At Yale Library, it’s personal

Any library system can be daunting to navigate, especially at Yale, where 15 libraries are home to nearly 15 million print and electronic volumes.

To help freshmen navigate this maze of resources and services, the Yale University Library offers the Personal Librarian Program.

Each incoming freshman is paired with one of 38 research librarians, who can assist with conducting research, answer questions about study spaces and databases, and connect students to relevant staff. After declaring a major, students can begin working with a subject specialist who serves as a resource to students through senior year.

Personal Librarians also reach out occasionally to students via email to let them know of library tours, databases and tools, and research strategies.

Members of the Class of 2017 are invited to meet their Personal Librarians, and learn more about the library’s many other resources, at a reception on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Students can also look up their assigned librarian and find out more information about the program at http://www.library.yale.edu/pl/.