Perched high above Manhattan’s Financial District at 180 Maiden Lane in New York City is Library180, a nonprofit reference library. It was founded by Nikki Igol, an image researcher and archivist, and Steven Chaiken, co-founder of SN37, a creative agency that represents visual artists and partnered with the library at its launch. Together, they have created an exceptional archive containing over 3,000 rare and out-of-print publications covering art, fashion, erotica, and subculture—a collection thirty years in the making. The library is free to visit by appointment and has quickly become a hub for artists, students, and creative teams looking for inspiration in the physical world of print.
As someone who grew up without the internet, I felt an immediate connection to what Steven and Nikki are building. For me, inspiration used to mean spending whole days in libraries and archives, flipping through magazines and books, immersing myself in images and texts without interruptions or algorithms guiding my view. Those hours were journeys: I would lose myself in stories, give in to fantasy, and sharpen my eye in ways that felt both natural and deep.
That’s why Library180 resonates so strongly with me. What my generation might have taken for granted—sitting at a table, turning pages, absorbing an entire magazine—has become a radical act today. In a culture of endless digital scrolling, Library180 brings back the slowness, the physical presence, and the collaborative nature of print. It reminds us that research can be an experience, not just a data transaction.
I truly admire this initiative and highly encourage our PhotoVogue community in New York to visit. Library180 is more than an archive; it’s a place where imagination is revived—where the simple act of turning a page becomes a powerful gesture of discovery.
To learn more about the vision behind Library180, I spoke with co-founder Steven Chaiken, who shared how the project began, why it’s important now, and what it offers to a new generation of image-makers.
Here is our conversation.
On Origins & Vision
Q. What inspired you and Nikki to turn a personal archive into Library180?
We’re inundated with a constant flow of content every day—image after image—and in many ways, it has created a void for true inspiration.
When Nikki and I started out, the process was different. Image research meant digging through archives, browsing new and old magazines, experiencing stories in context. That process of discovery sparked ideas: new ways to tell a story, fresh perspectives on how an image could influence your vision or reframe a product.
We saw a chance to bring that process back to the community—to reintroduce image research as an active resource, not passive consumption.
When Nikki first suggested this idea, I connected with it right away. Her expertise, her career, and the incredible archive she had built made her the perfect person to lead this vision.
Q. Why 180 Maiden Lane? What made that location feel right for the project?
From the start, it was important to us that the library’s home be inspiring in itself—a place where people could come to explore, learn, and dream. 180 Maiden Lane was the first location we visited, and we knew immediately it was the one.
The light, the scale, the views—everything felt perfect. Even as a construction site, we could envision how the space would come to life.
On Print & Culture
Q. What role do you think print still plays in today’s digital and AI-driven culture?
Print is our constant anchor—it endures. Passed from hand to hand, stored in an archive, sitting on a shelf—it’s revisited again and again. It lives on. You can see the fingerprints, the folds, the sticky notes. Compared to the fleeting nature of digital content, that permanence is powerful and inspiring. It’s an experience you can’t replicate.It doesn’t replicate digitally. At the Library, that contrast in the experience of print is everything.
Q: How is flipping through magazines in an archive different from finding inspiration online?
It refines your eye, as Nikki says. You discover what truly pulls you in: something catches your attention and leads you to another image, another story, another publication. You become the arbiter of your own journey, letting inspiration and instinct guide you in real time.
You’re also experiencing these stories in their full original form—the result of hundreds of hours of blood, sweat, and craft from the people who made them.
Publishing and magazine-making are among the most collaborative mediums. Writers, editors, photographers, designers, and art directors—each incredible in their own role—come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Experiencing print in this way lets you draw from that complete collaborative vision, in a manner that digital fragments never can.
On Collection & Community
Q: How do you decide what belongs in the archive?
Nikki—no one better! Guided by Nikki’s eye, the archive holds material you simply can’t find online. It began with her personal collection, built over 30 years, and now includes around 3,000 publications ranging from pop to postmodern. It continues to grow through donations—we’re a 501(c)(3). As it expands, we’ll rotate publications in and out, ensuring that each visit offers a new experience.
Q: Why was it important to make Library180 free but by appointment?
We built Library180 to be open and accessible, centered around the idea of active engagement with an archive.
The by-appointment system makes the experience more intentional. It helps us manage demand—which has been overwhelming (we’re fully booked into 2026)—and ensures Nikki can be present with each visitor, offering guidance if needed. Appointments are booked by the hour, but once you’re in, you can stay as long as you like.
Q: How do you imagine photographers and visual artists using it as a resource?
When we launched, it was a guess—we believed it could be an incredible resource for the community. Seeing artists, students, and groups in the space has made it real. The energy is immediate.
When teams from magazines, brands, or agencies visit, watching them draw inspiration from the archive and exchange ideas in real time is thrilling. It proves the model—and it’s deeply rewarding.
Our hope is that it continues to fuel ideation and inspiration, generating ideas and perspectives that we’ll see reflected back out in the world.
On Atmosphere & Experience
Q: The “smut room” is already a talking point. Why was it important to preserve that side of magazine culture?
The smut room—another stroke of genius from Nikki. When we first saw the space, there was a back area we weren’t sure what to do with. Nikki had always wanted to create a backroom concept with part of her archive, and the smut room was born.
It’s a bit of a misnomer—it’s not really “smut”—but the name stuck. A huge part of Nikki’s collection sits on the erotic fringes of fashion, art, and pop culture: publications that pushed the boundaries of image-making. Not hardcore, but an exploration of sexuality, form, and provocation. And the images are incredible—issues of Viva with Anna Wintour as fashion editor before Vogue, a twelve-page Jean-Paul Goude spread, and so much more.
You definitely won’t find these online—we’re even cautious about posting them on Instagram. Preserving them here keeps that edge of culture alive, visible, and accessible.
Q: What do you hope people feel when they first walk into Library180?
More than anything, we want people to feel inspired—to leave with ideas they didn’t walk in with, and to bring them back into the world.
Library180 is a reminder that the act of…Research can be an art form in itself—one built on patience, attention, and curiosity. In a time when images are consumed and forgotten in an instant, Steven and Nikki encourage us to slow down: to touch, to notice, to think. What might seem like nostalgia at first is actually something radically forward-looking—a reminder that creativity thrives not in the noise of endless content, but in the quiet intimacy of true discovery.
What makes Library180 even more remarkable is the deep knowledge and refined taste for fashion imagery and magazines that shines through the collection. This isn’t just an archive of printed material—it’s a living record of decades of visual culture. Every title, every issue, every page reveals a discerning eye and a profound love for the craft of image-making.
For me, entering Library180 feels like stepping into a place where time slows down and inspiration can unfold without pressure. For those of us who grew up with the ritual of print, it feels like coming home. For a younger generation, it may feel like a revelation. Either way, it’s an extraordinary gift to New York’s creative community—and one I wholeheartedly recommend to our PhotoVogue artists and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Inside Library180 New Yorks Radical Archive of Print Culture
1 What is Inside Library180
Inside Library180 is a digital archive and resource hub focused on radical print culture from New York and beyond It collects materials like zines pamphlets posters and books that document social movements activism and alternative voices
2 Who is this archive for
Its for anyone interested in activism history or independent publishingincluding students researchers artists and curious individuals looking to explore radical ideas and movements
3 What kinds of materials can I find here
Youll find a wide range of items such as protest flyers DIY zines radical newsletters political posters and rare books covering topics like feminism antiracism labor rights and LGBTQ activism
4 Is everything in the archive free to access
Yes the archive is freely accessible online to encourage learning and engagement with radical histories
5 How do I search for something specific
Use keywords dates or topics in the search bar You can also browse by collection theme or format to discover materials more broadly
6 Can I contribute my own materials to the archive
Yes Library180 welcomes contributions If you have zines documents or other print materials related to radical movements you can contact them via their website for review
7 What makes this archive radical
It focuses on materials that challenge mainstream narratives and highlight marginalized or activist perspectives often produced outside traditional publishing systems
8 Are the materials only from New York
While the archive has a strong focus on New Yorks radical history it also includes materials from other regions and movements with connections to broader social justice efforts
9 How is this different from a regular library
Unlike traditional libraries Library180 specializes in grassroots noncommercial and often hardtofind materials that reflect activist and countercultural movements
10 Can I use these materials for a school project or research
Absolutely The archive is a great resource for academic work Just be sure to cite the source properly according to their guidelines
11 Are there any restrictions on how I can use the content
Most materials are available for personal educational or noncom