"But this year also saw a wave of new niche libraries dedicated to architecture, fashion, graphic design, and interiors, where the pleasure of looking is the point. Often without street-facing signage and tucked inside an office building, at the back of a store, and even in someone's home, these libraries promote themselves through Instagram rather than window displays. But it's precisely their if-you-know-you-know setups that add to their appeal, especially for anyone seeking out-of-print, rare, and hard-to-source material."
"Alison Beshai yearned for an outlet where design education didn't have to be cost prohibitive or require a degree. So she launched Resource Library, a nonprofit lending library filled with books that would appeal to professionals in fields like graphic design and architecture."
New York City saw a wave of niche libraries devoted to architecture, fashion, graphic design, and interiors alongside a resurgence in genre bookshops. Many of the libraries are tucked out of sight — inside office buildings, at the back of stores, or in private homes — and rely on Instagram rather than window displays. The hidden, appointment-oriented setups attract people seeking out-of-print, rare, and hard-to-source material while remaining informal and welcoming. Resource Library is a nonprofit lending collection launched by Alison Beshai to make design education affordable. A $5 monthly fee permits 30-day checkouts from over 400 titles, with pickup at Lichen in Ridgewood and the Herman Miller store in Gramercy. Library180 is located on the 26th floor of an office building affiliated with WSA.
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