I spent a total of about 16 hours in the reading room at the Williams Center during my last trip to New Orleans. The employees at the Center teased me about coming 3000 miles to sit in the library, but I was captivated, especially by the Vieux Carre Survey books. Picture a huge collection of those 3" three-ring binders full of documents, photos, and articles about *every single building* in the French Quarter. For a history and architecture geek like me, indescribably fascinating. The folks there were very helpful and patient, and either knew the answers (or where to find out the answers) to the most ridiculous, obscure questions I had. Not for everyone, certainly, but if you'd like to know who has owned that quiet place with the lovely courtyard going back 250 years, this is the place to come. They need to buzz you in, so ring the bell when you arrive. The reading room is upstairs, and you'll need to leave all your extraneous stuff in a locker downstairs. Also, like many rare book rooms, pencils only (no pens) are allowed, but you can bring your laptop if you like and they even have power outlets available. read more