Visit the Archives Center

The Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center Reading Room is located in the Annex of the Historical Studies-Social Science Library on the Institute for Advanced Study campus. The Archives Center welcomes in-person visits from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday. 

COVID-19 Procedures:  All visitors to the campus are required to follow the Institute for Advanced Study COVID-19 Procedures. Institute for Advanced Study community members that have already provided proof-of-vaccination are welcome for individual study without a reservation or appointment. Visitors outside of the Institute community are currently required to contact us prior to their visit to schedule an appointment and receive guidance on the Institute for Advanced Study's current campus policies concerning COVID-19. We welcome visitors to schedule appointments via our Reference Request Form or via e-mail at archives@ias.edu. 

Location: Historical Studies-Social Science Library, Institute for Advanced Study
Hours: Open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Reading Room Policies and Procedures
Our Reading Room provides a designated space for the Institute community and visiting researchers to access archival collections. As recommended by professional standards, the collections in our holdings do not circulate, meaning that researchers cannot remove materials  from storage to their personal homes or work spaces. The Archives Center abides by these practices in order to ensure that the unique materials in our collections are preserved for generations of scholars to come. 

In keeping with these policies, the Archives Center Reading Room asks our researchers to abide by the following:

1. All original archival materials must be consulted on-site in the Archives Center Reading Room.
2. Researchers are welcome to bring personal effects to their research appointment; however, we do ask that researchers maintain a clear workspace with ample room to handle materials. All personal effects not required for research can be stowed in the personal lockers at no cost. Any materials required for research (e.g. personal computers, tablets, cell phones, notepads, and pencils) are welcome.
3. Researchers should store any writing utensil that can leave permanent markings (e.g., pens, markers, etc.) in a locker. Archivists will be happy to provide access to pencils at no cost.
4. In order to ensure the best experience, researchers are encouraged to request materials ahead of their visit. Archivists will pull materials from storage prior to their visit and provide researchers with archival materials at a designated workstation. 
5. Researchers should handle all items with care. All material should remain on the workstations and researchers should avoid placing materials chairs, flaps, floors, or other areas not designated for work. Our archivists will provide researchers will materials to support the use of fragile materials or specialized holdings (e.g., audiovisual recordings, digital files, etc.). 
6. Researchers will not mark or otherwise alter original items with outside materials. Nothing should be affixed to materials and their arrangement should not be altered. 
7. Researchers should be courteous of scholars in the library and refrain from using the reading room to host meetings and/or make or receive telephone calls. Researchers can request access to private spaces by asking Reading Room staff. 
8. All materials must be returned to the archivists in the Reading Room at the conclusion of the researcher’s visit. Researchers are welcome to make arrangements for further use at the close of each day if needed.
9. Open food and drinks is not permitted in the reading room. Researchers who require a place to store food or drink temporarily during their work are welcome to ask one of our staff for assistance. 

Researchers with additional questions regarding the policies and procedures of the reading room are welcome to contact the Archives Center at archives@ias.edu.