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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Monday, April 23, 2012

New York City Public Library, New York City -- History and Genealogy Room


New York City Public Library
 Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street

On the most beautiful spring day, I spent several hours at the New York City Public Library. There were three books I absolutely had to look at, and I knew they were there because I had checked their card catalog. Once at the library, I went immediately to the Milstein Division (history and genealogy section), on the first floor. See posts about two previous (interesting visits) I was there, HERE. Photos below show the open stacks and no library card is needed. However, I needed one because I wanted books in the closed stack area. I applied for it and received it almost immediately. For the books I wanted, I had to fill out a request form for each book. An employee retrieved them and I was looking at them within minutes.

Milstein Division (history and genealogy section)

The Rose Reading Room, where non-genealogists go (above and below).
UPDATE 3/5/17: "This timelapse footage of 52,000 books being reshelved is strangely beautiful.
After closing for a two-year renovation, the New York Public Library's historic Rose Main Reading Room has finally reopened."
https://www.facebook.com/qznews/videos/1484476841586013/
Picking up requested books to look at on-site.

If you want to make copies, which I did, (60 at .15 each) you'll need to buy a copy card. I was very fortunate, since I was able to make them all at the same time, no line, and used the only one copy machine. I shudder to think if there were lots of people needing copies.

As indicated in my photos, it was a very quiet afternoon in the genealogy section, and only two people were in the microfilm room, located a few doors away! The next time I go, I intend to visit the Manuscripts and Archive Room, to see if I can find anything about one of the earliest families in Amsterdam / New York City, my Ten Eyck ancestors. That's a real goal of mine.