The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York was founded as a charitable organization in 1785 to provide cultural, educational, and social services to families of skilled craftsmen.
Mark Your Calendars!
The Fall Lecture Series, Labor, Landmarks, & Literature started on September 15th. This is our seventh series of the popular Tuesday evening lectures, held in our magnificent Library. Labor, Landmarks, & Literature continues a tradition of public lectures that started at The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen (GSMT) in 1837.
The Labor series highlights New York as the birthplace of the American industrial experience, and demonstrates how mid-twentieth-century technology reshaped work with case studies of the two days that labor historically advanced to celebrate itself – Labor Day and May Day – both of which had long traditions in the city.
The Landmarks series will look at the hidden treasures of New York City are various landmarked structures in all five boroughs that started as privately-owned facilities but were later acquired by the city because of their architectural and historic significance. As part of a dynamic public/private partnership, the city works with the nonprofit organization running the facility to restore and preserve the historic structure, while at the same time creates public institutions that provide cultural and educational programming of relevance today. Join us in learning about the benefits and the challenges that arise when the city and the private sector work together to preserve the city’s cultural patrimony.
The Literature series will explore the roles that comics and graphic novels have played in New York’s literary, art, and political worlds. The series will focus on the ways comics’ creators used New York City as a setting, an inspiration, and even a character in their works, and how the medium of comics has evolved since its birth in the early 20th century.
The General Society Honors Four Outstanding Industry Leaders
The Annual Craftsmanship Awards event benefiting the Mechanics Institute was held on Wednesday, November 12 from 6:00-9:00 P.M. The Award Ceremony and Cocktail Reception took place in The General Society Library at 20 West 44th Street.
This year, The General Society was proud to honor Jay Badame, COO Tishman Construction Corp., Milo E. Riverso, Executive VP, CEO, Construction Management Division, STV, Gary Segal, President & CEO, Five Star Electric, Larry A. Silverstein, President & CEO, Silverstein Properties Inc., World Trade Center Developer with the Craftsmanship Award.
The award is presented annually to individuals in the building and construction industry who demonstrate leadership in the field, promote high professional standards and display pride, skill and quality in their work, and is given to those who symbolize the best in craftsmanship in New York City.
America's Membership Libraries Details The General Society Library
The General Society Library is cited in a new book from Oak Knoll, America's Membership Libraries, a collection of sixteen essays, edited by Richard Wendorf. The book represents the first attempt to provide, through individual histories of the largest surviving membership libraries, a composite portrait of this important movement in American library history. The General Society Library is detailed in an essay by Dr. Janet Wells Greene, Ph.D. and is accompanied by historic photographs. The book is available from the library’s circulating collection.
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Fall Semester at the Mechanics’ Institute
Mechanics’ Institute, the oldest privately-endowed tuition-free technical school in NYC is currently accepting applicants for its fall semester. Our programs provide state-of-the-art technical skills to all facets of the building and construction industry, from plumbing to project management. All courses are open to men and women who are currently working in the construction field or allied trades.
Program offerings for this fall include Electrical Technology Plumbing Design, and HVAC Systems. Professional programs include Construction Documents & Design, Historic Preservation, Facilities Management, and Construction Project Management.
All training is open to men and women currently working in these areas of the architecture or building construction fields and is designed to provide participants with an in-depth understanding of methodologies utilized in the construction field.
Registration is ongoing, but we can only accept a maximum of thirty (30) students per class, so register early to avoid being wait-listed.
Call 212-840-7648 today for information regarding the start of our spring semester. Fall semester classes began on Monday, September 14th.
The New York Center for Independent Publishing to Honor Esther Margolis and Newmarket Press
The New York Center for Independent Publishing (NYCIP) is delighted to announce that it bestowed the 16th Annual Poor Richard Award to Esther Margolis, founder of the esteemed Newmarket Press. The award ceremony and reception was held on November 10th 2008 at The General Society Library. For more information about NYCIP, please contact us at: contact@nycip.org.
The Jane Hope Hastings Philanthropic Trust Awards $25,000 Grant to New York Center for Independent Publishing
The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen is pleased to announce that the Jane Hope Hastings Philanthropic Trust has awarded a $25,000 grant to help underwrite the NYCIP’s 21st Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair.
Register now for the 21st Annual Indie & Small Press Book Fair, December 6th and 7th, and be part of the premier independent press event of the year.
