Requesting Research Library Materials

We encourage all researchers to request materials in advance of their visit because delivery times vary and not all resources are quickly accessible. Keep in mind that Research Library materials are used onsite at the Library and cannot be checked out.

To request items, you’ll need an active NYPL Library account.

1. Search for materials in the library's Research Catalog.
2. For items with a Request button in the catalog, click the button to request the item.

If there isn’t a Request button shown, the item could be in use by another researcher, or may have restrictions on use. For information about your options contact the division that keeps the material.

You will receive a notification when your item is ready for use, provided you listed an email address in your NYPL account.

Requested items are held for use for two weeks after they arrive (extensions can be granted by contacting staff where the items have been sent). Each time you come in to access a book, it can be held on reserve for your use for another two weeks.

Items that are stored in the building are usually delivered on the day they are requested.

For offsite materials, requests made before 2:30 PM will be delivered the following business day. Requests made after 2:30 PM on Fridays or over the weekend will be delivered the following Tuesday.

If you can’t find the item in the library’s catalog, NYPL provides an Interlibrary Loan Service (ILL) for materials held at libraries outside the NYPL system. In addition to Interlibrary Loan, METRO referrals provide courtesy access to many academic, school, public, and special libraries throughout New York City and Westchester County. If you aren’t sure where to start or which service will be best for you, please come by our general reference desk, email a librarian or set up an appointment for a reference interview.

General Collections

Eligible general collection items held at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts may be requested by clicking the Request Scan button wherever it appears in the Research Catalog. 

When the document has been scanned and is available for download, users will receive an email message with the URL and a password to access the file. Requests will be filled as quickly as possible, but please be aware it may take up to two weeks (or longer, in cases where complex rights issues apply).

Please note:

• Requests are for personal research use only. Please limit requests to a small portion of the work (one chapter, one article, around 10% of work or 50 pages for public domain works). Please note that requests for multiple chapters in the same work cannot be filled.
• If you need access to more of the title than we can scan, please visit the research center where the title is located to view the item in person. (Please note you may need to book an appointment.)
• Due to the volume of requests, we cannot provide lookup assistance. Please have a specific citation or pages identified in your request.
• Scan requests for entire works will be rejected, regardless of copyright status or length.
• Requests will be filled as quickly as possible; please be aware it may take up to two weeks.
• Only items in good condition will be scanned.
• Files will remain available to the user for 30 days. Each article file can be retrieved a maximum of five times.
• Each user is currently limited to a maximum of five Scan & Deliver requests per week (the Library’s ability to fill the requests is limited by demand).

Special Collections

Digital delivery of selected material from the Library’s manuscript, archives, prints and photographs collections is also available. To initiate a Scan & Deliver request, please contact the appropriate special collection division by email.

Please note:

• Requests are for personal research use only. A maximum of 25 pages may be requested.
• Delivery may take six to eight weeks.
• Digital delivery is not available for audio and moving image materials at this time.
• No rush services are available at this time.
• The Library reserves the right to limit the total number of requests by an individual user.

The Library’s premium service department offers scanned copies of material held on-site at NYPL research libraries, for those unable to visit our research libraries in person. Please see the fee schedule for the associated costs.

Select offsite materials may be delivered electronically. Request a table of contents, single article, book chapter, or index to be scanned and delivered to your inbox. Requests may not exceed fair use limits, or 50 pages for public domain works. The document will be scanned and either emailed as an attachment or posted online within 48 hours. If the file is posted online, you will receive an email message with the URL and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access the file.

Please note:

• Each article file can be retrieved a maximum of five (5) times.
• Once a file is retrieved, it remains available to the user for five (5) days.
• Files not retrieved remain available for 30 days following the original request date.

Manuscripts and archives, audiovisual materials, and prints and photographs are not available for electronic delivery.