About
Our Mission and History
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Today's Hours:
10am - 4:30pm | Library Hours
Phone:
Email:
Location:
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center
3420 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206
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Reading Room
Access Kislak Center Collections On-Site and Remotely
Notable Collections
Search by Subject, Period, Language, and More
Research
Fellowships and Support for Researchers, Students, and Faculty
Access and Visitors
How to Find Us
Classes in the Kislak Center
Teaching and Resources for Instructors
News
Cultures of the Book
An English class taught by Whitney Trettien allows students to explore a range of texts at the Penn Libraries to learn the history of how humans have recorded and shared knowledge.
Penn Libraries receives archive of writer, activist, and historian James G. Spady
Spady’s prolific archive highlights figures in African-American history, including scholars, musicians, and architects, and documents Philadelphia’s place in the Civil Rights Movement and hip-hop. Read more about James G. Spady Papers and access them here.
A Love Story in the Walter J. Lear Papers
Unique at Penn post by Kelin Baldridge Smallwood remembers the joy of Walter Lear's relationship with his boyfriend Werner in the 1960s.
Walter Lear (1923-2010) was an American physician, public health official, and activist for healthcare reform, LGBTQ+ rights, and numerous other causes.
Staff
List
Sarah Heim
Public Services Librarian seheim@upenn.edu
Amey Hutchins
Manuscripts Cataloging Librarian ameyh@upenn.edu
Mitch Fraas
Director of Special Collections & Research Services fraas@pobox.upenn.edu
Kelin Baldridge
Processing Archivist
Sam Sfirri
Born-Digital Archivist ssfirri@upenn.edu
Nicholas Herman
Lawrence J. Schoenberg Curator hermanni@upenn.edu
John Pollack
Curator of Research Services (Kislak Center) jpollack@upenn.eduLocation and Accessibility
Accessibility
The accessible entrance of Van pelt-Dietrich Library Center opens into the Goldstein Undergraduate Study Center. This entrance is on the ground floor of the building facing Blanche P. Levy Park and College Hall. A wheelchair accessible doorbell is located on the railing leading toward the door.
