If the early Library collections were the result of Mrs. Hunt's taste and preference, the same can be said of the Reading Room furnishings, which include the following:
- Three golden/green rugs woven in a floral pattern showing flowers common to western Pennsylvania gardens; the rugs were designed and woven for this space in 1960 on 16th-century French looms in Aubusson
- A Rouge Surmont marble fireplace, with Louis XV gilt chenets (ca. 1730), from Chateau de Trelon, near Paris, which was being torn down for a new highway
- Vases on mantle, made of spar mined in England
- Celedon lamp, early 19th-century China (Chein-lung dynasty)
- Reading tables and benches reproducing Provence-type originals in Mrs. Hunt's own library
- Choir stools from an abandoned Cathedral in southern France
- A green velvet writing chair, purchased by Mrs. Hunt in an auction in 1906 and said to be one of two designed for Voltaire
- A 17th-century linen press
- A statue of St. Fiacre, patron saint of gardening
- Teakwood parquet flooring from Thailand and French walnut walls
The Reading Room is now primarily used for presentations, such as lectures and book talks, given to visiting groups.
Off the Reading Room is a ladies' lounge, an adaptation of Empress Josephine's boudoir from her chateau at Malmaison. Its furnishings include:
- White silk wall coverings from Scalamandre, New York
- Cornice, dado, and baseboard with columns decorated in gold leaf
- Special reproduction mahogany French commode, Louis XVI style
- French trumeau, ca. 1800, in original gilt with original plate glass
- Directoire daybed (special reproduction), upholstered in satin Jaspe fabric
- Flower paintings on porcelain
- A Georgian marble sink, with floral fixtures finished in gold leaf
- A large rose-colored mirror
- Linen wall coverings printed from the same rolls used for Josephine's boudoir
These rooms provide visitors with an insight into Mrs. Hunt's taste and interests, giving a visual context to the collections she assembled and later donated for the use and appreciation of researchers and other visitors.