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New York Public Library

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New York Public Library reviews

3.5

58% would recommend to a friend

(614 total reviews)
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Anthony Marx

53% approve of CEO

45% positive business outlook

New York Public Library has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 614 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The New York Public Library employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

614 reviews
3.0
Apr 14, 2026

Join at your own risk

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits, great location, youth-focused.

Cons

Red tape, mismanagement, overworked and underpaid staff.

2.0
Apr 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

It is easy work if you know what you're doing.

Cons

Management is abysmal. Promotions for unqualified people. Retaliation by upper management for complaints made about harassment. Short staffing has resulted in no work life balance for staff.

3.0
Apr 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very nonstressful, librarians are always willing to chat and help, will have tasks that differ based on which branch you work at. I work in a research division and this will often include tasks like sorting books, cataloguing material, setting up apointments. I have a manager that is very flexible about hours and when I could come in, as well as time off -- as this is a position only for students that makes sense, you could work shifts as small as 3 hours throughout the week before cap at 19 hours. You also get a staff discount at the NYPl shop for 10-30% off, and access to NYPL events and staff events.

Cons

Very repetitive, will often leave you time where you are just waiting at a desk or standing around for a task or for a patron that might need assistance. Lunchs are not paid, and the expected amount of hours is 19 with more time having to be requested to your manager.

Viewing 7 - 9 of 614 Reviews

Glassdoor has 665 New York Public Library reviews submitted anonymously by New York Public Library employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if New York Public Library is right for you.