Reference Services in Princeton's Libraries Provide:
- Assistance with factual and research questions
- Instruction in identifying and using electronic resources
- Subject guides on finding and using materials
- Library instruction and research consultation
- Database searching
The branch libraries and Rare Books and Special Collections provide specialized reference services to users of their collections.
Contacting Reference Departments:
- Full list of subject and reference specialists
- General and Humanities Reference: 609.258.5964 or email: refdesk@princeton.edu
- Social Science Reference Center: 609.258.3701 or email: refdesk@princeton.edu
Help in using the Princeton University Library is always available.
General and Humanities Reference
The General and Humanities
Reference Collection (DR) is located on the First Floor of Firestone Library
in the Trustee Reading Room. It serves as the main general reference collection
for the Princeton University Library, and is particularly strong in multi- and
interdisciplinary resources in the humanities.
Geospatial Information Services
The Digital Map and Geospatial
Information Center is located in the Lewis Library's Fine Hall Wing B-Floor.
The Center provides access to geospatial data, digital map services and geographic
information systems (GIS).
Government Documents
Government Documents for the United States, State of New Jersey, United Nations,
and European Union.
Maps
The Princeton University Map Collection, located in Fine Hall, is one of the largest
cartographic collections at an academic institution.
Social Science Reference Center
The Social Science Reference
Center (SSRC) is located on A Floor of Firestone Library and provides reference
assistance in most social science disciplines. Resources include:
- Data and Statistical Services (DSS) maintains collections of machine-readable data in many fields, with an emphasis on the social sciences; offers access to data files from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Science Research (IPCSR), the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and others; and makes codebooks available.
- The Economics Collection (PF, SXF) at The Pliny Fisk Library of Economics and Finance includes works on economic conditions, banking, international trade, business, finance, and statistics. Working papers in economics are of special interest.
- European Union and IGOs (intergovernmental organizations) (DOCS) is an official depository for documents and publications of the European Union, including the Official Journal. Publications also from OECD, OPEC, NATO, and selected journals from other international organizations.
- Industrial Relations Library (IR): Labor-management relations, labor unions, labor economics, personnel administration, human resources utilization, and social insurance programs.
- Public Administration Collection (SF): Government on the national, state, county, and municipal levels; law (including codes and court reports); administration of justice, comparative politics, elections, political parties, public opinion, political thought, and urban affairs.
- Social Science Microforms Collection (SSRC): Extensive microfiche sets include large governmental, legislative, and statistical collections.
- Sociology Reference (SSRC): Major reference tools and research support for sociology.
