SPECIAL COLLECTIONS 57 INTERBRANCH LOAN 57 READING ROOMS 57 LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND 59 TRAVELLING LIBRARIES 59 WORK WITH CHILDREN 61 LECTURES AND MEETINGS 62 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE LIBRARY: THE ASTOR LIBRARY 63 THE LENOX LIBRARY 67 THE TILDEN TRUST 67 CONSOLIDATION 69 NEW YORK FREE CIRCULATING LIBRARY 71 OTHER CIRCULATING LIBRARIES 71 CARNEGIE BRANCHES 71 MANAGEMENT 71 BENEFACTORS 72 WORK OF THE LIBRARY 73 FLOOR PLANS, CENTRAL BUILDING 74 TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE LIBRARY 76 DIRECTORY OF BRANCH LIBRARIES 77 PUBLICATIONS OF THE LIBRARY 78 THE CROTON RESERVOIR 79 _NOTE_ _Although the purpose of this Handbook is to tell the principal facts about the Library as an institution, its chief use is likely to be that of a guide to the Central Building. The section about the Central Building is therefore given first place. Any visitor who cares to take the trouble, before beginning his tour of the Building, to read the brief historical sketch (on pages 63-73) will have a better understanding of the organization and work of the Library, and see the reasons for a number of things which might not otherwise be clear._ THE CENTRAL BUILDING OPEN: WEEK DAYS, INCLUDING HOLIDAYS, 9 A.M. TO 10 P.M. SUNDAYS, 1 P.M. TO 10 P.M. (Except where otherwise noted these are the hours of the special reading rooms.) THE CENTRAL BUILDING =The Central Building= of The New York Public Library is on the western side of Fifth Avenue, occupying the two blocks between 40th and 42nd Streets. It stands on part of the site of the old Croton distributing reservoir, and it was built by the City of New York at a cost of about nine million dollars.