The Family Who Called the New York Public Library Home

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the New York Public Library opened its doors in 1911, one family already called it home. John Fiedler, the building’s first superintendent, moved in with his wife, Cornelia, and their two sons while the library was still under construction. Their apartment sat on the mezzanine level overlooking Bryant Park, and it was there that their daughter, Viviani, was born in 1917. The Fiedler children grew up surrounded by marble halls and endless stacks of books. They played baseball inside the library, sliding across the floors and using books for bases. Author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb brings their remarkable story to life, preserving a forgotten chapter in the history of the New York Public Library.

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