Editing Newberry Library (section)

== Collections ==
The Newberry’s collections contain [[primary source|primary]] and [[secondary source]]s spanning more than six centuries of history related primarily to the history, culture, and people of Western Europe and the Americas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collection |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref> Core collection strengths include: 
*American History and Culture<ref>{{Cite web |title=American History and Culture |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/american-history-and-culture |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*American Indian and Indigenous Studies<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Indian and Indigenous Studies |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/american-indian-and-indigenous-studies |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Chicago and the Midwest<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago and the Midwest |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/chicago-and-the-midwest |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Genealogy and Local History<ref>{{Cite web |title=Genealogy and Local History |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/genealogy-and-local-history |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*History of the Book<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Book |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/history-of-the-book |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Maps, Travel, and Exploration<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maps, Travel, and Exploration |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/maps-travel-and-exploration |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Studies<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Studies |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/medieval-renaissance-and-early-modern-studies |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Modern Manuscripts and Archives<ref>{{Cite web |title=Modern Manuscripts and Archives |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/modern-manuscripts-and-archives |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Performing Arts<ref>{{Cite web |title=Performing Arts |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/performing-arts |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Postcards<ref>{{Cite web |title=Postcards |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/postcards |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Religion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Religion |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/subjects/religion |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>

The collection consists of about 1.6 million books; 600,000 maps; 1,300 distinct archival collections containing approximately 5 million manuscript pages; 500,000 different postcards; approximately 250,000 pieces of sheet music; and much more.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collection - FAQ |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/faq |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>

Notable items held at the Newberry include:

*Chicago's only copy of ''Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies'', commonly referred to as the [[First Folio]] 
*The archives of the [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad|Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad]] 
*Over 700 [[American Revolution]]ary pamphlets 
*[[Thomas Jefferson]]’s own annotated copy of ''[[The Federalist Papers|The Federalist]]'' 
*The first and second editions of the [[Eliot Indian Bible|Eliot Bible]] 
*The [[Popol Vuh]], which is the earliest surviving copy of the Mayan creation story 
*[[Ledger art]] created by Northern [[Cheyenne]] warrior-artists in the 1870s, as well as modern interpretations of the ledger art tradition by contemporary Native artists 
*A 1692 fur trade contract that has one of the first references to “Chicago” in writing 
*Maps, souvenirs, and ephemera from the [[World's Columbian Exposition]] 
*The papers of journalist, playwright, and screenwriter [[Ben Hecht]] 
*Resources for [[Genealogy|genealogists]], including city directories, church and synagogue records, phonebooks, cemetery records, censuses, and newspapers like the ''[[Chicago Daily News]]'', ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', and ''[[The Chicago Defender|Chicago Defender]]'' 
*More than 2,500 [[incunable]]s (books printed before 1501) 
*Artists’ books by contemporary midwestern and Chicago printers such as Jennifer Farrell and [[Audrey Niffenegger]] 
*[[Atlas]]es of [[Ptolemy]], [[Abraham Ortelius|Ortelius]], and [[Gerardus Mercator|Mercator]] 
*A wide array of 19th- and 20th-century guidebooks in various European languages 
*[[Georgette de Montenay]]’s 1571 [[emblem book]], which was the first of its kind published by a woman 
*Pre-1800 European and British literary, historical, and devotional manuscripts, printed books, and maps 
*The archival records of prominent Chicago dance companies like [[Hubbard Street Dance Chicago|Hubbard Street Dance Company]], Chicago City Ballet, and Joel Hall Dancers 
*Handwritten scores by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Frédéric Chopin|Chopin]], [[Gustav Mahler|Mahler]], and [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]] 
*The [[Curt Teich]] Postcard Archives Collection, which includes more than 500,000 unique [[postcard]] images 
*17th- and 18th-century Mexican choir books 
*[[Martin Luther]]’s pamphlets against the [[Pope|papacy]]

As a non-circulating library, all collection items are made available free of charge on site to anyone who is 14 years of age or older. Reference staff are available in the Newberry's two reading rooms and in the Welcome Center just off the lobby. Reference librarians work with all readers and offer orientation, in-depth bibliographical instruction, and specialized assistance as needed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Use the Collection in Person |url=https://www.newberry.org/collection/use-in-person |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newberry Library |language=en-US}}</ref>

Many items from the Newberry’s collections are digitized and can be accessed online.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Newberry Library |url=https://collections.newberry.org/ |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=collections.newberry.org}}</ref>