Exploring the History of the Rebbe’s Library

By Rabbi Berel Levine, Director of the Library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad

The story of the Central Chabad Library is one of constant growth, mirroring the expansion of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement itself. What began in a few rooms in 1940 has grown into a massive repository of Jewish heritage spanning multiple buildings on Eastern Parkway.

In 1940, the Frierdiker Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, was rescued from Nazi-occupied Poland. After a brief stay in a hotel, the building at 770 Eastern Parkway was purchased. By the summer of 1941, his library was successfully spirited out of Poland and arrived in New York.

The ground floor of 770 was renovated to house these sacred volumes. As the Previous Rebbe continued to acquire thousands of additional books, the library quickly outgrew its original space, eventually expanding into what was once the building’s garage.

The Move to 766 Eastern Parkway

Following the Histalkus of the Previous Rebbe and the leadership of the Rebbe, a new collection was started for the “Library of Merkos.” For years, these books were kept in various storage rooms because 770 was entirely full.

In 1966, the neighboring building at 766 Eastern Parkway (formerly belonging to a Dr. Shapiro) was purchased as an extension. I was appointed to the library during this time, and we quickly found that even this new building was insufficient. We eventually converted the 766 garage and driveway into additional showcase space to accommodate the influx of Seforim.

In 1981, it became difficult for the Rebbe to walk from 770 to his home on President Street on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Consequently, the Rebbe and Rebbetzin began staying within the library building at 766.

They converted two rooms—originally filled with books—into a dining room and bedroom. To make the space more comfortable, a living room was later excavated and built in the backyard. This project also allowed us to build a lower level for the library, where we installed floor-to-ceiling shelving to maximize every inch of space.

The Didan Notzach

The landmark court case over the library’s ownership concluded in the mid-1980s with the victory of Didan Notzach. Following the return of the books, the Rebbe declared that Hei Teves should be a day for enlarging the library.

With thousands of new donations arriving, the Rebbetzin instructed us to expand the library as a direct extension of 770. In 1990, we excavated the large courtyard between 770 and 766, building a massive underground storage facility featuring high-density shelving on tracks. We also added a third floor to 766 to serve as a reading room and cataloging center for researchers.

The growth did not stop. By 1994, the library was again packed to capacity. Chabad subsequently purchased 760 Eastern Parkway (the former Baitkin house), devoting the second floor to the library.

Today, this section houses books that have arrived since 1994, including a unique collection of 8,000 different editions of the Tanya, printed in every corner of the world in response to the Rebbe’s 1984 directive.

The Exhibition Hall

The third floor of 770, which served as the apartment of the Rashag (Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary), was also devoted to the library after his passing in 1989.

In 1992, we completed the construction of a large exhibition hall in this space. While we were ready to open earlier, the Rebbe instructed us to wait for the right time. For the past 30 years, we have hosted 15 different exhibitions here.

Our current display features a dedicated showcase for each of the Chabad Rebbeim, featuring the rarest and holiest items in our collection, continuing to draw thousands of visitors who come to connect with our shared history.

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