Handbook of The New York Public Library

by New York Public Library

Near the entrance to the Public Catalogue Room, and at the right, is a bronze tablet:

BORN A.D. MDCCCXIII
(Bas-relief of Sir Isaac Pitman)
TABLET ERECTED A.D. MCMXIII
TO COMMEMORATE
THE
ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE BIRTH OF
SIR ISAAC PITMAN
AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE
IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF
SHORTHAND LITERATURE
IN THE
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Over the door leading from the Public Catalogue Room to the Main Reading Room is inscribed the famous quotation from Milton's "Areopagitica":

A good Booke
is the precious life-blood of a
master spirit, embalm'd and treasur'd
up on purpose to a life beyond life

ENTRANCE LOBBY

Information Desk. The Information Desk of the Library is in the Public Catalogue Room, and here inquiries should be made about the resources and regulations of the Library, the use of the catalogue, and any other matter upon which the visitor may have a question to ask.