New York Klau Library

Welcome to the New York Klau Library, a cornerstone of scholarly inquiry and cultural preservation located at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Brookdale Center, 1 West 4th Street, Manhattan, New York. Our library is a vibrant hub for students, faculty, and scholars, dedicated to supporting the diverse educational programs and research needs of our institution and the broader academic community.

With a rich collection of over 200,000 volumes, the Klau Library offers an unparalleled resource for exploring the depth and breadth of Jewish thought, history, and culture. Our holdings are particularly strong in Hebrew language and literature, Jewish history, music, and religious thought. Notably, we house the Kohut manuscript collection and the Isaac Offenbach music archive, along with rare materials that illuminate various facets of Jewish civilization.

The library is an essential resource for the Rabbinic School, the School of Education, and the School of Sacred Music, as well as for scholars from New York University and other institutions. Through our interlibrary loan services, we extend our resources beyond New York, supporting Judaic research and cultural enrichment nationwide.

Our mission is to collect, preserve, and provide access to the record of Jewish thought and experience, with a special focus on documenting Reform Judaism. As a branch of both the American Jewish Periodical Center and the American Jewish Archives, we offer extensive microfilm resources and facilities for research.

We invite you to visit us Monday through Thursday, from 9 AM to 4:45 PM. Please note that we are closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Conveniently accessible via subway lines N, R to 8th Street, 6 to Astor Place, and A, C, E or B, D, F, Q to West 4th Street, the Klau Library is ready to support your academic journey and inspire your exploration of Jewish cultural riches.