A Librarian’s Office

With a view of the Library’s front doors on 36th Street, Greene’s office in the North Room served multiple purposes, from storing books to holding meetings to performing routine directorial tasks, such as signing paychecks. One of Greene’s own paychecks speaks to the wealth she earned working at the Morgan. In 1913, journalists were in awe of her $10,000 salary (about $280,000 today). Greene often remarked that her staff were paid more than those at other libraries, and she ensured yearly raises for her dedicated colleagues.