Section Index
Penn Library Collections
	Collection Description
	Bibliographers
	Purchase Suggestion Form
Collection Development Policies
	Area Studies and Interdisciplinary Programs
	Engineering and Science
	Format and Non-Subject Policies
	Health and Life Sciences
	Humanities
	Reference Department
	Social Sciences
	Special Collections
Processing Penn's Collections
	Information Processing Center
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	About the Library
	About the Library A-Z
	Staff

Collection Description The Penn Library is one of the oldest academic libraries in the nation. Historically, its strengths lie in the humanities, selected social sciences, and Middle Eastern and Asian Studies. Areas of concentration include classics, history, linguistics, literature, the history of science, religion, anthropology and archeology, with emphasis often on primary sources. In recent years the Library has been building strong collections in engineering, mathematics, and the physical and life sciences. The Penn Library holds more than 4.5 million printed volumes, 2.4 million items in microform, and subscribes to more than 33,000 current serial subscriptions. [Select an Individual Library Collection Description] Annenberg School of Communcations Library Biddle Law Library Biomedical Library Center for Judaic Studies Chemistry Library Dental Library Engineering Library Fisher Fine Arts Library Lippincott Library of the Wharton School Mathematics-Physics-Astronomy Library Museum Library Music Library Rare Books & Manuscripts Van Pelt Library Veterinary Library Return to Collection Description In the development of its collections, the Library's priority is to support Penn's teaching and reasearch needs with information in all application formats and media. Policies formed in consultation with faculty guide the selection of materials, and ongoing liaison between librarians and academic departments ensures the alignment of collections with information needs in the academic programs of Penn's twelve schools. While maintaining the great traditions of Penn's print collections, the Library is becoming a leader in the development of digital resources. Penn's Digital Library on the Internet is recognized for its organization of scholarly content. To provide faster, more convenient access to research and current reference information, we are focusing increased attention on the acquisition of full text material online. Librarians continue to select and link to Web resources of known quality and content, creating an extensive electronic collection that merges locally created and commercially supplied resoruces with the best of the Internet. The Library's print collections are growing by approximately 110,00 volumes per year. New acquisitions are selected from scholarly and literary works published in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa. The Library is a depository for government publications of the U.S., the European Community, and the United Nations. In addition to electronic resources, printed books and journals, the Library also acquired works in microform, photographic slides, sound recording, videos and other media consistent with Penn's academic program needs. Faculty and students are encouraged to recommend titles for purchase or linkage to the Library Web. Please contact the librarians and bibliographers, or use the electronic purchase request form available through our Web site. Copyright © 1998-2002 University of Pennsylvania Library. All Rights Reserved. Last update: Friday, 25-Oct-2002 13:28:47 EDT Send mail concerning this page to: library@pobox.upenn.edu