Using the ISAW Library

Welcome to the ISAW Library!

The ISAW Library is a branch library of the NYU Division of Libraries with stacks on three floors at the back of the Institute on 15 East 84th Street and a reading room housing our periodicals on the second floor (known as the Oak Library).

We invite anyone who has a need to consult the ISAW Library collection to come visit us during regular business hours (M-F, 9-5, except University holidays; for more information about access, please see Hours and Access). If you hold a valid NYU ID we recommend (but do not require) that you email isaw-library@nyu.edu to make an appointment to come consult our collection. If you do not hold a valid NYU ID, please email isaw-library@nyu.edu to make an appointment. 

The Library houses on-site a core study collection of approximately 50,000 for the ISAW research community, spanning the sweep of the ancient Eurasian world, from the western Mediterranean, across the Near East and Central Asia, to northern China. The Library also has growing offsite physical collection, which circulates to NYU Libraries users, and digital collections such as the Ancient World Digital Library and Digital Central Asian Archaeology Collection.

If you are planning a visit to use our collections (and particularly if you are unsure as to your access status), please feel welcome to email or call our staff with any questions you might have about our collection, services, or facilities.