Reading period access: From April 30 to May 14, access to the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center and the Fisher Fine Arts Library will be limited to PennCard holders and other Penn affiliates. Find more information.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Reserve a room

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

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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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Cover of Hélène Piñer's cookbook, "Matzah and Flour"
May 7, 2024

Sephardic Culinary Heritage: Conversation and Reception with SIMS Visiting Research Fellow Helene Jawhara Piñer and Mike Solomonov

The Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies invites you to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month at the Free Library of Philadelphia with two renowned Culinarians, Dr. Helene Jawhara Piñer and Chef Mike Solomonov. We will dive into the culinary heritage of Sephardim, or Jews who lived in Spain until the Spanish Inquisition forced them to flee the kingdom or convert to Catholicism.

  • 6:00pm - 8:00pm
  • Free Library of Philadelphia, Culinary Literacy Center at Parkway Central Library, 4th floor (1901 Vine Street)
Open to the Public
A box of letterpress stamps.
May 8, 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). 

  • 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library (Lower Level)
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Mansion surrounded by green grass and trees with gravestones in foreground
May 8, 2024

Woodlands Walk with Nurses Tour

Celebrate Nurses Week with the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, Penn Libraries, and The Woodlands for a walking tour through The Woodland’s hauntingly beautiful grounds and learn about the lives of some of Philadelphia’s most influential nurses.

  • 4:00pm - 5:30pm
  • The Woodlands Cemetery, 4000 Woodland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Open to the Public