Astronomy is one of the strongest areas of the Library’s collection. The Library has complete sets or long runs of publications of many of the world’s observatories and astronomical societies, as well as an extensive collection of star maps, atlases, and catalogs that go back the early 16th century. The monograph collection covers virtually all aspects of astronomy. Although most of the books are intended for the specialist and require a solid professional background, there are many excellent books for general readers and students.