V:. W:. Tom Savini, Director
Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library of Grand Lodge
71 West 23rd Street, 14th floor
New York, NY 10010
(212) 337-6620
Visit the Livingston Masonic Library's
website at http://www.nymasoniclibrary.org
Library Events List: http://www.nymasoniclibrary.org/events/index.htm

TheChancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library of Grand Lodge is pleased to announce that Masons across the state and browsers across the world may now access our library catalogue and view artifacts from the museum collection through our website at www.nymasoniclibrary.org . This announcement represents the completion of several years of work in preparing the library catalogue for public access, and the acquisition of hardware and software to begin the digital conversion of the museum collection.

On-line users should go to our homepage, where a banner link will take them to the entry page for both the book catalog and the artifact catalog. Clicking on the book catalog link will connect you to the search page for the Athena© database. You may enter a keyword, author name, or title term into the search window, and search our catalogue of over 16,000 Masonic and related titles. Results of your search will be displayed on your screen; clicking on individual results will display complete records for the title selected.

Distance is no longer an obstacle to researchers and patrons who want to know what books we have in our collection. You now have the same access to our catalogue as if you were standing in our Manhattan branch, paging through cards in our old card catalogue. Members of lodges in Buffalo, Rochester, Watertown, Plattsburgh, and all points from Montauk to Medina can now see the records for every book we have catalogued. Brothers in good standing of any lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of New York can now borrow books outside our Reading Courses, simply by emailing the Library with the call numbers of the books they’d like to borrow.

Please note that circulation is limited to New York Masons, and that circulating books (books which can be borrowed) are limited to books published after 1920, and those titles of which the Library has two or more copies. Any questions regarding borrowing of books may be sent to info@nymasoniclibrary.org

Browsers wishing to view our Virtual Museum can click on the link to our Artifact Collection. This link will take you to the search page of our ContentDM© Archival Software, where you have the options of browsing or searching the artifacts in our Virtual Museum. We have opened the museum with a small sampling of high-interest artifacts, including the George Washington letter, a memorial trowel which belonged to Benjamin Franklin, and an apron and collar worn by Simon Bolivar. Images of these artifacts are accompanied by cataloging information, describing the physical make-up and historical significance of the items.

Artifacts will be added to the Virtual Museum on a weekly basis, so keep visiting to see more and more of the treasures in our care.

Once again, DISTANCE IS NO LONGER AN OBSTACLE. The Trustees and staff of the Library are working hard to bring your Masonic heritage to you. We also look forward to expanding public understanding of the Freemasons and our history, as non-Masonic browsers visit our website.