Guide to Libraries
Study Better
Have a research question? Interested in pursuing a fellowship? Curious about text mining or data visualization? With nine locations including an art gallery, prestigious collections, and over 50 areas of expertise, librarians make great research partners—just ask!
- Locations open throughout the day, evenings, and weekends.
- Fuel up and hunker down. Food and drinks are permitted.
- Discover a quiet reading nook or reserve a room for group study.
- Check out laptops, umbrellas, cameras, chargers, and VR headsets.
- Connect with an expert in your area of study and receive personal research support.
- Computers, workstations, printers, and copiers available in every library.
- Access materials from around the world using our interlibrary loan network.
- Refuel at Suzie's Food for Thought Cafe in Central Library.
- Vanderbilt community members, researchers, and guests are welcome in the libraries, exhibits, and archives. Check library website for visitor requirements prior to arrival.
Education in Action
The libraries support experiential learning by providing unique and engaging ways to hone critical thinking, complete innovative projects and grow as thinkers, readers, and researchers. Through fellowships and professional opportunities, students learn to evaluate information, gather data, curate knowledge, and share research findings with the broader public.
Partners in Academic Success
Vanderbilt librarians take their commitment to your academic success seriously. Librarians support research and coursework at all levels and are ready to collaborate on ideas for digital scholarship, research, and teaching. The books and articles we share, the workshops we teach, the classes we visit—all are considered with you in mind—the students, faculty, and researchers of the Vanderbilt community. You can count on librarians and library staff to be there when you need them. Just ask!
Alyne Queener Massey Law Library
The Alyne Queener Massey Law Library is designed to meet the modern legal information needs of the Vanderbilt community by providing access to library, media, and technology services and an excellent collection of over 600,000 volumes, including all of the leading legal databases.
Address: 131 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2568
Anne Potter Wilson Music Library
The Music Library is “composed” of thousands of books, sound/video recordings, scores, and journal subscriptions. It offers streaming media databases, and its special collections range from tango to blues to Appalachian folk music.
Address: 2400 Blakemore Avenue | Nashville, TN 37212 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-7695
Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library
The Eskind Biomedical Library supports innovation and excellence in biomedical research, patient care, and the development of scholars and future health care leaders at Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The stunning modern library building also houses a collection of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and vintage medical instruments documenting the history of medicine..
Address: 2209 Garland Avenue | Nashville, TN 37232 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 936-1410
Central Library
The largest library resource for the College of Arts and Science, the Central Library houses a broad and diverse collection. Subject librarians for every major provide research services and reference help. A favorite study spot, Central Library offers individual study spaces, group study, and inspirational reading rooms. “Good reads” can be found in the leisure reading collection near the main entrance off Library Lawn.
Address: 419 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2800
Divinity Library
The Divinity Library’s quarter of a million volumes encompass all aspects of religious life and practice with collection strengths in biblical studies, theology, and the history of Christianity. Holdings include the Zimmerman Judaica Collection which covers thousands of years of Jewish research, culture, and history.
Address: 419 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2807
Peabody Library
The Peabody Library supports the programs of Vanderbilt’s Peabody College in education, cognitive studies, special education, and human and organizational development. Its Curriculum Materials Center circulates hands-on learning items, teacher-edition textbooks, and leveled readers.
Address: PMB 135 | 230 Appleton PI. | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-8098
Sarah Shannon Stevenson Science and Engineering Library
The Science and Engineering Library supports teaching and research in engineering and the science disciplines. Open and flexible study spaces are available 24 hours a day, 5 days per week. A team of STEM librarians actively engage with students to develop technical information skills. The Gear2Go program offers loanable technology including cameras, audio gear, and VR headsets.
Address: 419 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2775
Special Collections Library and University Archives
Vanderbilt’s Special Collections include rich holdings in southern literature, Latin American studies, works by and about Baudelaire, and the history of cards and card games. The University Archives contains the collective history of the University of Nashville, George Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, and significant holdings in politics and journalism. The Television News Archive is the world’s most extensive and complete archive of television news with consistent content from 1968 to present.
Address: 419 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2807
Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery
The Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery promotes engagement with the visual arts among students and the greater community through exhibitions, collections, research, and instruction. The collection contains art from six continents in a wide array of forms and formats from various periods of history including ancient, medieval, early modern and modern, and contemporary.
Address: 1220 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-0605
Walker Management Library
The Walker Management Library focuses on graduate business education and provides in-depth training in the use of specialized databases and tools for business subdisciplines. Students have access to market software and data, as well as business bestsellers in a beautiful, renovated space.
Address: 401 21st Avenue South | Nashville, TN 37203 | Get Directions
Contact: (615) 322-2970