Kane Library began as the private collection of the Kane Family, but when the old Central City Library was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1911, the Kane collection became the foundation piece of the new Gotham Library.
The Kane Library has a regular public collection, of course, but also a reserved collection of rare books that is available by appointment to serious scholars. The rare book curator is named Humphrey Dawbs.
The main building of the library, including the reserve collection, is located in the Coventry district, one block from the city morgue.