David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center

Visitors in the reading room, David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center.
Alvaro Keding/©AMNH

Welcome to the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center, the Museum’s principal repository for published scientific literature and archives.

Databases

Use the following databases to find abstracts, full text articles and reference information. Databases marked as "open access" are free and are accessible from anywhere. Access to full text from the databases not marked as "open access" is only available from networked Museum computers and off-site via the proxy server.

Museum Staff: please see the Off-site Access to E-Resources for more information on using our proxy server. Also, please be aware of the usage restrictions that apply to licensed resources.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

AATA Online (Art and Technology Technical Abstracts) (Open Access)
Index (with abstracts) of articles relevant to the conservation of cultural materials.

AGRICOLA (NAL Catalog) (Open Access)
Index of articles relevant to agriculture and allied disciplines.

Anthropology Plus
Index combining Anthropological Literature from Harvard University and Anthropological Index from the Royal Anthropological Institute.

Anthrosource
Index with links to full-text for all American Anthropological Association journals.

ARTstor
A digital library of images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and social sciences.

Atlases, Gazetteers, GIS, and Maps (Open Access)
Directory of links to atlas, map, and gazetteer resources compiled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Library staff.

BCIN (Bibliographic Database of the Conservation Information Network) (Open Access)
Index of articles relevant to the conservation and restoration of cultural materials.

Bibliography and Index of Micropaleontology
Index of articles relevant to the study of microscopic fossils.

Bibliography of Asian Studies (BAS)
Index of articles intended for students and scholars interested in any aspect, discipline or sub-region of Asia. Through its extensive bibliographical coverage, it is a means for discovering citations and the full-text of Western-language journal articles, review articles, conference proceedings and chapters in edited volumes and Festschriften published anywhere in the world that deal with East, Southeast and South Asia and with the overseas Asian communities.

Biblioteca Digital Cubana de Geociencias [Cuban Digital Library of Geosciences] (Open Access)
Collection of more than 300 PDFs on Cuban geology, paleontology, Jurassic of Cuba, geophysics, geography, mining, speleology and other related subjects.

Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL)
The Biodiversity Heritage Library improves research methodology by collaboratively making biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community.

Biodiversity Informatics from the AMNH Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (Open Access)
Provides resources for utilizing information technologies in biodiversity research and applications.

BioOne
Collection of e-journals published by the American Institute of Biological Sciences member societies (and related organizations).

Birds of World Online
A research database that brings together content from Birds of North America, The Handbook of Birds of the World, Neotropical Birds, and Bird Families of the World with millions of bird observations from eBird and multimedia from the Macaulay Library into a single platform where biologists and birders can explore comprehensive life history information on birds.

Cambridge Journals Online
Collection of e-journals published by Cambridge University Press.

Columbia Gazetteer
A database of names, descriptions, and characteristics of over 165,000 places in the world.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) (Open Access)
Collection of free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals.

EBSCO Electronic Journals Service
Collection of e-journals published by various scholarly publishers.

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) (Open Access)
Index (with abstracts) of materials relevant to education research and practice.

eHRAF World Cultures
eHRAF World Cultures is an online cross-cultural database that contains information on all aspects of cultural and social life.

Elsevier ScienceDirect
Collection of e-journals published by Elsevier Science, Academic Press, and several other publishers.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online
Encyclopedia covering a wide range of topics.

Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) (Open Access)
Contains information about almost 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States.

GeoKniga (Open Access)
Provides full text open access to books on geology, paleontology, geochemistry, mineralogy, as well as related subjects and geological maps.

GEOnet Names Server (Open Access)
Presents a database of foreign geographic names, approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (US BGN).

GeoRef
Index of articles, books, reports, etc. relevant to geology and geophysics.

GeoScienceWorld
Collection of geoscience e-journals presented by several leading geoscientific organizations

GoogleScholar (Open access)
Search engine of scholarly literature from a wide variety of sources including academic publishers, professional societies, and university repositories.

Grant Forward(Open access)
Directory of federal and private funding opportunities.

GreenFILE (Open Access)
Index of scholarly and general interest titles relevant to the relationship between humans and the environment.

Index Animalium (Open Access)
Searchable list of generic and specific names applied by authors to animals from 1758 to 1850.

Index to Organism Names(ION) (Open Access)
Contains all the animal, plant, and virus names data found within the Thomson BIOSIS literature databases (Zoological Record, BIOSIS Previews, and Biological Abstracts).

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Open Access)
Provides rules and guidelines for assigning scientific names to animals.

IUCN Publications (Open Access)
Authoritative publications, reports, guidelines and databases for conservation and sustainable development.

JSTOR
Retrospective collection of e-journals presented by JSTOR's scholarly journal archive.

LISTA- Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (Open Access)
Index (with abstracts) of articles covering topics in librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management, etc.

Morphobank (Open Access)
MorphoBank is an online database and workspace for evolutionary research, specifically systematics (the science of determining the evolutionary relationships among species).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (Open Access)
Index (with abstracts) of articles covering topics in astrophysics.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) (Open Access)
Access to NASA's current and historical technical literature and engineering results.

Natural History Guides to the Web/Portals (Open Access)
Directory of links to natural history resources compiled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Library staff.

Nomenclator Zoologicus (Open Access)
A catalog of the bibliographic origins of the names of every genus and subgenus in the published literature since the tenth edition of Linnaeus' Systema Naturae in 1758 (Linnaeus, 1758) up to 1994. An estimated 340,000 genera are represented in the text and there are approximately 3000 supplemental corrections. It provides a nucleus of core genera data and is recognized as an essential reference document by the zoological taxonomic community. To search Nomenclator Zoologicus in the Global Names Verifier, paste the scientific name into the search box and under "advanced options", select "Nomenclator Zoologicus".

OpenDOAR (Open Access)
Searchable directory of academic open access (free) article repositories.

Open Science Directory (Open Access)
Search tool for finding open access (free) journals and for finding subscription journals that are free for developing countries through registration with special programs.

Oxford English Dictionary
Authoritative dictionary of the English language that includes etymological analysis for each word.

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (Open Access)
Directory of links to map and gazetteer resources compiled by the Map Library at the University of Texas.

PubMed (Open Access)
Index of articles on biomedical topics.

Science.gov (Open Access)
Gateway to over 50 million pages of authoritative selected science information provided by U.S. government agencies, including research and development results.

Science Tracer Bullet (from Library of Congress) (Open Access)
Contains research guides that help in locating information on science and technology subjects.

SORA - Searchable Ornithological Research Archive (Open Access)
A retrospective index with full text articles from several major ornithological journals.

Springer Link
Collection of e-journals published by Springer-Verlag and Birkauser.

Teacher Reference Center- TRC (Open Access)
Index of articles relevant to assessment, continuing education, curriculum development, pedagogical research, instructional media, science and math, etc.

Wiley Online Library
Collection of e-journals published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

WorldCat Database
Database containing millions of records of books, journals, and other materials cataloged by OCLC member libraries.

WorldCat.org (Open Access)
Database containing millions of records of books, journals, and other materials by a network of libraries. This version has fewer features than the subscription version of WorldCat (see above).

WorldWideScience.org (Open Access)
Global science gateway to domestic and international science databases with primarily free content.

Zoological Record via Web of Science
Index of articles, proceedings, theses, etc. relevant to zoology.

Other Catalogs

Other Museum Catalogs

University Library Catalogs

CLIO -- Columbia University Libraries
New York University Libraries

Natural History Library Catalogs

Public Library Catalogs

Several useful databases are accessible from New York City public libraries with a library card, available to all New York State residents ages 13 and older.

New York Public Library Catalog
- Go to http://tm9qt7lg9g.search.serialssolutions.com/ for information about electronic resources available remotely from the NYPL.
Brooklyn Public Library Catalog
Queens Public Library Catalog

National/International Libraries

Request an Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loans are available to Museum staff and students with full library privileges and to institutions with whom we have an agreement.

Before submitting a loan request, please check the catalog to verify that the item you are requesting is not already available in the Gottesman Research Library. To ensure you are eligible to request an interlibrary loan, please review our Interlibrary Loan Policies and Interlibrary Loan FAQ.

The Interlibrary Loan Department handles arrangements with other libraries for borrowing materials that are unavailable in the Gottesman Research Library. This department also processes requests to lend materials from the Gottesman Research Library collection.

Interlibrary Loan Policies

This service is restricted to those with Full Library Privileges needing loans for work-related research.

Materials are loaned to the Gottesman Research Library as a courtesy, and their conditions of use, including due dates, must be respected. Library users who need interlibrary loan materials for a longer period than the time allotted should discuss this matter with the interlibrary loan manager. The interlibrary loan manager may be able to renew the loan (in order to extend the due date) or borrow another copy of the item from a different library. Failure to return interlibrary loan materials on time jeopardizes the Gottesman Research Library's liaisons with other libraries and could adversely affect other Museum staff needing interlibrary loan services. Users who return interlibrary loan materials late will be served with a formal warning. Users who subsequently return interlibrary loan materials late will lose interlibrary loan privileges.

Interlibrary Loan FAQ

What kinds of materials may be borrowed via interlibrary loan?

Books, journal articles, and microforms are the most commonly borrowed items. Libraries generally fill requests for journal articles with photocopies of the article rather than sending the original journal issue. Other types of media and materials from non-circulating collections cannot usually be borrowed. Most libraries will not loan old, rare, or fragile materials.

May I request items that are missing from the Gottesman Research Library's collection?

If an item owned by the Gottesman Research Library cannot be found in the collection, you may request that it be obtained via interlibrary loan.

Do I have to pay for interlibrary loans?

There is no charge for this service as long as the number of requests submitted is not excessive. Please note that interlibrary loan services are for Museum-related research and business only; not for personal use.

How will I know when the item I requested has arrived?

You will be notified by phone or email when the item arrives. Incoming items may be picked up at the Reference/Circulation Desk during regular Library hours. You will be asked to sign that you have received the item.

How long does it take to receive items through interlibrary loan?

Most items take two to four weeks to arrive. Some items are more difficult to obtain and may take longer.

What is the length of the loan period?

Loan periods are established by the lending library and can vary. A typical loan period is three weeks.

Where do I return my loan?

Loans must be returned at the Reference/Circulation Desk.

For additional information, please call the Interlibrary Loan office at 212-769-5404 or email [email protected].

New Books

How to Search

This list describes how to access common resource types found in the Gottesman Research Library. For detailed help searching the catalog, see Catalog Help.

Books and eBooks

To locate a book or eBook, search the catalog by title or author. Once you have identified the record for the book, note the call number and location to find the book within the Library. If it is an eBook, there will be a link to access the book online. Please see eBook User Information for instructions on how to access and read eBooks. If you do not know the exact title or author's name, you may do a keyword or subject search to locate the book or books on a similar topic.

Print Journals

To locate a print journal, search the catalog for the journal by title. Once you have identified the journal record, note the call number and location to find the journal within the Library. If you do not know the exact title, you may do a keyword search to find the journal.

Electronic Journals

To locate an electronic journal, search the catalog for the journal by title or ISSN. Once you have identified the journal record, click the access online button to access the electronic version. Please note that access to licensed content off-site is only available with a Museum staff login. For further information, see off-site access to e-resources.

Articles

To locate a specific article within a journal, search the catalog.  If we have access to the full text online, you will see a link to the full text in the catalog record.  To search for articles on a specific topic, conduct a database search instead. Please see Finding Research Articles for detailed information on how to access and search our databases.

Rare Books

The Gottesman Research Library's holdings of rare materials are found in our catalog using an advanced keyword search and limiting by "Location: Rare Materials." Please note, access to material in the Rare Book Collection is by appointment only. To make an appointment to view a Rare Book, complete the Rare Book Collection Access Form.

Archives

To search the Museum Archives, and for more information about Museum records, photographs, films, art and memorabilia see Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library. Please note, access is by appointment only.

Virtual Resources

To view digitized photographs, films, art, rare book illustrations and memorabilia from the Museum Archives, please visit  Digital Collections.

Full text Publications by the American Museum of Natural History are freely available through the Gottesman Research Library Digital Repository,

Including:

Visit the Reading Room

The Reading Room in the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center is a quiet space for independent or small group study. We welcome the entire Museum community and public visitors alike to work in and enjoy our space without an appointment. While you are here, please visit the exhibit "What's In a Name?" in our new Alcove Gallery, browse our great range book display, or simply relax in a comfortable chair beside sweeping views of tree-lined Theodore Roosevelt Park.

Visitors in the reading room facing the great range, David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center.
Alvaro Keding/©AMNH

Hours and Directions

The David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 am-5:30 pm.
Please note we will be closed on the following holidays in 2023:

Memorial Day - May 29, 2023
Juneteenth - June 19, 2023
Independence Day - July 4, 2023
Labor Day - September 4, 2023
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day - October 9, 2023
Election Day - November 7, 2023
Veterans Day (Observed) - November 10, 2023
Thanksgiving Day - November 23, 2023
Christmas Day - December 25, 2023

Directions

We are located on the fourth floor of the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation (see the Museum's map).

Request Materials for On-site Use

Public visitors may use Gottesman Research Library materials from the main stacks in the Reading Room, Monday through Friday 10:30 am–5:30 pm.

Although the stacks are not open to the public and Gottesman Research Library materials cannot be borrowed, Library staff will gladly page items by appointment for use in the Reading Room. To make an appointment to view materials from our main stacks:

Identify the materials you would like to view using our library catalog.
Complete the Request for Materials Form. Please schedule your appointment at least two business days in advance of your visit to ensure that we have the materials ready for you.

Please note that access to material in the Rare Book Collection and the Museum Archives is by appointment only. Please visit Rare Book Collection or Museum Archives for further information.

Library Policies

All patrons must sign in at the Reference Desk and leave photo identification with the Reference Librarian to receive requested materials. Patrons may not bring food into the Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center.
Drinks must be in a closed container and left on the floor or in a bag.
At their discretion, Library staff may limit the use of especially fragile materials.
The computers located in the Reading Room are provided for research purposes only. These computers may be used to access resources such as the catalog, databases and other electronic content.
A Reference Librarian is on duty at all times to assist with research inquiries.

Staff Privileges and Access

Museum staff and Museum students with a valid Museum-issued identification badge may register for library privileges. Registered users can borrow materials for use within the Museum and request interlibrary loans. Please note that our stacks are currently closed pending completion of construction. Museum staff and students may use the Paging Request Form to request materials from the main stacks. We will notify you when the materials are ready for pickup from the Reading Room.

To register, please submit a completed Staff Privileges Form. Once the form has been submitted, you will be contacted for a Library orientation.

Please note that access to material in the Rare Book Collection and the Museum Archives is by special appointment only. Please visit Rare Book Collection or Museum Archives for further information.

Off-site Access to Electronic Resources

The Gottesman Research Library utilizes a proxy server that allows all members of the American Museum of Natural History community with a Museum username and password access to almost all of the Library's electronic resources from off-site. For more information, please see Off-site Access to E-Resources.

Suggest a Book Purchase

Donations and Transfers

Book and Serial Donations

The Gottesman Research Library welcomes donations of in-scope published books and serials from the general public and other institutions. Please email [email protected] with the list of materials you would like to donate. Due to limited space, we are unable to accept donations of books or serials that we already hold. We ask that you check the library catalog to make sure we do not have the item(s) you wish to donate. Donations to the Gottesman Research Library are only accepted without restrictions and with the understanding that every gift may not be added to the collections.

Archival Donations and Departmental Record Transfers

The Museum Archives accepts archival donations and department record transfers directly related to the Museum's activities and history. We also consider materials that document significant contributions to the study of natural history and the history of science. If you have material you are interested in donating or transferring, please contact visit the Museum Archives for further information.

Reference / General Inquiries: [email protected]

Museum Archives: [email protected]

Interlibrary Loan: [email protected]

Virtual Resources: [email protected]

Reference Desk: 212-769-5400

Mailing Address

David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5102

To contact a specific Library staff member, refer to our staff list. Before submitting a reference inquiry, please consult frequently asked questions (FAQ) to see if we have answered your question already.

Museum Archives

Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library

The Museum Archives preserves the histories and collective memory of the American Museum of Natural History through primary resources on scientific expeditions, research, exhibitions, education, administration, and cultural life.

Access the Museum Archives »

From left to right: film camera, Natural History of Central Asia volumes, field artwork, lantern slides, film reels, field book, photographic prints,

Virtual Resources

Discover the rich and growing array of digital content by and about the American Museum of Natural History from the Gottesman Research Library and the Museum Archives.

Start Exploring »

Rare Books and Library Conservation

Collection Rare Book Collection The Library's Rare Book and Rare Folio Collection includes close to 15,000 volumes dating back to the 15th century. Article Conservation The fully equipped conservation laboratory where the latest technology is used to preserve the Library's unique collections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to request materials from the collection to use the reading room?

How do I search for materials?

Do public visitors have to make an appointment to view materials held by the Library and Museum Archives?

Do members of the Museum community need to make an appointment to view or retrieve materials from the Library?

Museum staff and Museum students with a valid Museum-issued identification badge may register for library privileges to borrow materials from the Gottesman Research Library. Please note that our stacks are currently closed pending completion of construction. Materials in the main stacks may be requested via our Paging Request Form.

Access to material in the Rare Book Collection and the Museum Archives is by special appointment only. Please visit Rare Book Collection or Museum Archives for further information and instructions on how to make an appointment for these collections.

Is the Library and Archives open when the Museum is open?

On weekdays, beginning at 10:30 am. The David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center is open Monday through Friday, from 10:30 am-5:30 pm. The Library is not open on weekends.

Please note we will be closed on the following holidays in 2023:

Memorial Day - May 29, 2023
Juneteenth - June 19, 2023
Independence Day - July 4, 2023
Labor Day - September 4, 2023
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day - October 9, 2023
Election Day - November 7, 2023
Veterans Day (Observed) - November 10, 2023
Thanksgiving Day - November 23, 2023
Christmas Day - December 25, 2023

How do I find catalogs for Museum specimens and artifacts?

How do I purchase print copies of the Museum Scientific Publications?

How can I have my manuscript considered for publication in the Museum Scientific Publications?

Does the Library appraise books?

Does the Museum appraise objects and artifacts?

Illustration of Katherine Beneker, Exhibition Coordinator, by Joseph M. Sedacca.

Learn about projects, resources, and perspectives from the Museum's librarians, archivists, interns, and volunteers.

Check Out the Library's Blog »

David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Research Library and Learning Center

Museum Archives

Virtual Resources

Digitization and Permissions

Rare Books and Library Conservation

Frequently Asked Questions