Scholarship begins with curiosity, not credentials.

For 200 years, the Institute Library has brought people together to read, learn, ask questions, and exchange ideas.

We believe that anyone with curiosity and a good question can contribute to what we know. You don’t need a degree or academic credentials to explore an idea, conduct research, or share what you discover.

The Institute Library is a place where people from different backgrounds can meet, exchange knowledge, and develop ideas together. We welcome community members, students, artists, writers, researchers, and scholars who want to explore questions and share what they learn.

The Social Justice Reader Fellowship is one example. Started by a community member, the Fellowship gives New Haven high school students opportunities to investigate questions of race and social justice, work with mentors, and present their research publicly.

Through Research in Action, we also bring people together to explore ideas through conversations, exhibitions, and collaborative projects.

The Institute Library is not simply a place to find knowledge. It’s a place to create it, question it, and share it.