187K Visualized

John Hill

8. January 2016

Photo: Screenshot of publicdomain.nypl.org

Is this a ceramic tile pattern? A painting? A quilt? No, it's a "public domain remix" of a small fraction of the 187,000 items the New York Public Library has made available for high-resolution download.

The items on display range from over 42,000 stereographic views in the collection of Robert N. Dennis to 100 monuments of Arab architecture. They can be arranged in various ways: chronologically, by genre, by collection, and even by color. Mouseovers of the tiny thumbnails reveals details on the item, and a click opens it in a new window.

The remix is just one means of exploring the NYPL's extensive collection of historical items available in the public domain, but it is one that sparks the question: "What else can be gathered and displayed in this manner?" Just think if all of the contemporary architecture that has been documented in the public domain, available in a compact visual form: that would be akin to World-Architects, but on one page instead of thousands.

Visit publicdomain.nypl.org to browse the 187,000 items available to view and download.