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Reading Room

The Lillian Goldman Reading Room​

The collections at the American Jewish Historical Society may be viewed by researchers in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room located within the Center for Jewish History at 15 W. 16th Street in New York City.

The Center for Jewish History welcomes researchers, scholars, and visitors of all backgrounds. The Lillian Goldman Reading Room, often described as the heart of the Center for Jewish History, is the gateway for exploring the diverse history of the Jewish people through the collections housed at the Center.

The Reading Room is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Visits are by appointment only, and reservations can be made through your research account. Appointments and materials requests must be made at least 7 days in advance.

To ensure compliance with local health and safety guidelines, proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all visitors. Masks are required at all times during your visit.

The Reading Room shelves offer reference texts as well as all major publications of the Center’s partner organizations. Archive and library collections at the Center consist of over 500,000 volumes in multiple languages from many time periods, as well as over 100 million documents, including organizational records and personal papers, photographs, multimedia recordings, posters, art, and artifacts. In addition, the Reading Room has developed an extensive electronic resource library.

For tips and information about conducting research at the Center and advice on commonly consulted collections, please consult the Center’s research guides.

Please also be aware of the Center’s Rules and Policies. For further information, visit the Reading Room website or contact the Center reference staff at inquiries@cjh.org.