 The New York Public Library (NYPL)'s Pelham Parkway-Van Nest branch is located at 2147 Barnes Avenue.The branch opened in 1912 as one of NYPL's "Travelling Libraries", and between 1917 and 1968, moved to a series of permanent locations.The current building, which opened in 1968, has been known as the Van Nest or Van Nest Pelham branch through its history.