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Alumni Services

Graduation doesn’t mean the end of your journey with the Penn Libraries! As a University of Pennsylvania alum, you can continue to experience a variety of events and exhibits, access select print and e-resources, and more.

Find out how
Inside an exhibit room, with a wall of 13 framed photos in the background. Two people with their backs to the viewer are looking at them. A glass exhibit case sits in the immediate foreground.

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. 

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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.

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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A box of letterpress stamps.
  • Workshop
June 7, 2023

Intro 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). Required as a prerequisite for printing on the Vandercook on independent projects. Registration is required.

  • 1:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts, Lower Level
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
A tabletop letterpress with a "Hello World" stamp on it.
  • Workshop
June 29, 2023

Print Your Own Business or Calling Cards

Print your own contact cards on our tabletop clamshell press! Come prepared with the text you'd like to print - no more than 75 characters.

  • 1:30pm - 4:30pm
  • Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts, Lower Level
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff