The City of Books was born in a former used car dealership. To this day the store maintains a no-nonsense, industrial feel. One place in the store, though, has been reserved for comfort and elegance. Across the Pearl Room from the Basil Hallward gallery, our Rare Book Room is 1,000 square feet of dark wood shelving, ambient lighting, antique furniture, and carefully selected works of art. Most importantly, though, the Rare Book Room is home to several thousand of our most valuable — and beautiful — books, including an extensive library of reference works about antiquarian books. The Rare Book Room is open daily from 10am – 5pm. Capacity is limited to fourteen customers at one time. To enter, you must get a Rare Book Room pass from the Pearl Room information counter. Questions about the Rare Book Room should be directed to 1-800-878-7323 ext. 1270. If you have questions about current or future rare book orders placed through Powells.com, please call our customer service staff toll-free at (800) 291-9676.