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Featured Books and DVDs

Pride Month

Our librarians have curated a variety of stories and informational materials that explore and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. Find these selections and more on display on the first floor of the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center.

See our picks
Books and DVDs are laid out in a circular pattern on grass with the DVD Bad Education in the center. Clockwise from the top are the book Sporting Gender, the DVD Call Me By Your Name, DVD Fifties, DVD Pride, book George Michael, DVD Rafiki, and book Pride, Pop and Politics.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

A pile of colorful books. Visible titles include "Reconciliation: Journey of Solidarity Through A Wounded India," "My Days In the Underworld: The Rise of the Bangalore Mafia," and "Queen of Hearts."

The Legacy of Westland Books

In the last year, the Penn Libraries purchased more than 400 volumes published by the recently-shuttered Indian publisher Westland Books.

Books on a shelf. Legible titles include: The Usual Suspects, Belles, Sea Winter, Dream Country, and The Last-Last Day of Summer.

Award-Winning Books

Discover books in the Penn Libraries collections that have won awards for their depictions of or significance to marginalized communities.

Eye chart printed with Hebrew letters in various sizes.

Yiddish-Language Collections

The Penn Libraries' Yiddish-language holdings document the story of Yiddish language, literature, culture, and history.

Upcoming Events

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Page from LJS 435 displaying surgical tools.
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
June 22, 2023

Coffee with a Codex: Treatise on Surgery

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators. 

  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Open to the Public
Ms. Codex 1673
  • Book Talk
  • Kislak
June 29, 2023

Coffee with a Codex: Key of Solomon

An informal lunch or coffee time to meet virtually with Kislak curators and talk about one of the manuscripts from Penn's collections. Each week we'll feature a different manuscript and the expertise of one of our curators.

  • 12:00pm - 12:30pm
  • Zoom
Open to the Public