Ex Libris

4/3/18. Oh, so the New York Public Library isn't at all like the way I would envision what happens to a museum like in those Night at the Museum movies. The books still sit on the shelves as silent as ever, but the people who go there do so for than just the books. Apparently, a lot more is going on than just people sitting around and reading or looking at a computer screen. This documentary takes a slice of life approach to looking at what goes on at this iconic library. I should say it's more a swath than a slice. I get that it's an extremely large library and there's a lot going on. However, nothing is ever explained, so it's like being a ghost wandering through the halls and looking into the meetings and programs going on. Not sure if spending over 3 hours of wandering around actually helps the viewer develop an appreciation for the library itself. I suppose it like visiting another country - you can wander around and discover new things, or get a good tour guide who can really help you tear the city apart for its precious secrets. I think I would have enjoyed a more historical approach that commemorates the building of the library and how its mission and vision have changed over time. Just going into some detail about its architecture would have been quite enlightening - the building is absolutely gorgeous. So, this documentary may be more for the curious than for the librarian at heart, who would definitely prefer the Dewey Decimal System for organizing people's thoughts and ideas embedded on the printed page.

EX LIBRIS: NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY: ENTERTAINING

Whether I would last three and a half hours to watch a documentary about New York's public library was a question I asked myself when I landed in Eye Cinema (Amsterdam). So without a break.

IMAGE

It went excellent. Frederick Wiseman tells you a story in such a 'zen' way that it's easy to keep looking. The beauty is: there are no voice-overs. He lets the image speak for himself.

INSIGHTS

You get different insights into what happens within the walls of the central building at Bryant Park and the other locations of the library in the city New York. And that's a lot. The library organizes activities for a wide variety of audiences. The film also let you listen in on the board's conversations.

NOT FOR EVERYONE

For people who love learning, books and archives, your interest is always stimulated with this film. Still, I do not think everyone will entertain themselves with Ex Libris: New York Public Library. Basically, the idea of a documentary about the public library in New York should already appeal to you, otherwise I think this film will get you bored.

CONCLUDING

An entertaining, three and a half hour documentary, for those who want to know more about the New York Public Library. Recommended.

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New York's various library branches are visited in all boroughs in this documentary. It includes various segments highlighting free lectures, job fairs, community gatherings, school classes, help to the needy, and library business meetings.

The variety of the segments and their subjects are as well chosen as are the variety of people in each of them. For those of us who love New York and New Yorkers, the people alone make much of this film an enjoyable experience.

Many of the lectures were fascinating but some seemed intended for the few with either a higher level of academic intellect and/or a great knowledge of the subject at hand. While this might have been something to overlook, it is harder to overlook the movie's biggest liability: its length of three-and-a-quarter hours. The movie could have been reduced by at least one-third.

Though most of the segments were a reasonable length of time, this was not the case for the library staff meetings that were too frequent and too long - much like staff meetings for those of us in our real lives. While some moments in these scenes were interesting, they had a tendency to remind us of the occasional auditory, mental torture of our own lives - something we'd rather forget when watching a movie. - dbamateurcritic

This is possibly the worst movie I have ever seen. It is a seemingly endless series of scenes that are only related in that they take place at the New York public library. There are so many wonderful stories that could be told of the NYPL; it is truly sad that this movie tells none of them.

This documentary is extraordinary! Inspiring! Educational in a profound way. Not just about culture and history, but about humanity and our contemporary world with its complexe histories and fast coming future. Somehow, it achieves what I think the New York Public Library sets out to do for all its patrons: Open our minds, our hearts, give us hope and enthusiasm and bring us closer as a human community. I live in Edinburgh but felt so connected to everyone in this film. And without the use of a single interview! I love New York and now I realise that part of the soul of the city lies in this incredible institution. Man it is good to see powerful people who care! And people from all walks of life who care! I commend the filmmaker and the New York Public library for their incredible work. I would work for either in a heartbeat! Thank you thank you thank you for this beautiful documentary.