A student reading a book in the library

Yale University Library

The Heart of Yale

Above the entrance to Sterling Memorial Library is an inscription: “The library is the heart of the university.” It’s true. Yale’s library system serves every student, faculty member, and researcher at the university, as well as members of the public. Gifts to the library help connect our academic community with a wealth of knowledge, resources, and materials—whether they’re browsing in the stacks or accessing e-resources from across the globe.

A World of Knowledge

Yale’s library system contains fifteen million print and electronic volumes in more than a dozen libraries and locations. In addition to digital materials, our resources for teaching and research include ancient papyri, early printed books, maps, rare film and music recordings, and photographs. Many of the materials are in circulation. Some may be accessed in reading rooms or displayed in public exhibitions. And some are made part of the student learning experience in object study classrooms. By making its holdings widely available, Yale’s library fulfills its commitment to preserve and disseminate human knowledge.

Key Contacts

Barbara Rockenbach

August 9, 2023

Beyond the Bookshelves with Yale’s Librarian

An interview with Stephen F. Gates ’68 University Librarian Barbara Rockenbach
Floor-to-ceiling archive storage drawers

July 3, 2023

LUX Illuminates Yale’s Vast Collections

A powerful new tool enables anyone wishing to find something in Yale’s collections to search across all of its museums and libraries at once.
Four people seated on outdoor benches reading newspapers

June 29, 2023

Digitizing the Yale Daily News

With a generous gift from a Yale College alumnus, the digital archive of the Yale Daily News continues to expand.
For Humanity

Make a Difference

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