Reference Inquiries

You may telephone Manuscripts and Archives at (203) 432-1744 to consult about reference inquiries, but we do not accept involved reference questions over the telephone. In all likelihood the reference archivist will suggest that you submit your query by email. To submit a reference inquiry, send an email to beinecke.library@yale.edu. Please provide as much information as possible about the subject of your inquiry to assist us in focusing our research efforts on your behalf. 

 

All inquiries are answered in the order in which they are received. Depending on the volume of requests, a response may take two to three weeks.

 

If you haven't done so already, please create an account for yourself in Aeon, our online registration and request system at https://aeon-mssa.library.yale.edu/. Registering will allow us to order collection material on your behalf from our off-site storage facility, if necessary, while we investigate your reference request. 

 

Given our staffing constraints, as well as the significant number of inquiries we receive daily, members of our reference team may spend no more than one hour assisting patrons at a distance. Patrons who submit requests requiring more than one hour of staff time may choose to do the additional work in person or to hire a research assistant.