Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
Third Floor
Room 320
New York, NY 10018
212-930-0803
Directions
Fully Accessible
Open today
11 AM–5:45 PM
Division is by appointment only.
Regular Hours
Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature
Day Hours
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 11 AM–5:45 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM–5:45 PM
Thursday: 11 AM–5:45 PM
Friday: 11 AM–5:45 PM
Saturday: 11 AM–5:45 PM
Sunday: CLOSED

About the Division

Two older drawings displayed side-by-side.

The Berg Collection comprises some 35,000 printed volumes, pamphlets, and broadsides, and 2,000 linear feet of literary archives and manuscripts, representing the work of more than 400 authors. Printed books in English date from William Caxton’s 1480 edition of the Chronicles of England to the present day, and the manuscripts encompass an almost equally lengthy period.

Visiting the Collection

Can researchers access the collection without an appointment?
Appointments are required to access the collection. To request an appointment, create a Special Collections Account, click on "Appointments → Make an Appointment," and follow the prompts—or contact us by email at berg@nypl.org.

Are virtual consultations available and are they required before making an onsite research appointment?
Researchers are welcome to email us at berg@nypl.org or to book a virtual consultation with one of our librarians to discuss their research plans and needs, but a virtual consultation is not required to book an in-person research appointment.

What else do researchers need to know about accessing the collection?
Most collections are described in the Archives Portal and/or the Online Catalog; some materials are described in the Card Catalog only. Please email us at berg@nypl.org if your research interests intersect with our holdings but you do not find what you are looking for.  

Who can researchers contact with further questions?
Please email us at berg@nypl.org with any additional queries.

Request a Class Visit

Interior of a library reading room, featuring various researchers reading books at wooden tables with gold lamps.

We work with educators to design class visits that use the Library's remarkable collections to foster creative inquiry, build critical thinking and visual literacy skills, and inspire wonder and excitement around the process of primary source analysis and research. Learn more.