Ann Feeney

Review of The Newberry Library

The Newberry Library is a Chicago treasure and a g...

The Newberry Library is a Chicago treasure and a gift to scholars, especially historians and genealogists. The library always has at least one exhibit on books and publishing, all available for free, as well as exceptional reading rooms. The reading rooms are like many European libraries. Instead of open shelves for browsing, you select items from the catalogue and ask for them to be brought to you. While you do need to apply for a researcher card, you don't have to be affiliated with any institution, and the basic service is free. Naturally, you do have to pay for copying or reproducing materials.

The Library is home to several wonderful special collections, including medieval manuscripts, documents about Native American nations, maps, and materials on the history of the book. The catalogue is available online. The building is a Chicago landmark, especially after the multi-year cleaning that revealed it as made of salmon-colored rather than dark brown stone.

The Library also hosts free tours and there are also many paid programs and classes. There's a small but very fine book shop, specializing in material about Chicago, books about books, and local authors. There's a booksale every summer as well, with used and collectable books at generally good prices.

Public transportation is easy from downtown or anywhere on the Red Line. It's about four blocks from the Clark and Division Red Line stop, and the 22, 36, and 156 buses stop very close. The 22 bus, in fact, stops right at the door.

The nearby plaza is a pleasant place to linger.