In 1791, the Library printed a request in the Daily Advertiser newspaper: "The Trustees are anxious to make a collection of all pamphlets and other publications, that in any manner related to the history or politics of this country, before or since the revolution."
Today we're carrying on this tradition with the creation of the new NYSL Digital Time Capsule 2026. Readers are invited to share anything that captures this moment in history - books, movies, TV shows, plays, songs or albums, photos, articles poems - it's all welcome. Today we're carrying on this tradition with the creation of the new NYSL Digital Time Capsule 2026. Readers are invited to tell us what cultural items you think represent this moment - books, movies, TV shows, plays, songs or albums, articles, poems - it's all welcome. Some guiding questions:
Citizenship: Who belongs here?
Social contract: What do we owe each other?
Limits of power: Who governs?
Truth & propaganda: Who decides what's true?
Society: What values will endure?
The time capsule will be preserved for opening on a future U.S. national anniversary.