The New School hosted the National Book Awards finalist readings from 1998 until 2019. This collection of audiovisual recordings documents nominated finalists reading their work at the university the night before the awards ceremony.

The New School was a frequent host of National Book Critics Circle events, co-sponsored by the university's MFA in Creative Writing Program. This collection of audio recordings documents readings, awards ceremonies and singular events from the first decade of The New School's collaboration with National Book Critics Circle.