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Archives and Special Collections

The Archives of Biddle Law Library preserves, promotes, and provides access to the archives of The American Law Institute (ALI), and the National Bankruptcy Archives (NBA), as well as a collection of rare books, manuscripts, and Penn Law historic records.

Contact Information

The Archives and Special Collections office is located on the second floor of Tanenbaum Hall, room T-251. 

Sarah Oswald
Head of Archives and Special Collections

Liz Wittrig
Project Archivist

Email: biddlearchives@law.upenn.edu

From the Collection:

Penn Law Yearbooks

**Beginning 3/07/2022 Biddle Archives will be reopening for on-site research visits. Please allow two weeks notice for scheduling research appointments.

Archives and Special Collections

The Archives of Biddle Law Library preserves, promotes, and provides access to the the papers and records of two major legal organizations: The American Law Institute (ALI), and the National Bankruptcy Archives. The archives also include the Biddle Collections. The Biddle Collections contain Penn Law's historic records, manuscripts, photographs, rare books, local or regional legal history collections, and alumni papers. This includes the personal papers of early Penn Law Dean and ALI co-founder William Draper Lewis, Penn Law graduate and Philadelphia lawyer Bernard G. Segal, and United States Court of Appeals Judge David L. Bazelon.  Paper and electronic finding aids are available online and by request.

For more information on the collections: 

Policies and Procedures

Use of the Biddle Law Library Archives is by appointment only. Some collections are stored off-site and so researchers should schedule their visits no less than two weeks in advance of their intended research dates. 

Contact

For questions concerning the Archives, the Rare Books Collection, or other special collections at Biddle, please contact:

Mailing Address: 

 University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
 Biddle Law Library - Archives Department
 3460 Chestnut Street
 Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406

Email:  biddlearchives@law.upenn.edu

 

Note: Email is preferred.

Visitor Information - By appointment

Location Hours**

University of Pennsylvania Law School

Monday                    10:00 - 4:00
Biddle Law Library Tuesday                   10:00 - 4:00
251 Tanenbaum Hall Wednesday              10:00 - 4:00
3501 Sansom Street Thursday                  10:00 - 4:00
Philadelphia, PA 19104 Friday                       10:00 - 4:00
215-898-5011 Saturday                  Closed
biddlearchives@law.upenn.edu Sunday                    Closed

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