Can I visit if I am not affiliated with Princeton? Yes, Princeton University welcomes all researchers to its special collections reading rooms.
Where are you located? Items housed in Rare Books and Special Collections are serviced in the Dulles Reading Room, located on the first floor of the Firestone Library (# 5 on map). Rare books and archive materials housed at Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library are serviced in the Mudd Library Reading Room (#10 on map.) Rare books housed in Marquand are serviced in the Rare Books Reading Room of the Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology (# 8 on map).
What are your hours? Excluding holidays, the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections and Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library hours are Monday to Friday – 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (Summer hours – 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m).
Hours for the Rare Books Reading Room in the Marquand Library are Monday-Friday, 9:00-5:00. Up-to-date library hours can be found online: Official Hours
What is the best way to get to Princeton University?
If flying, Newark airport has easier public transit connections to the University. From the airport, one can take a NJ Transit train to Princeton Junction and then transfer to the “Dinky.” The Dinky terminates on the University campus. (At the airport, you can buy one ticket to cover the entire trip.) If flying to the Philadelphia airport, public transportation (SEPTA) is also available, but depending on the time of day, three to four transfers are necessary. If taking a train, Amtrak combined with local trains is a good option, i.e. take a train to New York or Philadelphia and then NJ Transit or SEPTA to Princeton.
Where can I park? One option is to park in the free visitors’ lot near the stadium, Lot 21. There is a shuttle, the East Line, that services that parking lot. A campus map and more information about the shuttle can be found here: Visitor Parking
There is also metered parking on William Street and Olden Street that allows 10 hour parking. There are also public parking garages in downtown Princeton. See: Princeton Parking
What do I need to Register? First-time researchers not affiliated with Princeton University need to present a valid photo ID at the Access Office, located on the first floor of the Firestone Library. Researchers should pre-register by creating a research account prior to visiting the Access Office. See: Creating an Account
What if I have further questions? Contact Us