The rare materials held at the Folger are meant to be actively used; Henry Folger once called the collection “a fine kit of tools for scholars.” Today, the Folger Library continues to make its books, manuscripts, and artworks as accessible as possible within the limits set by their rarity and, in many cases, fragility.
The Reading Rooms themselves are open only to scholars and other qualified researchers, known as readers at the Folger. If you'd like to apply for a reader's card, more information can be found on the Reader Information and Research Fellowship pages.
For the general public, access to the Folger collection is provided through free, curated exhibitions, a variety of print publications, the multimedia on-site Shakespeare Gallery, and many parts of this website. Within the website, for example, look for collection materials in our current exhibition, past exhibitions, past Folger Institute conferences, teaching resources, family activities, and Discover Shakespeare. For an illustrated, multipage survey of the Folger’s holdings, go to The Collection.
For research questions, go to Ask a Librarian. This service is intended both for Folger readers and other scholars and for members of the public. You can also consult our publicly available online catalog, Hamnet.
Photographs of Folger holdings are available for research and publication through our in-house Photography Department. Also go to the Photography Department for fees and policies related to filming on-site for television or film.
For questions or problems in using Hamnet, e-mail hamnethelp@folger.edu. For questions about the Folger collection, e-mail reference@folger.edu.
