About the General Research Division

The General Research Division is located in the Rose Main Reading Room and Bill Blass Public Catalog Room, which together serve as the  gateway to the Library’s world-class research collections of more than 43 million items. These two rooms serve as the central humanities and social sciences research hub of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Researchers travel to the Library from across the globe to access these collections and to consult with our expert reference librarians. They come also for the inspiration that springs from working amidst breathtaking architecture, while seated at tables where countless writers and scholars before them have created their works.

From within this space, researchers can discover and request materials in subjects including world history, literature, religion, philosophy, and politics—from authoritative scholarly books to unique pamphlets to popular magazines and fiction—in over 430 languages.