Libraries

Institute Libraries

The Institute has two libraries, the Historical Studies/Social Science Library, located behind Fuld Hall and adjacent to West Building, and the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Library located on the second floor of Fuld Hall. All Members and Visitors at the Institute are welcome to use the resources of both libraries.

The Historical Studies/Social Science Library is a specialized library of over 100,000 volumes as well as over 1,000 periodical subscriptions. It is accessible to Members and Visitors at all times of day and night. It is intended to provide a working reference collection of source material and authoritative works in the disciplines represented by the faculty. The general emphasis is on European culture to the twentieth century, particularly in the fields of archaeology and classical studies, history of science, philosophy and art, and medieval and Renaissance history. The collection in classical studies is particularly strong. The Social Science collection concentrates on material in anthropology, sociology, and economics, as well as a large selection of current periodicals. In addition to works in print, the Institute library also subscribes to a number of electronic databases which vastly expand Members’ access in a number of fields.

Duplicating facilities, a microfilm reader, computers and scanners are located on the lower level for the use of Members.

IAS Library Services:

The staff of the Institute Libraries provides a number of useful services, and full details can be found on the library web page, but a few of the most useful services include:

Reference, bibliographic assistance, and mediated searching.

Locating and placing books on hold at Firestone Library

Retrieval of journals, books & texts for short-term reference

Inter-Library Loan

Further information can be found on the Historical Studies/Social Science Library web page

Princeton University Libraries

Members and Visitors in the School of Historical Studies, and their spouses or companions, can gain access and borrowing privileges for Princeton University libraries by obtaining a Firestone Library card. To get your Firestone card take your Institute I.D. card and some other form of identification (such as a driver's license or a passport) to the Access Office at Firestone Library. The staff there will take your photo and produce a library card for you.

The Institute has its own locked room at Firestone library where scholars can leave books or coats. To use the Institute's room scholars should speak with the staff in the Historical Studies/Social Science library here at the Institute, who can provide a key in exchange for a $5 deposit. The librarians can also provide the room number/name and a map of the room's location.

Information about campus access to Princeton University's electronic resources is posted here. Off campus access is possible using the OpenVPN setup, or by using your IAS credentials through https://www.ias.edu/library/remote-access

Further information about the services and resources available to Institute's scholars through Princeton University libraries, as well as through other local libraries, can be found on the web page of the Institute's Historical Studies/Social Science Library

Princeton Theological Seminary Library

Princeton Theological Library is an open access library, they don’t require a card to enter, just to check out books. More information is available at https://library.ptsem.edu/about-the-library.

They will issue a library card to Members and Visitors and require an IAS ID as well as another form of ID, see their narrative on their page https://library.ptsem.edu/policies/access-and-borrowing-policies.