Access to the College Green area of campus will be restricted until further notice. Current students, faculty and staff with a valid Penn card may enter and exit Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center through the Rosengarten Undergraduate Study Center on the ground floor, and may enter and exit the Fisher Fine Arts Library through the 34th Street entrance to Meyerson Hall.

Penn Libraries

Franklin Homepage

Get help fast

Ask a Question

Need help prepping for finals? Want to know how to find things in the library? Talk to a librarian! Use our "Ask" chat to message us Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and get a real-time response, wherever you are.

Start a chat
A cozy, well-lit study area with individuals at separate wooden tables, each equipped with a desk lamp. People are engaged in reading or working on laptops.

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.

A person sits on a couch in Van Pelt Library looking at a laptop

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.

Looking at a laptop screen displaying the homepage of the Criterion Collection.

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.

A person sitting on a bench outside looking at their phone.

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.

A person sits in front of a laptop, pointing at a large historical document that is under a large format camera

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. 

Aerial view of Penn's quad, showing Van Pelt Library and the Fisher Fine Arts Library.

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.

Photograph of stack of Chinese books.

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

View all
Image of feature-sq-canvas-office.png
  • Workshop
May 16, 2024

Canvas 101 for Faculty and Staff

This workshop will introduce basic Canvas functions that will allow participants to do the following: set profile and notifications; navigate the Canvas interface; create content for a Canvas site; and post files, images, and videos.

  • 12:00pm - 12:45pm
  • Virtual
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Printed pattern of black squirrels, green leaves, and other repeating designs in red and green
May 16, 2024

Black Squirrel Pattern Printing and Button Making: An Open Studio Event

Come print a pattern paper designed by Common Press studio coordinator Erica Honson, featuring black squirrels and architectural elements of the Fisher Fine Arts Library. And make your own button featuring the pattern.

  • 2:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library (Lower Level)
Open to the Public
Image of letterpress printed cards
  • Workshop
May 17, 2024

Letterpress-printed Business Cards Workshop

For people who have taken the Intro to Letterpress Workshop in the past 2 years, this class invites you to dive further into your letterpress practice. Come design and print your own business or calling cards with text of your choice! 

  • 2:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library (Lower Level)
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff