New York Public Library. Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees has the authority to establish standing and ad hoc committees. Standing committees include: the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, the Committee on Research Libraries, the Committee on Branch Libraries, and the Art Committee.

From the description of Board of Trustees Committee records, 1966-1975. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122576114

The Board of Trustees, the governing body of the Library, was established in 1895 by an agreement that consolidated the Astor and Lenox Libraries and the Tilden Foundation into the New York Public Library. Initially there were twenty-one trustees, with seven being appointed by each of the three institutions that had been merged to form the Library. The trustees had not set terms of office; they served on the Board until they resigned, died, or were removed by a vote of the other trustees. New trustees were elected by the current members of the Board. Following the consolidation of the New York Public Library and The New York Free Circulating Library in 1901, the number of trustees was expanded to twenty-five. This included three New York City officials as ex-officio members: the Mayor; the Comptroller; and the President of the Board of Alderman (now the Council of New York). In 1962 the By-Laws of the Board of Trustees were amended to allow as many as thirty-five trustees, and to make the terms of office three years in duration.

The Board of Trustees directs the affairs of the Library primarily through its officers and committees. From its inception, the Board had a President (now the Chairman of the Board), two Vice-Presidents (now Vice-Chairmen), a Treasurer, and a Secretary. Originally, the President was the chief policy officer of the Library, with the authority to enunciate the policies of the Board. In 1971 the Board was reorganized and the Chairman, a newly created position, became the chief policy officer and the President became the chief executive officer of the Library. Throughout its history the Board has had a number of standing committees, such as the Executive Committee and the Finance Committee. The Board has also appointed ad-hoc committees at various times to deal with specific tasks.

From the description of New York Public Library Board of Trustees Agency History. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 86164292

The Councils of the New York Public Library are groups of citizens who work closely with the Board of Trustees to promote knowledge of and support for the Library. The first council to be created by the Board, in 1949, was the Women's Council, now called the Council. Membership in it is by invitation of its own executive committee and numbered about 500 in the late 1960s. In 1975 membership was extended to men, occasioning the group's change of name. The Council organizes library tours and lectures for its members and was involved in the restoration of the Central Building. The other councils are: the Advisory Council established by the Board in the 1970s to provide assistance with fund raising, and the Branch Library Council which generates support for the Branch Libraries and their programs.

From the description of Councils' records, 1949- (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122517540

From the guide to the Councils' records, 1949-, (The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.)

The Board of Trustees, the governing body of The Library, was established in 1895 by an agreement that consolidated the Astor and Lenox Libraries and the Tilden Foundation to form The New York Public Library. Initially there were twenty-one trustees, with seven being appointed by each of the three institutions that had been merged to form The Library. Trustees had no set terms of office; they served on the Board until they resigned, died, or were removed by a vote of the other trustees. New trustees were elected by the current members of the Board. Following the consolidation of The New York Public Library and The New York Free Circulating Library in 1901, the number of trustees was expanded to twenty-five. This included three New York City officials as ex-officio members: the Mayor, the Comptroller, and the President of the Board of Alderman.

John Cadwalader, Lewis Cass Ledyard and George Lockhart Rives were the three most powerful members of the Board of Trustees during the first two decades of The New York Public Library. All three served on the original Committee on Consolidation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries, Cadwalader as an Astor Library trustee, Ledyard as a Tilden trustee, and Rives as a Lenox Library trustee. All were on the Executive Committee and served at various times as President of the Board of Trustees. Rives served also as Secretary from 1895 to 1902.

Born at Trenton, New Jersey on November 17, 1836 to a family prominent in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, John Lambert Cadwalader received his B.A. from Princeton in 1856 and, in 1860, his LL.B from Harvard Law School. Cadwalader marked his 1869 arrival to New York by a brief association with the offices of Dorman B. Eaton and was active in founding the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Nominated to Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State in 1874, shortly after his term expired, Cadwalader returned to New York to form a partnership, his definitive professional alliance, with Charles E. Strong.

Inaugurating a lengthy alliance with New York's public libraries, on November 5, 1879, Cadwalader was elected a member of the Board for the Astor Library. After the consolidation of the Astor with the Lenox Library and Tilden Trust on May 23 1895, he served as a member of the NYPL executive committee until his death in 1914. Cadwalader's profound interest in art was expressed by his involvement with the Art Committee and the Advisory Committee on Prints. His legacy of service to NYPL is typified by his tenure as First Vice-President (1909-1912) and his incumbency as President from 1912-1914.

Cadwalader shouldered a vital share of the work in effecting consolidation between the Astor and Lenox Libraries and the Tilden Trust. He proved to be of particular efficacy in unraveling legal and financial problems. For example, he drafted the consolidation agreement, created compromise resolutions,and arranged with members of the New York State Assembly to have a special consolidation bill passed. Cadwalader also negotiated with the heirs of Henrietta Lenox, who retained a vital share in Library property. From December 1895, Cadwalader played a pivotal role in the site acquisition, planning and construction of the Central Building. Besides effecting key negotiations for appropriations with the city, Cadwalader lent his aesthetic sense to design considerations, including the front statuary and various inscriptions. Cadwalader is usually credited with bringing John Shaw Billings, NYPL's first Director, to The Library. Also, while instrumental in taking over the work of the Free Circulating Libraries and other smaller endeavors funded by public money, he furthered arrangements with the city upon the funds of the Carnegie Library Bill.

The creation and development of the Print Department held a keen interest for Cadwalader. His will provided a gift of his entire personal collection of 360 eighteenth-century mezzotint engravings as well as a $50,000 bequest for print acquisitions. Reflecting another abiding concern, his will also bequeathed a sum devoted towards increases in the salaries of the Reference Department.

From the guide to the Founding Members' records, 1895-1930, 1895-1915, (The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.)

John Cadwalader, Lewis Cass Ledyard and George Lockhart Rives were the three most powerful members of the Board of Trustees during the first two decades of the New York Public Library. All three served on the original Committee on Consolidation of the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Libraries - Cadwalader as an Astor Library trustee, Ledyard as a Tilden trustee, and Rives as a Lenox Library trustee. All were on the Executive Committee and served as President of the Board of Trustees. Rives served also as Secretary from 1895 to 1902.

From the description of Founding Members' records, 1895-1930, 1895-1915 (bulk). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122597721