Penn Libraries

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For all your birding needs

Grab a Birdwatching Backpack!

Spring is finally here, so why not go for a walk with one of our birdwatching backpacks? These handy kits come with binoculars and birding guides, and are perfect for a weekend getaway or an afternoon stroll.

Borrow one today
two individuals immersed in nature, standing with their backs to the camera. One is using binoculars to look for bird, and the other holds a camera. The one with binoculars is also wearing a green backpack with the Penn logo visible.

Using the Library

Quick Start Guide

Search the Franklin Catalog

Use Franklin to find books, journal articles, databases, CDs and DVDs, and anything else in the Penn Libraries collections.

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Get Off-Campus Access

Need to access subscription materials like journals, databases, and ebooks when you’re not on campus? Check out our cheat sheet.

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Request Scans

Our library staff can scan book chapters and articles for quick delivery directly to your inbox.

A person sits at a large scanner scanning a book

Receive Books by Mail

When you register for Books By Mail, you can request to have books sent to your off-campus address anywhere in the United States.

A library staff member puts books on a cart in Van Pelt Library.

Ask a Question Anytime

Explore our archive of Frequently Asked Questions. Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Submit your question anytime, and we’ll respond within 24 hours.

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Book a Consultation

Book an in-person or virtual consultation with a librarian or technology consultant with expertise in your field of study, copyright, digital fabrication, or statistical and design software.

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Browse our spaces

Explore our array of flexible and innovative spaces, from collaborative or quiet study spots to classrooms designed for active learning and equipped with the latest technology.

People studying by the felt wall of the Reading Room. Cushioned seats and reading lamps line the long wooden tables.

Reserve a room

Already know exactly which room you need? Head directly to our room reservation system.

Rolling chairs surrounding a long conference table. There is a rolling whiteboard in the room as well as large windows that provide a view of campus.

Explore our library locations

Like to study in the middle of the night? Need specialized databases at your fingertips? Looking for a location close to your classes? Find out how to visit all our library locations across campus—and beyond—and discover which one suits your needs best. 

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Featured Collections

The Penn Libraries' global collections encompass hundreds of languages and scripts across a broad range of subject areas, preserving the rich cultural and scholarly record from Africa, East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. Read about some of our unique recent acquisitions.

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Exploring Chinese Internet Literature

To more accurately reflect the diversity of literature in China, the Penn Libraries has made a special effort to add recent internet novels that have been published in print form to our collection.

Upcoming Events

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April 24, 2024

Death Cafe

Join us in a judgment-free environment where participants, often strangers, can openly engage in discussion on the topic of death and dying.

  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  • Holman Biotech Commons Design Thinking Studio
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Penn Libraries Presents
April 24, 2024

Penn Libraries Presents: Julia Pelosi-Thorpe, Lil Nas X's Montero and Dante's Divine Comedy

Penn Libraries presents Julia Pelosi-Thorpe. Julia is working on her PhD in Italian Studies/Comparative Literature & Literary Theory and she is the Graduate Student Research Fellow at the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies. Julia will share her reading of the 2021 music video for Lil Nas X's song "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" as a reception of Dante's Divine Comedy that explores its hell-purgatory-heaven system as well as specific textual resonances.

  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  • Class of '55 Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center
Open to the Public