LIBRARY NOTES
From the Head Librarian: Spring 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Growing in Good Ways
Despite working in this book-abundant Library, I still cannot resist buying and collecting books myself. I recently took home Richard M. Ketchum's 2002 book
Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York. It's a great read. Many books on this turbulent period of New York history, including Ketchum's, refer to our great institution and its six public-spirited founders.
Our collection has grown since those early years- from 3,100 volumes in 1789 to 5,000 in 1793, 31,000 in 1850, and 100,000 in 1900. When we opened on 79th Street in 1937, our holdings stood at 150,000 volumes, and now the number is around 275,000. In a parallel trend, when we reopened in 1789 following the Revolutionary War, the Library had 239 subscribers. We start 2007 with roughly 3,000 member households.
Given all this healthy growth, we continue to experience increased circulation of books and consistently busy use of our reading, writing, and research rooms. Recent member feedback leads me to reflect on the various functions of our building and to offer a gentle reminder. We notice that members use the Large Study Room and the computer/microfilm room for diverse activities. Please be as respectful as possible of your neighbors in the "silent" rooms on the Fifth Floor. Also, please remember that cell phones and portable listening devices cannot be used in the building.
I finish my column with some exciting news. The February 8th issue of the
New York Law Journal features a piece by our trustee William J. Dean. His article, "Book Selections of Founding Fathers," is a brief summary of the Society Library's early years, when George Washington, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton were borrowers. Their use of our collection is shown in our first existing charging ledger, for 1789 to 1792. Mr. Dean describes it as "a priceless but crumbling possession." The Library has just received an anonymous $5,000 donation toward a fund to professionally conserve this golden gem of our archives and of the country's early national history. Our long-range plans also include digitization and online publication of the first ledger. I will keep you posted on this important opportunity.
I look forward to seeing you at the reference desk.
Mark Bartlett
Head Librarian
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