Readers and patrons of the New York Public Library have something a gift to be excited about this holiday season – a $50 million donation from a pair of culture-loving philanthropists.
Just months after giving $50 million to promote contemporary dance at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, philanthropists Lynne and Richard Pasculano announced that they were giving an equal amount to endow the library’s adult education programs.
Library officials said the early Christmas present could not have come at a better time. The adult education programs support English-as-a-second-language courses, workforce development and digital tech literacy, all of which have been in high demand since the influx of migrants over the last several years.
“This extraordinary gift will open so many doors of opportunity for New Yorkers and greatly advance the library’s mission to foster lifelong learning,” said NYPL President and CEO Anthony Marx.
“We are immensely grateful to our longtime donors Lynne and Richard Pasculano for their support, vision, and generosity. The New York Public Library was built on a foundation of philanthropy, and Lynne and Richard’s incredible legacy at the Library marks an important milestone in that story.”
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New York Public Library President Anthony Marx. (Getty)
One of the first places asylum seekers often go after getting set up in a hotel is a public library, where they can get an ID card — for free — and help with various government paperwork.
According to Marx, the library is the largest non-municipal provider of English language instruction. In 2025, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) attendance has already surpassed 200,000, exceeding last year’s figures.
The library’s TechConnect program offers thousands of digital literacy courses each year that empower New Yorkers to learn everything from basic computer skills to app development.
And its career services division helps applicants with workforce development programs, including support for those starting businesses, resume refinement, and interview preparation.
The gift builds upon previous donations from the Pasculano family totalling $18.5 million to support adult learning at the library,
In March, the Pasculano family gave $50 million to Lincoln Center, the largest the performing arts center has ever received for program initiatives.
Lincoln Center executives said the gift would help revive the city’s dance industry after the coronavirus pandemic, which economically hurt many of the city’s arts groups.
New York Public Library, which has 90 branches across Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island, relies on public and private funding.
