Notable Collections

The Penn Libraries collects a variety of Japanese rare materials.

The Vilain-Wieck Collection comprises several thousand books produced by fine and private presses, mainly in America, from the nineteenth century up to the present.

The Joanna Banks Collection of African American literature includes over 10,000 published works, primarily from the 1970s - present.

The Penn Libraries actively collects contemporary literature from South Korea for study and enjoyment by international students, language learners, and researchers at Penn.

Latin American artististic, political, and social movements have led to the creation of a variety of DIY handmade books from throughout the region. Notable examples include cartoneras from Argentina, "Vigías" from Cuba, and contemporary experiments with Indigenous papermaking practices in Mexico.

A major collection of printed documents from the era of the French Revolution, the Maclure Collection comprises approximately 25,000 pamphlets and periodicals published in France from the late 1780s to ca. 1815.

The Mark B. Adams Science Fiction Collection spans the history of modern science fiction, from the late 19th Century to the contemporary moment.

The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture collections include the Society's records, beginning with its 1785 founding, and its extensive library.

The University of Pennsylvania has long been known as a central spot for the study of positive psychology.