The thing that appears to appear to be a book, is not an actual book, it’s an electronic tablet, also commonly referred to as Tabula Ansata (a tablet that invokes laws).

Liberty has the torch with her left hand, as well as a tablet to her left. The tablet has the date JULY IV MDCCLXXXVI-July 4, 1776, which is the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Statue of liberty handbook:

The tablet does, however, represent the book. It’s known as the “Tabula Ansara” which is the law book. The tablet is shaped as the keystone as applying the same laws to everyone equal in the democratic Republic of America assures our liberty, which is the foundation stone of our democracy. The front of the tablet is the date of July 4, 1776. in Roman numerals. It is also the date that America declared its independence.

T H E STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT

T H E STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT was established through a presidential proclamation in 1924 was incorporated into the war’s jurisdiction. Department to where it transferred the year 1933 to the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.