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. 

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

• Access Policy for Public Policy Papers
• Access Policy for University Archives Collections

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

Please review all of the information below as our digitization services have recently changed. (July 2025)

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.

All researchers can request up to 30 low-resolution reference images at no cost per person/project per 6 months. The turnaround time is approximately 10 business days, depending on the complexity of the request.

For larger orders, the following applies:

Princeton University Community (Current students, faculty and staff):
There is no cost for digitization of Special Collections materials housed in Firestone and Mudd Libraries for the Princeton University community.

In order to provide effective and equitable service to all Princeton researchers, requests are limited to approximately 300 pages per person/project per 6 months. Published materials may be further limited due to copyright restrictions. Due to the current large demand, we cannot guarantee turnaround times but will strive for 4-6 weeks. There is no rush option. 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. All orders will be delivered to an active @princeton.edu email address.

Non-Princeton University Community (includes alumni):
A per image charge of $2.00 will be applied to all high-resolution digitization requests for researchers outside of the Princeton community. These will be delivered as TIFF files unless otherwise requested. The turnaround time on digitization requests up to 300 pages is approximately 6-8 weeks after receipt of payment. There is no rush option.

While we are accepting new digitization requests again from non-Princeton researchers, the processing time may be extended while we implement new procedures.

To place a digitization request, please contact us through the Ask Special Collections Form.

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.

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

Audio Visual Materials

At this time, we are not accepting new requests for digitization of audiovisual material in the collections.

We are currently updating our digitization service and have paused accepting new orders from non-Princeton researchers (including alumni). If you are a current member of the Princeton community (students, faculty, and staff), we will continue to process your requests.

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