Yiddish Research: Welcome / זײַט באַגריסט / ברוכים הבאים

Welcome / זײַט באַגריסט / ברוכים הבאים

This is a research guide for Yiddish Studies at The New York Public Library and beyond. You'll find a mix of electronic and print resources, arranged thematically. Click on a category to get started.

Image: Poster for the Allrightnikes. NYPL Digital Collections 1268386

Need help? Contact us at dorotjewish@nypl.org

דאַרפֿט איר הילף? פֿאַרבינדט זיך מיט אונדז

dorotjewish@nypl.org

Image: Photo of Molly Picon and Sam Levene in Paris is Out! 1970, NYPL Digital Collections 5010947

Click here to make a virtual appointment with a librarian

Yiddish at NYPL 

 ייִדיש אין דער ניו־  ־יאָרקער שטאָט־בילביאָטעק 

די ניו  ־ יאָרקער שטאָט ביבליאָטעק פֿאַרמאָגט איינע פֿון די פֿירנדיקסטע ייִדיש  ־ שפּראַכיקע זאַמלונגען אויף דער גאָרער וועלט. די דאָזיקע זאַמלונג באַשטייט פֿון אַן ערך 21000 ווערק אויף מאַמע  ־ לשון. ס'רובֿ מאַטעריאַלן אויף ייִדיש געפֿינען זיך אינעם ייִדישן אָפּטייל אויפֿן נאָמען "דורות", געגרינדעט אין 1897 ־ אַ זאַמלונג וואָס נעמט אַרײַן מאַטעריאַלן אין ייִדישע שפּראַכן און אויף ייִדישע טעמעס

New York Public Library has one of the foremost Yiddish-language collections in the world, constituting about 21,000 works. Most Yiddish materials are found in the Dorot Jewish Division, a subject and language collection for Jewish Studies, established in 1897. 

Yiddish Collection Highlights at NYPL

• Yiddish press- Hundreds of periodicals from around the world. Search the catalog for the call number *PBB or peruse a list of microfilmed periodicals.
• Yizkor books - 700 Holocaust memorial books, mostly in Yiddish and/or Hebrew. 85% are digitized.
• Literature - poetry, fiction, drama, literary criticism, bibliographic works.
• Theater - Hundreds of play manuscripts, digitized ephemera and photographs, published plays, and books, and the index to Zalmen Zylbercweig's Leksikon fun Yidishn teater.
• Music - Hundreds of pieces of sheet music, music scores from Boris Thomashefsky's work, and songbooks.

Image of the Forverts newspaper, 1911. NYPL Digital Collections psnypl_jwd_222.

For researchers with print disabilities, the Library has resources and services available upon request. The following services are available:

Digitization of Select Research Materials

Researchers who are homebound or have a print disability or visual impairment can explore many of our research collections online and request digitization of specific items of interest. To request the digitization service, email accessibility@nypl.org. Please note that you must be a patron of the Andrew Heiskell Library. This digitization service only includes material belonging to the research collections and does not apply to branch/circulating collections. 

Screen Readers and Enlargers 

Every public PC at all New York Public Library locations is equipped with JAWS screen reading software and MAGic software for enlarging the screen, changing colors and contrast, and screenreading. 

Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library

The Andrew Heiskell Library offers popular reading materials in accessible audio and braille formats, as well as free membership to the Bookshare database of over one million accessible texts. It also offers individual coaching and a large variety of group workshops on topics related to accessible technology. Check the listings on our website, call 212-206-5400, or email talkingbooks@nypl.org for details. It also hosts many networking groups, resource fairs, writing workshops, accessible art workshops, book clubs, and other events. All are listed in the quarterly newsletter, available by email, website (text or audio), or over the phone.

For more information, see the Accessibility at NYPL page.