ðə nˈɪsəl ɪfˈɛktɪvli sˈɜːvd æz ðə fˈɜːst lˈaɪbɹɛɹi ʌv kˈɑːŋɡɹəs fɔːɹ tˈuː jˈɪɹz, ænd ɪts ɹˈɛkɚdz ʃˈoʊ bˈɑːɹoʊɪŋz baɪ dʒˈɔːɹdʒ wˈɑːʃɪŋtən, dʒˈɑːn ˈædəmz ænd ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ hˈæməltən, ɐmˌʌŋ ˈʌðɚɹ ˈɜːli ɐmˈɛɹɪkən nˈoʊɾəbəlz fɹʌm ðæt tˈaɪm.
The NYSL effectively served as the first Library of Congress for two years, and its records show borrowings by George Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, among other early American notables from that time.