Penn Libraries

Franklin Homepage

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

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A person sits in front of a laptop, pointing at a large historical document that is under a large format camera

Find Your Personal Librarian

From Accounting to Veterinary Medicine, one of our subject specialists can tailor help to your particular focus.

A person sits at a table in a library room, gesturing at a group of students

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.

Explore Canvas and Related Resources

Find support, training, and instructional design services for Canvas—Penn’s learning management system—and related educational technologies.

Book a Classroom Space

Use our spaces finder to book a classroom with the setup and technology that suits your needs.

Looking down on a large table covered in documents and with students sitting around it.

Course Reserves

Set aside books, films, and sound recordings for classroom use.

Looking down an aisle in the library stacks.

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.

Lollywood film poster featuring provocative women and men fighting.

Khajistan and the Shaping of Pakistani Cultural Histories

The Penn Libraries is collaborating with preservation organization Khajistan to acquire ephemera, magazines, pulp fiction, and rare books that document the cultural history of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

A journal cover is red, with text and an abstract drawing of a bird in black ink.

Nova khata: A Ukrainian Folk Art Journal in Interwar Galicia

The Penn Libraries has recently acquired several issues of the women’s journal Nova khata (New Home), which offer a unique window into Ukrainian culture as it existed a century ago in Galicia.

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

April 17, 2024

Penn Libraries Presents: Angelica Rivera on AI and Topic Modeling of Research Methods in Scientific Articles

Penn Libraries presents Angelica Rivera, Bollinger Fellow in Library Innovation. Angelica will talk with us about her work with Topic Modeling of Research Methods in Scientific Articles.

12:00pm - 1:00pm
Meyerson Conference Room, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (2nd floor), and Online

Open to the Public

April 17, 2024

Barbara Bates Center Spring Spotlight: Sarah DiGregorio

The Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing annual seminar series welcomes author Sarah DiGregorio for its inaugural Spring Spotlight event.

4:00pm - 5:30pm
Class of 1955 Conference Room, 2nd floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, and Online

Open to the Public

Workshop

April 17, 2024

Introduction to Letterpress Workshop (Press Training)

Learn the fundamentals of setting type and letterpress printing on our Vandercook cylinder presses. We will also discuss alternatives to setting type for printing on the press (photopolymer plates, linoleum, pressure printing).

5:00pm - 8:00pm
Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library (Lower Level)

Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff