The Independent Research Libraries Association was established in 1972 in order to address the future of independent, privately-supported research libraries.
Member Directory
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American Antiquarian Society
The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) cultivates understanding of the American past, grounded in its ever-growing collection of printed, graphic, and manuscript sources from early America to 1900. The Society fosters a broad community of inquiry through inclusive, wide-ranging programs and generous support for scholarship.
https://www.americanantiquarian.org/
185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609-1634
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American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States, was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of “promoting useful knowledge.” We honor and engage leading scholars, scientists, and professionals through elected membership and opportunities for interdisciplinary, intellectual fellowship, particularly in our semi-annual Meetings.
Research Grants & Fellowship Opportunities
105 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
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Boston Atheaeum
The Boston Athenaeum—a unique combination of library, museum, and cultural center in a magnificent landmark building. We are one of the country’s oldest and most distinguished independent libraries, with a circulating collection of over half a million books from works published in the 1800s to the latest best sellers.
10 ½ Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108
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The John Carter Brown Library
By preserving, expanding, and providing enhanced access to its world-renowned collection, the John Carter Brown Library inspires scholarship, stimulates innovative and creative engagement with its materials, and connects individuals and communities around the world with the history and culture of the early Americas.
94 George St, Providence, RI 02906
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Canadian Centre for Architecture
The Canadian Centre for Architecture is an international research institution and museum premised on the belief that architecture is a public concern. We produce exhibitions and publications, develop and share our collection as a resource, advance research, offer public programs, and host a range of other activities driven by a curiosity about how architecture shapes—and might reshape—contemporary life.
Research Grants & Fellowship Opportunities
1920 rue Baile, Montreal, QC H3H 2S6
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Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life. Anchored by the world’s largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is also home to a world-renowned collection of books, manuscripts, and prints from the 1500s to the early 1700s.
201 East Capitol Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003
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The Getty Research Institute
Getty is a leading global arts organization committed to exhibiting, conserving, and understanding the world’s artistic and cultural heritage. Based in Los Angeles, Getty pursues its work with partners around the world, while sharing art, knowledge, and resources with the public online, and in-person at the Getty Center and Getty Villa.
Research Grants & Fellowship Opportunities
1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90049
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The Hagley Museum & Library
The Hagley library is recognized worldwide as the preeminent research institution for the history of American business, technology, and enterprise, The collections include individuals' papers and companies' records ranging from eighteenth-century merchants to modern telecommunications and illustrate the impact of the business system on society.
Research Grants & Fellowship Opportunities
298 Buck Rd., Wilmington, DE 19807
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Herzog August Library
The Herzog August Library (HAB) is one of the world's leading centers for cultural history research. The library itself forms the basis for this, preserving, cataloging, expanding, and presenting unique collections. Scholars from all over the world find optimal conditions for their research here.
Research Grants & Scholarship Opportunities
Lessingplatz 1, D-38304 Wolfenbüttel (Germany)
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Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Founded in 1824, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania preserves one of the nation’s largest collections of American history. With millions of manuscripts, books, and images spanning over 500 years, HSP is a vital resource for anyone exploring the past.
1300 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
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The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Gardens
The Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides transformative experiences for a community of the curious. Founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, it supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections.
Research Grants & Fellowships Opportunities
1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, CA 91108
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The Library Company of Philadelphia
The Library Company of Philadelphia is an independent research library concentrating on American society and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Free and open to the public, the Library Company houses an extensive non-circulating collection of rare books, manuscripts, broadsides, ephemera, prints, photographs, and works of art.
1314 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
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Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology
The Linda Hall Library is one of the world’s leading independent science research libraries. Our mission is to use our collections and other resources to inspire curiosity, innovation, and cultural engagement with science, through collecting, education, and interpretation.
5109 Cherry St., Kansas City, MO, 64110
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Massachusetts Historical Society
The Massachusetts Historical Society - the oldest organization in the United States devoted to collecting materials for the study of American history - offers many resources for visitors to learn, connect, and inspire including exhibitions, events, tours, brown-bag lunches, seminars, workshops, and a research library.
1154 Boylston St., Boston, MA, 02215
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The Morgan Library & Museum
A museum and independent research library located in the heart of New York City, the Morgan Library & Museum began as the personal library of financier, collector, and cultural benefactor Pierpont Morgan. The Morgan offers visitors close encounters with great works of human accomplishment in a setting treasured for its intimate scale and historic significance. Its collection of manuscripts, rare books, music, drawings, and works of art comprises a unique and dynamic record of civilization, as well as an incomparable repository of ideas and of the creative process from 4000 BC to the present.
225 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016
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The Newberry Library
The Newberry fosters a deeper understanding of our world by inspiring research and learning in the humanities and encouraging conversations about ideas that matter to diverse audiences. Our mission is rooted in a growing and accessible collection of rare and historical materials that spans more than six centuries of human experience.
60 West Walton St., Chicago, IL, 60610
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New York Academy of Medicine
For over 178 years, New York Academy of Medicine has been a driving force for progress, helping transform the landscape of health through independent thinking, rigorous research, and dynamic collaboration.
1216 5th Ave., New York, NY 10029
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New York Historical
New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution documenting over 400 years of American history through a peerless collection of art, documents, and artifacts. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment.
170 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024
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The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 125 years. Founded in 1895, NYPL is the nation’s largest public library system, featuring 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, including our world-renowned research centers at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
5th Ave. and 42nd St., New York, NY 10018
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Science History Institute
The Science History Institute collects, preserves, interprets, and shares that past by exploring lesser-known and sometimes overlooked stories from the history of science and technology. We dive deep into the history of scientific successes and failures, with a focus on expanding knowledge and broadening our understanding of how science and society intersect.
https://www.sciencehistory.org/
315 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19106
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Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Founded in 1831 as the Virginia Historical Society, the VMHC, a private, non-profit organization, is the oldest museum and cultural organization in Virginia, and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the United States. The museum cares for a renowned collection of more than nine million items representing the far-reaching story of Virginia.
426 Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA, 23220
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Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library
Winterthur is located in northern Delaware and is the premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America since 1640. Winterthur builds upon the vision of Henry Francis du Pont to inspire and educate through its collection, estate, and academic programs by engaging diverse audiences in the study, preservation, and interpretation of American material culture, art, design, and history.
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware, 19735