Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library : About Us

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, a division of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, is a state-of-the-art repository constructed in 1976 to house the Princeton University Archives and a highly regarded collection of 20th-century public policy papers. The 30,000 linear feet of archival and manuscript material in its possession are widely used by local, national, and international researchers. More than 2,000 visitors use the Mudd Library's congenial reading room each year, and its staff field some 3,000 electronic, mail, and telephone inquiries annually. A vigorous processing program, the exploitation of new technologies, and an emphasis on public service have ensured that Mudd Library's collections are ever more accessible and usable.

Mudd Library has a permanent staff of six, headed by University Archivist Daniel J. Linke, as well as six project staff funded by private and public sources. A sophisticated security system, environmental controls, and a Halon fire suppression system ensure the protection and preservation of Mudd Library's holdings. The Public Policy Papers include important collections representing individuals and organizations in the areas of 20th-century American foreign policy, jurisprudence, journalism, public policy formation, and international development. The Library also houses the Archives of Princeton University which document administrative, research and student and staff activities on campus from its establishment as the College of New Jersey in 1746 to the present. The Library's collections include manuscript collections/archives, correspondence, publications, phonograph recordings, audio and video tapes, films, and photographs. While collections do not circulate, photoduplication services for both documents and images are available to and heavily used by researchers.

Hours

Mudd Library is open to the public without restriction Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Summer hours: 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.). A reference archivist is on duty during these hours, and thanks to the Internet, information about Mudd Library's holdings and many of its finding aids is available to researchers around the world twenty-four hours a day.

Mudd Library is closed on the following holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (Thursday and Friday), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

For more information about the collections at the Mudd Library, see Collections and Finding Aids.

For current news and information about the Mudd Library, see News and Information.

To submit a general research or reference question for the staff or to contact the Mudd Library, click here.