Established in 1978 as The Information Exchange/Greenacre Reference Resource and affectionately dubbed TIE, the MAS reference library is a well-known and esteemed repository of materials on New York City's built and natural environments. The heart of the library is an exceptional and ever-growing collection of several hundred thousand clippings culled from major city dailies as well as neighborhood weeklies, national periodicals, and local newsletters. Urban planning, historic preservation, buildings, public art, open spaces, real estate development, and zoning are among the general topics represented.

Why Should I Use the Library?

The library's voluminous files of clippings taken from an array of publications, plus its distinctive collection of books and government pamphlets dating from the 1800s to today, provide a rich perspective on the long historical view. Visitors often comment that our concentrated holdings saved them considerable research time and effort. The number of clippings files now stands at 3,330, including new additions on the Gowanus Neighborhood, the proposed Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel, and the Silvercup West Mixed-Use Development. Recent book acquisitions range from a rare 1912 Miniature Map of the Borough of Manhattan to New York 2000: Architecture and Urbanism between the Bicentennial and the Millennium.

How Can I Use the Library?

The library provides a variety of services. Staffers will answer inquiries about New York City and/or suggest other research facilities over the phone or by e-mail. At the library they will work with you to find exactly what you are looking for. Materials can be photocopied at a charge of $.25 a page plus pre-paid postage and handling if pages are to be mailed. Or materials can be faxed at a charge of $1.00 per page, $2.00 for international.

How Do I Contact the Library?

You can contact the library by letter, phone, fax or e-mail. Staff is available to answer questions directly and to make and host appointments to visit in person on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., with the exception of public holidays. Since space in the library is limited, an appointment is required. Located on the third floor of the Urban Center, the library can be reached at:

Reference Library
The Municipal Art Society of New York
457 Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10022

Phone: 212-935-3960, ext. 243
Fax: 212-753-1816
E-mail: tie@mas.org