There’s a generational battle at the National Arts Club—and the old fogies are winning. At issue is the Accompanied Library, a members-only literary salon launched a year ago as a sort of youngster annex to the fusty NAC. Real-estate heir Tim Nye, who owns the duplex apartment the library occupies in the NAC building, likened it to London’s hip Groucho Club in the inevitable Times “Sunday Styles” piece; NAC president O. Aldon James warmly referred to the Librarians as the club’s “freshman class.” Membership spiked—and the stodgier members of the club complained about the noise. Now the bloom is off, and Nye has even gone to court to expel the freshman class by evicting the library. “I am not a supporter of the library,” says Nye. “I live in the club and am a huge supporter and protector of the club’s quality of life.” The court date is set for January 18. Twentysomething library founders Brooke Geahan and Iris Brooks were unavailable for comment, as was James. Library spokesman Alexander Jutkowitz had a positive spin on the situation: “In the last few months, membership has increased, and we seem to be outgrowing the space and have been looking elsewhere.”

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