Explore Special Collections

We invite you to explore Princeton University’s rare books, manuscripts, and archives, and look forward to helping you engage with our holdings, which span five millennia and include items of global cultural significance. We aspire to be active and creative partners in the interpretation of these documents by providing you with as much access to our materials as possible and by engaging with you to develop innovative forms of pedagogy and research.

Access the Collections

Special Collections can be accessed in a number of ways. Our collections and services are available to the public. You are welcome to visit our reading rooms in Firestone and Mudd Libraries, receive remote reference assistance, or request digitized copies of the collections.

A Note About Access

We strive to make as many items in our collections available to as many people as possible without restriction. However, due to fragility of the item or restrictions placed upon materials by the donor, there may be limitations to access. Some collections may require advance notice for proper care and handling, while others may not be available at all or only via digital surrogate. Often these limitations are noted in the catalog or finding aid, but it also may be a decision that is made in the moment, in conversation with our colleagues in preservation and conservation, when we discover a particularly fragile item. Please be patient with staff as we work towards providing equitable access to all visitors and researchers for as much of the collection as possible.

Policies and Guidelines

Prior to conducting research within the collections of Special Collections Mudd Library, please review the access policies:

For information on publishing from the collections, please visit the Special Collections Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines.

Digitization Services

Order Digital Copies of Collection Materials

We are currently updating our digitization service and have paused accepting new orders from non-Princeton researchers (including alumni) until July 1, 2025. If you are still interested in placing a digitization request at that time, please reach out to us again through the Ask Special Collections form. If you are a current member of the Princeton community (students, faculty, and staff), we will continue to process your requests.

Digitization requests for Special Collections housed in Firestone and Mudd Library are available at no cost, and can be made through the Ask Special Collections form. Many items from the Department’s holdings have already been digitized and are available to download via the item’s record in the Catalog or Finding Aids.

In order to provide effective and equitable service to all researchers, requests are limited to approximately 300 pages per person/project. Published materials may be further limited due to copyright restrictions. Should you believe you are in need of services that do not align with our order fulfillment period or page limits, please reach out to us to discuss it further. Due to the current large demand, we cannot guarantee turnaround times. Orders could take six months to a year to complete. Please contact us well in advance if you have questions concerning the volume or timeline.

While we will do our best to provide the requested materials, there may be limitations due to format, conservation and/or copyright concerns. Please note that digital content is only provided for research and publication purposes. Copies of material held in Princeton Special Collections cannot be added to the holdings of other archives, libraries or museums. Staff are happy to work with researchers on finding the best path forward.

Audio Visual Materials

Depending on the nature and condition of the original item, digitization may be possible. Researchers may request the digitization of up to three (3) audiovisual items at one time. Due to the natural degradation of media formats, digitization may not be possible in all cases. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third party vendor. Please note, the fulfillment time can be a year or more and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Please contact us using the form on the Ask Special Collections page for more information.

Please review the Copyright, Credit and Citation Guidelines page for more information on publishing from the collections.

Ordering a Copy of a Princeton University Senior Thesis

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library is the central repository for Princeton University undergraduate senior theses from 1924 to the present. Senior theses exist in various formats. If you would like to view a physical thesis from 1924-2012, you are welcome to visit Mudd Library or request digitization. Theses from 2013-Present are only available digitally.

In the past, some senior theses were deposited at other libraries on campus. The following information is only for senior theses housed at Mudd Library. A search of a senior thesis in the Library catalog will provide you with information on where that particular senior thesis is housed.

Members of the University community with an active NetID can access digital theses in Dataspace when connected to any Princeton-networked computer (if you’re not on campus, please first connect to the campus network via the GlobalProtect or SonicWall desktop applications).
Independent researchers who are not members of the University community (including Princeton alumni) should use DataSpace to browse senior theses. At this time, ordering a digital copy of a senior thesis is on hold.
You must create a Special Collections Research Account prior to submitting the Senior Thesis Order Form.
In some cases we will be unable to digitize the senior thesis due to an embargo that prohibits digital access. Copyright of the theses are held by the author.
Senior Thesis Order Form