Can anyone recommend a nice, quiet location where I can log a few hours of study each day after 5pm? I work on Park & 42nd, and tried going to the Mid-Town Library on 5th/40th, and can’t stand it. It’s hot, replete w/ homeless, smells, and doesn’t have cubicles or isolated locations where I can plug in my laptop. I used to study at local community college libraries in NJ before I started working in NYC, and miss not having to smell human litter boxes as they walk aimlessly looking for a place to squat (it sounds bad, I know, but it’s true). Are there any college libraries or locations in/around midtown where someone can find a quiet place to study?
PeteyPete Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > tried going to the > Mid-Town Library on 5th/40th, and can’t stand it. > It’s hot, replete w/ homeless, smells, and doesn’t So true. My main problem is that it’s hot so I usually end up dozing off after 1.5-2 hours of studying. The homeless…well I grew up in NYC so I’ve learned to deal with them and the smell.
Is there any reason that you cannot study in your office? Otherwise, I guess you could find a Starbucks or some other cafe that is still open. There probably won’t be crowds at 5 PM.
I’d hit up a coffee shop like Starbucks…also consider a Borders or Barnes and Noble
PeteyPete - try the NYPL’s Grand Central Branch Library. It just opened last year(?), very clean and according to my wife not many outdoor types frequent it, prob due to the corporate location. www.nypl.org 135 East 46th Street New York, NY 10017 (212) 621-0670 Open Mon-Thu 8am-7pm; Fri 8am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm
stay at your office or use a workroom or something…its private, quite, and it looks like you’re putting in those all important extra hours (if thats the kind of boss you have)
^^^ this, and if your keycard gets swiped at random times … hey, maybe somebody will notice!
I went to the Mid-Manhattan library a couple times when studying for level I in December. I agree with the OP that the library is full of the homeless and most of them are so cynical, stinky, and curse at people around for no apparent reason. You can basically expect them to be around in all public places, even in recently opened libraries unfortunately. I also tried the Barnes and Noble and Borders around the area and always found them so crowded. Could never find a place to sit. Plus they are definitely not quiet. I don’t think bookstores and Starbucks are such good places for some serious studying given the number of people around chatting. After all the search for an nice and quiet place to stay at late night, I signed up for library membership at NYU. The NYU library is open to access for a fee, which is 175 for alumni and 225 for others. It’s a tax-deductible donation so actual fee paid is cheaper than that. The study area is open 24/7, and you can use all the computers there. Students are studious, creating an atmosphere where you would actually throw yourself into studying. It’s not mid-town but just a short ride from midtown (8th street R, W or w4th street B,D,F,V). If you are serious about passing the CFA exams don’t try to save the 225, the cost of not being able to concentrate on studying is wayyyyyyy more expensive 
Or just buy really nice Bose headphones and study wherever
pennyless Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I went to the Mid-Manhattan library a couple times > when studying for level I in December. I agree > with the OP that the library is full of the > homeless and most of them are so cynical, stinky, > and curse at people around for no apparent reason. > You can basically expect them to be around in all > public places, even in recently opened libraries > unfortunately. > > I also tried the Barnes and Noble and Borders > around the area and always found them so crowded. > Could never find a place to sit. Plus they are > definitely not quiet. I don’t think bookstores and > Starbucks are such good places for some serious > studying given the number of people around > chatting. > > After all the search for an nice and quiet place > to stay at late night, I signed up for library > membership at NYU. The NYU library is open to > access for a fee, which is 175 for alumni and 225 > for others. It’s a tax-deductible donation so > actual fee paid is cheaper than that. The study > area is open 24/7, and you can use all the > computers there. Students are studious, creating > an atmosphere where you would actually throw > yourself into studying. It’s not mid-town but just > a short ride from midtown (8th street R, W or w4th > street B,D,F,V). If you are serious about passing > the CFA exams don’t try to save the 225, the cost > of not being able to concentrate on studying is > wayyyyyyy more expensive Plus you can pick up smart chicks. Baruch has a similar deal, think its $200. I agree with one of the above posters, I just study at work in our of our gazillion conference/meeting rooms. Its nice because we have TVs on our floor (gets all basic cable channels - score) so when I take breaks I watch TV.
NYU lets random people pay to hang out in their library? I’m not sure if that is a good policy or a sketchy policy.
While the $225 is really a drop in the bucket … I am kind of thankful I finally have a home that I do not mind spening nights in studying. I have a good setup now. …and now that I’m married … makes the whole meals thing a lot easier. But I still have to take the dog out 
Oooh, picking up smart chicks… that does sound fun. You might try the SIBL (science, industry, business library) on (IIRC) 34th and Madison. It’s open until 8m on Tues, Wed, Thurs, but only 6pm on Mon, Fri, Sat. There’s a Starbucks about 1 block up with comfortable chairs after it closes, though the Starbucks can be crowded at times. I think there is another Starbucks just south of the Empire State Building that has more chairs. Actually, I think we need to get a list of the “good” Starbucks for hanging out a long time. Here are the ones I can think of: 1) Astor Place. 2) Madison and 32nd (about). I remember lunching there in the break between L2 exam sessions and thinking this would have been a good place to study. 3) I think there’s one right near Lincoln Center, 68th and Columbus, I think. Fairly sizeable. Any other suggestions?
I used to study in the NYU library. Cost isn’t too bad and you get free access to broker research.
I like the Starbucks on 47th and 9th, I went there so often, the baristas hook me up with coffee almost every third time. Starbucks is a little noisy but it works out great as I cant stand too silent of an environment. I moved to the LES now and I like the starbucks on Delancey and Allen, sometimes a homeless will roll in. Another good starbucks to hit up is 29th and madison. Funny enough, the girl I am currently dating, I met while studying for the CFA at the 47th and 9th starbucks last year. I now prefer to study at a conference room at work, just works out better with access to a computer and a printer. Other places I can think off are Barnes and Nobles(union square) and Borders(Columbus Circle).
Doesn’t NYC have a few 24 hour Starbucks? I know there are at least 2 in Chicago. NYC has to have … at least … 6.
There’s a great little western restaurant called ‘Rawhide’ on 21st and 8th. I bet it’d be a great place to study!