“Amazing photographs of people in New York!” (via imgur.com via Reddit, via humansofnewyork.com)

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8 Photos of New Yorkers Most People Don’t See.

“I used to be 260 lbs.” “What triggered the change?” “I think it just came from me being a competitive guy. My brother used to tease me and call me ‘fat boy.’ So I was like, ‘Fuck you. I’m not fat. I’m a skinny guy in a fat body.'”

Also, this one:

“You want to photograph me eating chicken?” “Yep.” “Well, if I let you, I need you to help me deliver a message.” “What’s that?” “I work at this library. And before that, I was coming here for twenty years. It’s my favorite place in the world. As many people know, the main reading room of this library is supported by seven floors of books, which contain one of the greatest research collections in the world. Recently, the library administration has decided to rip out this collection, send the books to New Jersey, and use the space for a lending library. As part of the consolidation, they are going to close down the Mid-Manhattan Library Branch as well as the Science, Industry, and Business Library. When everything is finished, one of the greatest research libraries in the world will become a glorified internet cafe. Now read that back to me.”

More:

The Atlantic: “What the NYPL is planning to do, and what has patrons like Zadrozny so upset, is tear down seven floors of the main research stacks at the flagship building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, relocate the contents of these stacks to storage (NYPL says many of these books will remain “on site,” in an underground space called the Bryant Park Stack Extension.), and consolidate the collections from the Mid-Manhattan Library and the Science, Industry, and Business Library into a single circulating collection at 42nd Street in place of the research stacks. The sale of the Mid-Manhattan and SIBL buildings would partly defray the estimated $300 million cost of renovations at the main building. The main building would go from housing a non-circulating research collection to being the largest circulating library in the United States, one that stays open until 11 p.m. on weeknights.”

He’s apparently a lead protestor for a bunch of people who are working to save those libraries from being shut down, and was there having a bit of lunch before protesting.