Use the American Philosophical Society's online guides and search portals to access information along with selected images and documents from our manuscripts, printed materials, graphics, Digital Library, and Museum collections.
Researchers may access descriptions of APS collections through the Collections Search. This tool includes all manuscripts, books, microfilm, and periodicals held at the Library.
Additionally, the Library maintains a number of Subject Guides and Bibliographies, specialized search and browse options compiled by scholars for collections at the APS Library.
In addition to the Collection Search, the Library's online public access catalog (OPAC) is available for searching and browsing.
This tool includes 300,000 volumes in the printed collections of the APS Library. The collection focuses on the Library’s principal research interests in early American history and culture, history of science, and ethnology and linguistics. The book collections represent 275 years of intensive collecting of both rare printed items and more current works.
The Digital Library holds digitized copies of library material and items created in digital format. A wide variety of items are included in the Digital Library, including letters, books, videos, audio files, and data sets, and new items are being added continuously.
Several guides and bibliographies, organized by subject, are available at the APS Library, with many available online.
While this database is a comprehensive catalog of most of the objects at the APS Museum, it does not include all of the objects that are in the collection. Information in this database reflects research in progress, and is subject to change in accordance with ongoing study. Please check back for additional objects and information.