Penn Libraries Perks: 5 Essential Resources for Penn Employees

The Libraries’ dedicated staff, diverse collections, and specialized services are available for your personal and professional needs. Whether you're looking for a popular book, podcasting equipment, or a public event to attend with your family, the Penn Libraries can help.  

Borrow all kinds of books — and more

Library books aren't just for students! The Penn Libraries offers an enormous selection of print and electronic books, journal and newspaper articles, videos, sound recordings, manuscripts, and more, all available to you as a Penn employee.

Don't miss the rotating collection of current bestsellers including thrillers, biographies, science fiction, and travel, located on the first floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, or discover a new go-to recipe in cookbooks covering cultures and cuisines from around the world.

Find it all in the Penn Libraries catalog.

Get e-books and audiobooks through Libby

If ebooks and audiobooks are more your speed, you're in luck: our large and growing collection on Libby includes bestsellers, magazines, and comics.

Already using Overdrive or Libby to borrow from the Free Library of Philadelphia or another public library system? No problem! You can add our library to your existing account, which gives you additional hold and borrowing slots — and as an added bonus, you can sometimes get popular titles faster through the Penn Libraries than through your public library.

To get started, download Libby or visit Penn’s OverDrive site and follow the prompts to log in using your PennKey. More detailed instructions are also available in our online guide.

Borrow equipment

New equipment can be expensive, and if you're just starting a hobby or piloting a work project, you might not want to commit to a purchase right away. Why not try before you buy?

You can check out specialized items through the Libraries to suit all your personal and professional needs: explore photography and videography with cameras and tripods; make music with instruments and microphones; take a hike with a birdwatching kit, packed with a guidebook and binoculars; or pick up a whiteboard or projector kit for an upcoming presentation.

Browse and borrow what you need in our equipment finder.

News subscriptions

The Penn Libraries hosts subscriptions for several major news media websites, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Philadelphia Inquirer (campus access only), at no additional cost to you. These typically require an initial website registration through PennKey authentication.

Bring your family and friends to events and exhibits

Experience a treasure trove of knowledge and creativity right here on campus. Library exhibits large and small showcase unique collections that span centuries and cultures, and nearly all are open to the public.

The Libraries also regularly hosts daytime and evening events, including live music performances, letterpress printing workshops, and expert-led lectures.

Ready to explore your library perks? To learn more, keep browsing our website, or visit one of our 19 library locations in person.

Please note: specific borrowing privileges and access to licensed e-resources can vary for UPHS and CHOP employees. Refer to the Circulation guide for more information.