Firestone Library plaza

Library

At the Princeton University Library we are committed to discoverability, state-of-the-art technologies, newly designed workspaces, deep subject expertise and the development of our world-renowned collections. It is wonderful to work in such a hub of activity as we seek to enhance the Princeton scholarly experience.

Anne Jarvis

Robert H. Taylor 1930 University Librarian

Students studying in library, as seen through opening in book shelves.

Discover New Knowledge

Entering Princeton University Library opens the doors to a universe of extraordinary resources where access and discoverability are central priorities.

One of the world's foremost research libraries, PUL supports the modern needs of today's researchers through technological advances and in-depth knowledge. The Library's expansive digitization initiatives and informed acquisitions are allowing extensive content to become easily searchable through state-of-the-art platforms and consolidated databases.

Support for finding exactly what each researcher needs is readily available through the adept guidance of over 50 dedicated staff subject librarians and curators.

Graduate Student Katherine PD Huemoeller studying papyrus

Encounter Global History

The Library is at the forefront of creating distinctive collections and continues daily to build upon its holdings of more than 10 million printed volumes, 5 million manuscripts, 2 million non-print items and extensive collections of digital text, data, images, audio, video and online resources. Housed in the Harvey S. Firestone Memorial Library, nine specialized campus branches and three storage facilities, the materials span multiple disciplines and subject areas.

Special collections within the Library hold materials of cultural, historical, and artistic significance, representing the diverse populations and cultural traditions of the world’s settled continents. Here one encounters such singular items as an Egyptian Book of the Dead from around 1250 BCE, an original printing of the Declaration of Independence and the Gutenberg Bible, as well as such large archival collections as thousands of Islamic codices, the papers of Toni Morrison, or the official records of the American Civil Liberties Union. Scores of these treasures have been digitized and are freely available to the world at the Princeton University Digital Library.

Many Princeton classes and seminars are built around the scholarly significance of these renowned holdings. Specialized reading rooms provide access to special collections for an array of investigations ranging from student projects to advanced scholarly research.

Library study area from above

Find Inspiration in Unexpected Places

From Firestone Library's newly renovated reading rooms to the many tucked-away study areas throughout our campus (Architecture Library, East Asian Library, Engineering Library, Lewis Library, Marquand Art Library, Mendel Music Library, Mudd Manuscript Library and Stokes Library), PUL offers students, faculty, and visiting scholars flexible spaces to accommodate a variety of study methods. Whether in search of the ideal writing space, the ideal reading space, the ideal group-work space or the ideal inspirational space, attractive and varied options can be found at the Library.

PUL pursues user experience research and testing to develop data that drives decision making for renovation projects and value-added services. New and ongoing initiatives enable us to create a streamlined user experience where space, access to resources and services come together to provide a rich and productive support system for research at the University.

student speaking in front of screen at Center for Digital Humanities

Embrace Innovative Research Methods

The Library is spearheading initiatives and collaborations to leverage its holdings in support of new and exciting research and teaching approaches. One such joint initiative is the Center for Digital Humanities in Firestone Library, where groundbreaking projects such as "Mapping Expatriate Paris" allow scholars to recreate worlds and discover never-before-explored connections and insights.