Lilly Library holdings include about 460,000 books, more than 120,000 pieces of sheet music, and more than 8.5 million manuscripts. Access to these items is provided through IUCAT, Archives Online, and other finding aids, both printed and online.

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Two overlapping cartoon speech bubbles, reading "Spectacular" and "Vernacular."

The Slate podcast "Spectacular Vernacular" interviewed Provost Professor Michael Adams about the late Madeline Kripke - whose wondrous dictionary collection we recently acquired. The segment starts at about the 9:38 mark, following a discussion (content warning: profane language) of some Taylor Swift lyrics .

Listen to the podcast
A view of the Lilly Library reading room highlighting the new murals.

If you haven't been able to visit the Lilly Library in person, this is for you: a 3D model created by Dr. Glenn Gunhouse of our beautiful new reading room murals, painted by artist Ralph Gilbert.

Another way to take the Lilly home with you this holiday season: download our festive seasonal desktop or Zoom backgrounds, several of which feature the Lilly Library.

Explore the murals in 3D
A graphic of books has the words 60 Years Enriching Indiana University

Today rare books and special collections are so much more than treasures consulted by small groups of privileged scholars. They are the way dynamic librarians and faculty bring the past to life for thousands of IU students from nearly every discipline on campus. The Lilly Library can be your promise to the next generation.

Become a part of our legacy

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