Brent Reidy, Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries at The New York Public Library

Arts Unscripted with Monica Holt · Apr 16, 2026 · 48m

Libraries are often thought of as quiet repositories. But at their best, they are living, evolving spaces where culture is preserved, interpreted, and reimagined.

Brent Reidy serves as the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries at The New York Public Library—one of the most expansive and dynamic cultural collections in the world. With a career that spans musicology, consulting with arts institutions, and nearly a decade at NYPL, Brent brings a unique perspective on how libraries function not just as archives, but as active participants in the cultural ecosystem.

In this episode…