The New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey residents.
The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University, is led by State Librarian Mary L. Chute and provides services for NJ libraries, the state legislature and government employees, Thomas Edison State University staff and students, and registered borrowers.
Welcome to the New Jersey State Library’s website!
The State Library of New Jersey envisions a future in which all New Jerseyans have access to exceptional library services and to the information resources they need to achieve their personal, educational and professional goals. Here’s what we do to achieve this vision:
Some of the services of the NJ State Library include:
We encourage you to use our services:
Please search our catalog to locate books and documents. Specific instructions for submitting requests can be found below.
Submit requests for books and articles via ILLiad. If held in our print or electronic collections, we will email or send the items to you. If we do not have the items in our collection, we will place interlibrary loan requests with other libraries in the United States for work-related books and articles. Photocopy requests must comply with copyright guidelines.
Requests for books and documents from our circulating collections may also be placed through the NJSL catalog Request Item feature.
If you need assistance with a request, email or call Reference at 609-278-2640 ext.103.
Circulating items from our collections are available on loan to registered State Library borrowers. In most cases, up to five items may be borrowed. Materials must be picked up and returned at the Library. If you do not live or work in the Trenton area, you may wish to consider borrowing our materials through your local library’s interlibrary loan service. This allows you to pick up and return our materials at your local library. Search our catalog to locate books and documents.
The Library can provide photocopies from materials within our collections, for a fee, within copyright guidelines. Use the photocopy request form.
Materials not owned by the State Library can often be obtained from other libraries through interlibrary loan (ILL). The State Library will provide self-service access to JerseyCat for New Jersey residents who have a State Library card.
All others should contact their local public library for interlibrary loan services.
Circulating items from our collections are available via interlibrary loan. The State Library accepts requests via OCLC and JerseyCat, or by ALA forms emailed to lending@njstatelib.org or faxed to 609-278-2651. The Library does not accept walk-ins with interlibrary loan forms.
See our interlibrary loan service for libraries web page for more information.
You must be a member of the New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC) to request a book or magazine from TBBC’s collection. For more information, contact TBBC:
The State Library Information Center provides resources and services for all employees and staff in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of state government, as well as for staff and students of Thomas Edison State University; and through the Library Network, for state residents. The Research Library offers special collections, electronic resources, library services and skilled librarians to help you find the information you seek.
NJ State Library - Collections
About Our Collections
Visitors to the library have access to a wide variety of electronic databases; however, remote access to subscription databases is restricted to State Library authorized users: state employees and, unless otherwise noted, Thomas Edison staff and students. Authorized users needing a State Library access card, should complete the appropriate online registration form.
New Jersey residents should use JerseyClicks to access databases licensed for statewide use.
Transmission or reproduction of items beyond that permitted by fair use requires the permission of the copyright owners. It is the user’s responsibility to determine and comply with all restrictions based upon the intended use of the materials. All users are expected to respect the intellectual property rights of licensed material. Failure to do so will result in loss of access.
Over 15,000 nonfiction eBooks are available in our eBooks on EBSCOhost collection. Remote access is restricted to state employees or Thomas Edison members. Most may be downloaded to your computer, or ereaders compatible with Adobe Digital Editions. See instructions for downloading to: Apple devices and Android devices.
With over 38,000 downloadable eBooks and more than 18,000 eAudiobooks, eLibraryNJ is available to State Library authorized users (state employees and Thomas Edison members). See compatible device information and download instructions.
The State Library maintains a small collection of audiobooks in CD format which are available for loan.
Questions and comments may be directed to Reference Services.
NJ State Library - Law Library
New Jersey Legislative Histories |
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Federal Legal Resources |
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NJ State Library - New Jersey Resources
The State Library maintains an extensive collection of official New Jersey publications and material about New Jersey from non-official sources. When we have multiple copies of titles they are available for borrowing. If you have questions about the content of the web site or our collection please contact Deborah Mercer at dmercer@njstatelib.org or call 609-278-2640 x145
2020 Census Resources for New Jersey Libraries
Affordable Care Act Information
African-American History in New Jersey
Civil Rights in New Jersey, 1945-2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources
Fact Checking & Media Literacy
Get Help: New Jersey Social Services
Information Literacy for TESU Students
New Jersey County Offices Resources
New Jersey Digitized Historic Newspapers
Scholarships and Grants for Education
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
If you cannot access the forms, email circulation@njstatelib.org with your name, telephone number, email address, home and office mailing addresses, and let us know that you want borrowing privileges. Your library card barcode will be emailed to you, and your library card will follow in the mail. If you do not receive it, please email circulation@njstatelib.org or call 609-278-2640 ext. 104. If renewing, you will keep your original card.
Your State Library borrower card will enable you to borrow books from our circulating collections, use ILLiad to request books and articles, and access databases remotely. (Mentors have very limited remote access to State Library databases, but can use databases available in TESU’s MyEdison Portal.)
Please note: borrowers are responsible for any items not returned to, or received by, the library.
Please apply for borrowing privileges in person at the State Library, which is located at 185 West State Street in Trenton and present:
Library cards are issued to those 17 years of age or older.
Your State Library borrower card will enable you to borrow five books from our circulating print or physical audiobook collections and use our public PCs for onsite access to databases. Remote access is available to a suite of statewide databases via the JerseyClicks portal.
Please note that borrowed materials must be picked up in person at the State Library, and returned directly to us in person or by mail. However, the borrower is still responsible for any mailed returns that are not received by the library. If you do not live or work in the Trenton area, you may wish to consider borrowing from the State Library’s collections through your local library’s interlibrary loan service. Doing so will allow you to use your local library to pickup and return materials.
Non-residents, at least 17 years of age, may purchase a New Jersey State Library card for an annual fee of $100. Please apply for borrowing privileges in person at the State Library and present a current photo ID with your address.
Your State Library borrower card will enable you to borrow five books from our circulating collections and use our public PCs for onsite access to databases. Remote access to databases is not available.
Please note that borrowed materials must be picked up in person at the State Library, and returned directly to us in person or by mail. However, the borrower is still responsible for any mailed returns that are not received by the library.
If you need assistance, please contact Circulation at 609-278-2640 ext. 104 or email circulation@njstatelib.org