Find a Book

Our online catalog lists what the Athenaeum owns, including its holdings of circulating books, journals, and newspapers as well as special collections like rare books, manuscripts, tracts, photographs, etc.

When looking for a circulating book (one you can check out), pay attention to several features in the catalog:

Location: Collection the book is in

If the book you are looking for isn’t in the Cutter or Library of Congress collections, it’s either a Reference Book or part of Special Collections. Special Collections materials can be viewed by appointment.

• Cutter Classification guide
• Library of Congress Classification

Call Number and Status

Where it is on the shelf. Note the symbols in the call number as several indicate size, and to maximize space we shelve by size.

Circulating materials that are checked out and “not available” will indicate the due date. Members can request that a hold be placed on these items.

Journals

Current issues are located throughout the building. Back issues can be requested from the Circulation Desk, Reference Desk, or a serials librarian. We do not bind and keep every periodical, yet once periodicals are bound they cannot be checked out. Rare periodicals can be seen by appointment in the special collections reading room.