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the history of historic preservation in New York City.
• Landmark Preservation Commission-Designation Reports: Designation reports explain the architectural, historical or cultural significance of an individual landmark or historic district and describes the significant features of the individual landmark or historic district at the time of designation which provides the basis of regulating future changes to these properties.
New York City Municipal Archives: Founded in 1950, the Municipal Archives preserves and makes available the historical records of New York City municipal government
Preservation Organizations/Museums:
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation: The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation was founded in 1980 to preserve the architectural heritage and cultural history of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. GVSHP is a leader in protecting the sense of place and human scale that define the Village’s unique community.
Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts: Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, founded in 1982, is an independent, not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to preserving the architectural legacy, livability, and sense of place of the Upper East Side.
Landmark West!: Since 1985, Landmark West!, an award-winning non-profit, has worked to achieve landmark status for individual buildings and historic districts on the Upper West Side and to protect them from insensitive change and demolition.
National Trust for Historic Preservation: The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places
Neighborhood Preservation Center: A unique place, office space, and resource center that shares information and facilitates exchange among those working to improve and protect neighborhoods.
South Street Seaport Museum: Founded on May 22, 1967, and newly revitalized under the management of the Museum of the City of New York, the South Street Seaport Museum is looking toward the future. Three floors of galleries in Schermerhorn Row opened on January 25, 2012, with 16 historic and contemporary installations interweaving the city, the sea, and the Seaport neighborhood.
Preservation Funding:
• Knight Foundation: Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged.
Preservation/ Sustainability
• Wallabout Homeowner’s Preservation Manual: view on line here or pdf: BKSKArchitects_WallaboutHomeownersManual-Web (pdf)
• Municipal Art Society of New York and the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission: “Greening New York City’s Historic Buildings: Green Rowhouse Manual,” by the firm Cook + Fox Architects and Terrapin Bright Green ( a free online manual)
• “Benchmarking measures the total electricity, natural gas, steam and fuel oil consumed in a building and adjusts for other factors so that the City can understand which facilities are operating inefficiently. This information allows the City to prioritize buildings for energy efficiency investments and to monitor building performance over time.” For more information click: New York City Government Building Energy Benchmarking Results: 2010 and 2011 (in pdf)
The Urban Land Institute: The Urban Land Institute provides leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. ULI is an independent global nonprofit supported by members representing the entire spectrum of real estate development and land use disciplines.