READING ROOM]

In regard to the books in the Reference Department, it is correct to say
that in them the Library owns a well-balanced collection for research in
nearly every branch of human knowledge. The books formerly in the Astor
and Lenox Libraries compose the foundation of the collection. The
subjects most adequately represented are those of American history, of
topics connected with the American continents, and the economic and
social sciences. There are also extensive sets of public documents, of
the publications of learned institutions, as well as comprehensive files
of periodicals. In recent years not so much attempt has been made to get
publications on law, theology, medicine and biology, since there are
special libraries, elsewhere in the City, where these subjects are
covered. The reader is nevertheless sure to find in the special reading
rooms, and in the books which may be brought to the Main Reading Room
for his use, the fundamental printed sources in practically every field
of knowledge.

[Illustration: PANEL IN CEILING, EXHIBITION ROOM]

[Illustration: DOOR IN SCREEN

MAIN READING ROOM]

=Use of Books.= The Library's situation in the metropolis, and its freedom
from restrictions (according to the custom of American libraries) have
caused the use of its books to become two or three times greater than
that of any of the other large libraries of the world; the average daily
number of readers is more than double the number in any foreign library.

[Illustration]

=Stack.= Underneath the Main Reading Room is the steel stack, in seven
decks, containing 334,500 feet, or 63.3 miles, of shelving. It has room
for about 2,500,000 books. (The special reading rooms have a shelf
capacity for about 500,000 books.) The books in the stack are brought by
electric elevators to the Main Reading Room, as they are called for by
readers. The stack is not open to readers or visitors.

=Genealogy Room.= At the northern end of the Main Reading Room is the room
devoted to Local History and Genealogy (No. 328). The collection numbers
about thirty thousand volumes.

[Illustration: PART OF MAIN READING ROOM]

=American History Division.= At the southern end of the Main Reading Room
is the room devoted to American history (No. 300). It is one of the
strongest divisions of the Library, since its books are so
distinguished among collections of this kind as to make them of the
greatest importance to students and scholars in