In honor of the NYPL's new exhibition, we've asked Julia Van Haaften, the curator who founded our Photography collection 30 years ago, to share the story of the collection's creation.

Christopher Columbus may not have been able to Tweet news of his first voyage to the New World, but his reports on the 1492-93 expedition reached readers in Europe fairly quickly.

The need to beautify the sacred is one of most universal of religious impulses. As the exhibition Three Faiths amply demonstrates, it is shared by the three great monotheistic faiths of western civilization.

Amid a treasure trove of the the major texts of the Abrahamic religions, embossed-wood covers, gold-tooled leathers, and fine linen papers are pages damaged in centuries past by insects, animals, food, fire, and water.

When legendary poet, author, and playwright Dr. Maya Angelou was a young girl, she truly believed that her words killed a man.