The Research Library's holdings include some 20,000 titles in 56,000 volumes, and it currently receives some 700 serial titles from subscriptions and exchanges. Several significant complete or very long runs of both standard and obscure journals on natural history subjects are present. The map collection holds 5000 maps, both modern and historic.
The Research Library's rare book collections include many titles on natural history dating from the 1500s through the 1900s. More
Photographic materials held in the Research Library include prints, 35 mm slides, lantern slides, glass negatives, and videos, mostly from the time period 1918–1980. A small but significant number of prints are collected in photograph albums. More
The extraordinary Valentien collection was donated to the Museum by the Scripps family in 1933. Other art treasures held in the library include original watercolor paintings by Major Allan Brooks and five paintings by George Miksch Sutton. More
The Klauber Library, the personal herpetological library of Laurence M. Klauber, was donated to the Museum in 1967. This extraordinary collection of approximately 2,000 titles relating to the study of herpetology is available to visiting researchers by appointment. Klauber's own field notes have been digitized by the Herpetology Department and are available on the Internet Archive. More
The Research Library's map collection contains approximately 5,000 maps, some dating to the late 1700s. More
The Archives hold both institutional records and special collections, including administrative files, directors' reports, correspondence and memorabilia of museum scientists, curators, research associates, and staff. Historic field notes by Museum naturalists including Frank Stephens, Charles Russell Orcutt, and Laurence M. Huey, among others, have been digitized and are available on the Internet Archive. More
The Research Library currently receives by subscription and exchange some 700 international serial titles covering all areas of natural history, with several significant complete or very long runs of both standard and obscure journals. More