Transcriber's note

Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. In this version on pages [74]-[75] are diagrams of floor plans. Clicking on these images will show you larger versions.

CENTRAL BUILDING
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

HANDBOOK
of
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC
LIBRARY

1916

Copyright, 1916, by
The New York Public Library

CONTENTS

The Central Building:PAGE
Exterior[7]
Sculpture[13]
The rear of the Building[15]

FIRST FLOOR

Entrances[17]
Elevators[19]
Exhibition Room[19]
Current Periodicals Room[19]
Business Offices[21]
Technology Division[21]
Patents Room[22]
The Library for the Blind[22]

SECOND FLOOR

Oriental Division[23]
Jewish Division[23]
Slavonic Division[23]
Science Division[25]
Economics Division[25]
Business Offices[25]

THIRD FLOOR

Public Catalogue Room[27]
Information Desk[31]
Application for Books[31]
The Main Reading Room[31]
The Library's Books[33]
Use of Books[39]
Stack[39]
Genealogy Room[39]
American History Division[39]
Reserve Books[41]
Prints Room[43]
Art and Architecture[43]
Map Room[45]
Stuart Gallery[45]
General Gallery[45]
Prints Gallery[45]
Manuscript Division[46]
Music Division[47]

BASEMENT

Newspaper Room[47]
Central Circulation Branch[49]
Children's Room[51]
Library School[51]
Public Telephones[53]
Business Offices[53]
Travelling Libraries Office[53]
Circulation Department (branches):
Circulation of Books[55]
Special Collections[57]
Interbranch Loan[57]
Reading Rooms[57]
Library for the Blind[59]
Travelling Libraries[59]
Work with Children[61]
Lectures and Meetings[62]
Historical Sketch of the Library:
The Astor Library[63]
The Lenox Library[67]
The Tilden Trust[67]
Consolidation[69]
New York Free Circulating Library[71]
Other Circulating Libraries[71]
Carnegie Branches[71]
Management[71]
Benefactors[72]
Work of the Library[73]
Floor Plans, Central Building[74]
Trustees and Officers of the Library[76]
Directory of Branch Libraries[77]
Publications of the Library[78]
The Croton Reservoir[79]

NOTE

Although the purpose of this Handbook is to tell the principal facts about the Library as an institution, its chief use is likely to be that of a guide to the Central Building. The section about the Central Building is therefore given first place. Any visitor who cares to take the trouble, before beginning his tour of the Building, to read the brief historical sketch (on pages [63]-[73]) will have a better understanding of the organization and work of the Library, and see the reasons for a number of things which might not otherwise be clear.