[3] He worked for the East New York Sentinel from 1870, the experience leading him to set up a small scale press in his home.

After that, he worked as a personal assistant for George Henry Moore, head of Lenox Library.

He became Chief of the American History Division at the New York Public Library in 1911, and Bibliographer (a position he held until his death) there in 1916.

"[5] Eames contributed to many bibliographies, including Joseph Sabin's Dictionary of Books relating to America.

On his death the New York Times obituary headline was "Dr. Eames is dead; bibliographer, 82: noted as America's leading book authority--stricken after year's illness 40 years in library here began career as uneducated youth-wrote widely, was honored by scholars won wide recognition a golden opportunity home crammed with books he read for relaxation honored by educators.