A subscription library (also called a membership library) is a library that relies on subscription fees and donations for support.

Like most membership libraries, the New York Society Library relies on subscriptions, contributions from individuals and foundations, and bequests as well as its endowment.

Public libraries, including the New York Public Library, are funded from public and private sources. Residents of the community with a public library are usually able to check out materials free of charge. The New York Society Library relies on subscriptions, contributions, and bequests as well as its endowment. The Library is open to all for reading and reference, though one must be a member to use the stacks and reading rooms or check out books.

The reasons people join the Library are as varied as the people themselves. Many people join for the books and the beautiful spaces in which to read them. They like that the stacks are open and browsable and that the collection is extensive. Others join for the lectures and reading groups. Families enjoy that we have books and materials for all ages and tastes. Many scholars join to take advantage of the Hornblower Room, the electronic resources, and the writers' services.

Anyone 18 years old or over may become a member by submitting a completed membership form and paying the subscription fee.

There are four types of memberships available. A Family membership allows more than two people living at a single address to use the Library. A Dual membership is for two people, and an Individual membership is for one person. The E-membership is for one person with limited privileges.

To access the stacks, reading rooms, and designated programs, you must be a member or purchase a Day Pass. Anyone is welcome to use the Library in the Reference Room on the first floor. We will retrieve any items you wish to read. Due to renovations, the Reference Room is unavailable August 26, 2024-early spring 2025. Also, many of our special events are open to everyone. 

Anyone may join the Library, regardless of their primary residence. Our Electronic Resources page offers everything members can use remotely, from databases to e-books. You might also want to investigate our books-by-mail service, which allows you to check out and return print books without having to visit the Library.

Yes. The Library has a lift to bring wheelchair users into the building and an elevator to bring them to the other floors of the building. The stacks are not wheelchair accessible.

The Library was founded in 1754 by the New York Society, a civic-minded group which felt that a well-stocked collection of books would help the city to prosper.

The building at 53 E. 79th Street is the Library's fifth home. In 1754, the collection was housed in a room at City Hall on Wall Street. The Library moved to Nassau Street in 1795, Broadway (at Leonard Street) in 1840, University Place in 1856, and East 79th Street in 1937.

To modern ears, the word society has class implications, though none were intended by the founders. In this case, 'society' means a voluntary association of individuals for common ends. So the society was comprised of anyone who wanted to use the Library's resources. The Library has always been free to all for reading and reference—these readers comprise the society.

The Library has been used by the famous and non-famous alike. George Washington and John Jay were among the earliest users. Herman Melville and Willa Cather used the Library extensively. More recently, the Library has played host to writers such as David Halberstam and Wendy Wasserstein.

The house at 53 East 79th Street originally belonged to John and Catherine Rogers and their family. More information about the building can be found here.

The Rogers family commissioned the firm of Trowbridge and Livingston to build the house. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers bought two properties—53 & 55 East 79th Street—and combined them to create their home.

The Library bought the residence in 1936, with the aid of a generous bequest from Sarah Parker Goodhue. We moved to our current location on the Upper East Side in 1937.

Arnold Whitridge was a distinguished historian who served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1966-1979. The room was named in his honor following his death in 1989.

The Hornblower Room was named for George Marshall Hornblower following a generous gift made from a trust he created by his daughter, trustee Jenny Hornblower Lawrence. Mr. Hornblower was a noted lawyer and writer.

Ada Peluso and Romano I. Peluso made a generous gift to the Library in 2008 to honor their parents, Ignazio and Assunta Sommella Peluso. Ignazio Peluso was an Italian Diplomat, eventually serving as Chief Chancellor of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations. Assunta Peluso was a PhD in Economics. Ada Peluso, a PhD in Mathematics, taught at Hunter College for more than 40 years. Romano I. Peluso, now retired, was a senior vice president and corporate trust manager for Law Debenture Trust Company

Our circulating collection reflects the reading and intellectual interests of the members since 1754. Strengths of the collection are British and American fiction, biography, history, literary criticism, the social sciences, the arts, exploration and travel, and books relating to New York City. There is an impressive Children's Library collection as well. The Library's special collections number more than 10,000 volumes.

We do. The Library attempts to purchase important titles in many areas of knowledge and interest. Approximately 4,000 volumes are added to the collection each year. Many of the new acquisitions are purchased at the suggestion of our members. 

Family members may have 30 books out at any time. Individual members may have 10 books at a time and Dual members may have 20 books at a time.

Yes. You'll find it on our homepage or at library.nysoclib.org. Anyone, member or non-member, is welcome to search the catalog.

We do. The Library subscribes to several daily newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, and New York Post. If you're interested in seeing what periodicals we carry, you can browse the list of periodicals.

We have a terrific children's library located on the Library's third floor. Families will find books for kids of all ages, from early readers to chapter books as well as an extensive non-fiction collection. Search the Children's Library Catalog

Events for children and families include music and movement for babies and toddlers, stories and crafts for preschool and early elementary kids, and writing workshops and parent/child book groups for preteens.

Anyone is welcome to ask questions at the reference desk. You will find a librarian at the reference desk between 11 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Saturday. The Library subscribes to a variety of electronic databases which allow our members access to online reference sources and databases. Researchers interested in the Library's Special Collections are encouraged to contact the Special Collections staff.

Members may use laptops in every space in the Library except the Members' Room on the Second Floor. You would probably be most comfortable on the 5th Floor in the Hornblower Room or one of the Individual Study Rooms, which were designed specifically for laptop users. Wireless internet access is available throughout the building, with the exception of the Members' Room and Reference Room.

The Library offers Interlibrary Loan for materials not available for circulation at the New York Public Library.

Unfortunately, the Library does not have spaces for meetings or group work

The Library offers diverse events for adults, children, and writers. Adult events include lectures by noted authors, musical and theatrical presentations, small-scale college-style seminars and informal reading groups, and social gatherings. Events for children and families include music and movement for babies and toddlers, stories and crafts for preschool and early elementary children, and writing workshops and parent/child reading groups for preteens. The Writing Life programming for writers offers a daytime talk series of experts from the writing and publishing world on topics of importance to writers, plus periodic workshops and ongoing monthly small writing groups as well as evening readings and salons.

Events are added throughout the season September-June. Join our mailing list to get the word first.

Most major and public events take place on weeknight evenings, with occasional weekend times. Most seminars and workshops take place on weekdays, with occasional evenings and weekends.

All start times are U.S. Eastern.

For in-person events, check-in begins thirty minutes prior to the stated start time. Registrants are asked not to arrive for check-in prior to that time. A seat cannot be guaranteed after an event has begun.

The Library's calendar combines in-person and livestreamed events. 

Most in-person public events for adults, children, and writers take place in the main reading room on the Second Floor, the Members' Room. When a livestream is available, that link will be emailed to registrants.

In-person seminars, reading groups, daytime children's events, and events for member writers take place in the Whitridge Room on the Third Floor. Selected seminars and workshops take place on the Zoom Meetings platform.

For some large or co-sponsored events, an offsite space convenient to the Library neighborhood is used.

Please see individual listings for details on time, format, and location. 

Most evening events are open both to members and nonmembers. Due to space constraints, seminars and selected other events are for members only.

Most children's events are for members only; some are open to members and their nonmember guests.

Daytime Writing Life events are for members only. Live from the Library and other evening events are open to the public.

Registration is required for all events unless individual listings state otherwise, and space is limited. Many events are open to the public, with some for members only; check individual listings for details. Some events are free of charge, and others charge a small per-person fee independent of membership.

For All Children's Events: Call the Children's Library at 212-288-6900 x234 or e-mail [email protected].

For Adult Events: Click on the event of interest in our calendar for details. If you're a Library member, please log in first. Payment in advance is requested; for most events, there is also an option to pay at the desk or at the door.

With questions about event registrations, waitlists, or payments, contact the Events Office at [email protected] or 212.288.6900 x230.

The Library makes its second-floor main reading room, the Members' Room, available for rental to individuals and organizations when it is not in use by readers or for Library events. With a capacity of 70, it is an ideal space for a one-time book party, lecture, or moderately sized cocktail party. The Members' Room is the only room available for rental. The Library cannot accommodate film or photo shoots. See here for more information.

Everyone is welcome to visit the Peluso Family Exhibition Gallery. If you're not a member, we'll ask you to sign our guest book at the circulation desk.

We are pleased to be able to offer our exhibition free of charge.