This library owns 600,000 rare books in some 20 book collections and almost 26 million manuscripts in nearly 2,600 separate manuscript collections. It is particularly strong in English and American literature and history, classical authors, children's literature, education, mathematics and astronomy, economics and banking, photography, the history of printing, New York City politics, librarianship, and the performing arts.
Individual collections are as eclectic as they are extensive.
Librarians in RBML are available to help you locate material useful to your research. None of the materials circulate, and individual items and collections are subject to restrictions. A catalogue of an exhibition held in 1984 upon the opening of the new library quarters. The catalogue contains considerably more information about the book and manuscript collections. The Archive's collection focuses on emigre communities from Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as American views of the area and our relations with it.