Have you tried these library study spaces?
At the Penn Libraries, you can work side by side with fellow students, meet up with your group, or just find a place where other people are getting things done.
But don’t take our word for it! As part of our Don’t Study Alone campaign, we asked six students to tell us about their favorite study spots. Here’s what they said.
Each fall, as the academic year kicks off, new and returning students alike find themselves asking all sorts of questions. What clubs should I apply to join? Am I sure that I want to take this notoriously difficult math class? What’s the best place for me to study?
When it comes to that last question, the Penn Libraries is here to help. With more than a dozen locations across campus, we are sure to have a spot that suits your needs. The Weigle Information Commons study booths are a great option for group study sessions, while the Fisher Fine Arts Library reading room is perfect for those who prefer the quiet. Anyone who wants to get away from it all should check out the Penn Museum Library or the Math/Physics/Astronomy Library, which are a little further away from the heart of campus and open to all students regardless of area of study. And night owls should definitely give the Goldstein Undergraduate Study Center a try: it's open all night most days of the week, and it even has vending machines for all your late-night snacking needs. You can search for these spaces—and so many more!—using our Spaces Finder.
But don’t take our word for it! As part of our Don’t Study Alone campaign, we asked six students to tell us about their favorite study spots. Here’s what they said.
Furness Shakespeare Library
My favorite place to study is the Furness Shakespeare Library on the sixth floor of Van Pelt. I like that it’s quiet and private, and that you get both the library feel and the beautiful view out of the windows. It’s a very calming space.
Madison Gayle, ‘29C
Van Pelt Library Group Study Rooms
I like to study in the group study rooms because I like to have my own little space where I’m not being watched. I get a lot of work done that way.
Vicky Dong, ‘29C
I find that the Fisher Fine Arts Library is so calming. The architecture is very classic, and when I see other people studying, it encourages me to study. Plus, I can imagine that I’m at Hogwarts.
Emmy Li, ‘27C
I really like Biotech Commons because of the modern group study rooms with adjustable seats and tables.
The sixth floor is the best floor to study in Van Pelt. I was here over the summer, and I went there all the time. I like that you can actually see nature out the window, and that helps you study and feel like you’re not confined to an area.
Ayesha Shafi ‘29C
Goldstein Undergraduate Study Center
I love to study in the Van Pelt basement in the middle of the night. Everybody down there is really locked in, and you’ll get judged if you’re not studying. Plus, it’s a pretty good place to do work because you can’t fall asleep until you’re done.
Andre Geffen, ‘29C
Ready to find your new favorite study space? With our Spaces Finder, you can explore spaces by location, capacity, available technology, and more.
Date
September 29, 2026