HOURS
Reading Room
Mon-Thurs: 9:30am-4:30pm
Genealogy Institute
Mon: 9:30am-4:30pm
Tue-Fri: By appointment only
Free Exhibit Spaces
Sun–Thurs: 9:30am–7:30pm
Fri: 9:30am-3:30pm
Sat: Closed
Ruth's Bookstore
Sun–Thurs: 10:30am-6:30pm
Fri: 10:30am-4:00pm
Make sure to check our holiday closures prior to visiting.
Please note: The Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute will be closed on Tuesday, December 2 from 12:00-2:00pm. The Reading Room and Genealogy Institute will be closed December 8-10. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Last entry to the Center for Jewish History Exhibitions, Reading Room, and the Genealogy Institute is 1 hour before closing. The last call to page items in the Reading Room and Genealogy Institute is 3pm.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Thursday: 9:30am-4:30pm
Rules & Policies
The Center for Jewish History welcomes you to the Lillian Goldman Reading Room, where you can view the expansive and diverse collections of our five partner institutions. In order to ensure that the items you are handling will be available to future generations of researchers, we ask you to exercise extraordinary care in handling materials and to abide by the following guidelines.
Permitted in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room:
- Paper
- Pencils
- Laptops without the cases
- Digital cameras
- Cell phones in silent mode
Not permitted in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room:
- Coats or jackets
- Food or beverages
- Pens
- Bags, purses, folders, or cases of any kind
- Strollers
A photo ID must be presented at the front desk on the first floor. There are lockers on the third floor for items not permitted in the Reading Room (see above). Staff reserve the right to inspect the provided clear plastic bags upon entry or exit. Entry or access to materials may be restricted if you do not comply with policies. Personal books must be approved by librarians.
Children under 13 must be supervised at all times by a guardian and must be able to follow Reading Room rules. We encourage the use of primary sources for middle and high school students, and they are welcome to use our collections. For security purposes, a photo ID is needed to request materials, so students without a photo ID will have to use materials with an adult who has appropriate identification.
Some items may require the use of page turners or book cradles. If microform or digitized copies of items are available, these will be provided rather than the originals. If you refuse to follow handling instructions, access to materials may be restricted.
We welcome walk-ins, but certain rare and off-site items require appointments for viewing. Some collections are subject to restrictions placed on the materials by donors or staff.
Digitization Services
Researchers can take flash-free photos for personal reference in the Reading Room. We do not have a publicly accessible photocopier, so we strongly encourage researchers to bring a camera, tablet, or smartphone. If you do not have a device capable of photography, you may borrow a camera from staff. It may take 1-3 business days to receive your photos. Please note: scanners are not permitted in the Reading Room.
Guidelines for Reading Room photography:
- Flash, lights, scanners, and tripods are prohibited
- Cameras/phones must be on “silent” to respect other researchers
- Follow handling instructions (keep materials in order, item stays in cradle, etc.)
- Do not press down on materials or bindings
- Do not remove items from sleeves, mats, etc.
- Ask for assistance if the item is large or fragile
- Do not stand on tables or chairs. Do not place items on the floor.
- No close-up photographs of the staff and other researchers without permission
Digitization-on-demand services are available for reference use or publication. There may be fees associated with digitization services. For more information, contact inquiries@cjh.org.
Requests may be restricted due to fragility, size, donor restrictions, privacy, or copyright. No more than one-third of any in-copyright publication may be reproduced.
THE COPYRIGHT LAW OF THE UNITED STATES (TITLE 17, U.S. CODE) GOVERNS THE MAKING OF PHOTOCOPIES OR OTHER REPRODUCTIONS OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE LAW, LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES ARE AUTHORIZED TO FURNISH A PHOTOCOPY OR OTHER REPRODUCTION. ONE OF THESE SPECIFIED CONDITIONS IS THAT THE PHOTOCOPY OR REPRODUCTION IS NOT TO BE "USED FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN PRIVATE STUDY, SCHOLARSHIP, OR RESEARCH." IF A USER MAKES A REQUEST FOR, OR LATER USES, A PHOTOCOPY OR REPRODUCTION FOR PURPOSES IN EXCESS OF "FAIR USE," THAT USER MAY BE LIABLE FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. THIS INSTITUTION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT A COPYING ORDER IF IN ITS JUDGEMENT, FULFILLMENT OF THE ORDER WOULD INVOLVE VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAW.
Computer Policies
The Center provides computers for visitor use in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room and Genealogy Institute. Use of these computers is limited to:
- Consultation of the Center’s electronic catalogues, databases, and research guides.
- Internet browsing, solely to provide access to sites that are related to your research.
- Email transmissions through your own Internet provider; the Center does not provide email accounts.
Researchers may use their own laptop computers in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room and in the Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute.
Restrictions on Use of the Center's Computers
The Center's computers may not be used in any of these ways:
- Use that violates any federal, state, or local laws, including copyright law and licensing agreements.
- Use that would violate the Center's tax-exempt status.
- Attempting to access, or accessing, any Center intranet files, or downloading software, executable files, databases, or related technology, or any activities that would modify or damage Center equipment, software, or databases.
- Actions that disrupt services for Center staff, volunteers, or users, including but not limited to excessive use of computers when other users are waiting a turn.
Internet Policy
Staff and volunteers may help you access Internet sites, but the Center is not responsible for the accuracy of Internet information.
The Center is a special-purpose institution, committed principally to Jewish studies and genealogical research, and we have a limited number of computers; therefore, visitors should browse only Internet sites related directly to those special purposes.
The Center provides unfiltered Internet access. Users are responsible for accommodating themselves to the consequences of Constitutionally protected communication, even if they might observe or hear objectionable materials while on the Center's premises. We do ask our visitors to be considerate of others regarding any electronic views or sounds that may be disturbing to others.
Parents/legal guardians need to assume responsibility for determining what information resources they want their children to access. The Center assumes that parents/legal guardians have provided guidance to their children about Internet use.
The Center will not release information on the Internet use of any person using a Center computer; however, the Internet is not a secure medium and the Center has no control over the information that others may obtain regarding Internet use.
The Center reserves the right to limit or revoke all computer, Reading Room, and/or Center Genealogy Institute privileges for users who violate Center user policy.
Book Donations
The Lillian Goldman Reading Room and Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute do not accept donations of books or other materials. If you have materials you would like to donate to one of our partner collections, please contact the appropriate partner listed below. All donations are at the sole discretion of the partner.
