PLEASE NOTE: AJHS will be closed September 8-11, 2026. No AJHS collection materials will be paged for research use on these dates. AJHS will reopen on Monday, September 14, 2026. Thank you for your understanding.

Welcome to the Lillian Goldman Reading Room

Introduction

The American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research are all housed at The Center for Jewish History. Together, the archival collections and libraries held by our partner institutions at the Center for Jewish History constitute the world's most comprehensive documentation of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel with more than seven linear miles of papers, publications, recordings, artifacts, artworks, photographs, and over 145 terabytes of digitized materials. All collections can be requested and viewed in the Lillian Goldman Reading Room.

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 open to researchers interested in exploring the diverse history of the Jewish people through the collections housed at the Center.

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.

Lillian Goldman Reading Room Appointments

The Lillian Goldman Reading Room is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Fridays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm by appointment only. Walk-ins may be accommodated based on availability Mondays through Thursdays. Paging ends at 3:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and at 12:00 pm on Fridays.

Appointments and hold requests are strongly recommended and should be made at least three business days in advance through your research account.

By making an appointment, archivists and librarians can better prepare for your research visit, inform you of any potentially inaccessible material, or put you in touch with archivists or librarians at the respective partner organizations of the Center for Jewish History that hold the materials (AJHS, ASF, LBI, YUM, and YIVO).

We strive to make your visit as successful as possible and to accommodate your research needs. Please note, however, that access to collection materials may be subject to onsite availability, condition, digitization status, legal and donor restrictions, and the policies and discretion of the respective partner organizations that hold the materials (AJHS, ASF, LBI, YUM, and YIVO).

If microform or digitized copies of research materials are available, these will be provided rather than the originals.

For assistance, please contact inquiries@cjh.org.

Please always check the website for current announcements, changes to opening hours, and for the holiday closures of the Center and our partner organizations: https://www.cjh.org/visit/closures. If you are planning a longer research stay, please contact inquiries@cjh.org.

Lillian Goldman Reading Room Rules and Policies

Plan your visit at the Center for Jewish History and its Lillian Goldman Reading Room here: https://www.cjh.org/visit/plan-your-visit

You can find the Lillian Goldman Reading Room rules and policies here https://www.cjh.org/readingroom/reading-room-faqs

Catalog and Research Guides

For archival finding aids including a description of over 5,600 archival collections housed at the Center for Jewish History, please see here archives.cjh.org 

For tips and information about conducting research at the Center and advice on commonly consulted collections, please consult the research guides here https://libguides.cjh.org

Find the best library databases for your research here https://libguides.cjh.org

Group or Class Visits

If you are interested in group instruction regarding research, collections, or reference services, please fill out this form.

Internships at the Lillian Goldman Reading Room

The Reading Room offers internships for credit (unpaid) throughout the year.

Please note: For non-U.S. citizens, it is the intern's responsibility to possess a valid visa and a U.S. Social Security number.

If you are interested in an internship for academic credit, please send a cover letter, CV, and a list of at least three references to jobs@cjh.org