See the NYPL's Iconic Rose Reading Room, Mid-Renovation

Those who have been missing the soaring ceilings and beautiful interiors of the New York Public Library's Rose Main Reading Room can rejoice: The iconic space, which has been closed since 2014 since some plaster fell from the ceiling, will reopen sooner than expected. Granted, it's still not happening soon: the original timeline for renovations called for a 2017 completion date, and that's been moved forward to late 2016. But still, sooner is sooner. After that bit of plaster came down, the library decided to do a more thorough revamp of the ceiling, which has involved protecting the Reading Room's varied components (the oak desks and their brass lamps, for example, are bolted to the floor, and so need to be covered). Additionally, a platform was built atop scaffolding, allowing the team doing repairs to easily access the ceiling, 42 feet above the ground. These photos, along with the video after the jump, show the construction as it's happening.

· The New York Public Library's Rose Main Reading to Reopen in Late Fall 2016 [NYPL]
· NYPL's Rose Reading Room Won't Reopen For Another Year [Curbed]
· NYPL coverage [Curbed]