It is with great pleasure that we announce the newly-developed House of the Seven Gables Research Library.
Located in the historic Hooper-Hathaway House (1682), this intimate space contains over 600 books, and nearly as many periodicals and documents pertaining to the unique cross-section of literary and historical context that makes our historic campus so special.
Our collection covers a variety of topics from Salem’s maritime history to Dutch delftware. It also includes an assemblage of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fiction, non-fiction, and correspondence, as well as a rare collection of Daniel Foley’s charming children’s books and writings on horticulture.
Our collection of documents, separate from our archival holdings, contains research exclusive to our site, including studies of the Turner, Ingersoll, and Upton families, analysis of Caroline Emmerton’s philanthropic works, and a wide array of past policies and programming that would be of interest to anyone pursuing museum studies. Please note: access to our archives is limited.
These books and documents are complemented by a selection of periodicals and journals such as the Nathaniel Hawthorne Review and the Essex Institute Historical Collections.
You can explore the collection online using the cloud-based resource, Libib.
Our thanks to senior interpreter William Demick for taking the lead on organizing this project.
Access to the research library is available exclusively to members of The House of the Seven Gables.
To schedule a visit, please contact Ben Lithgow, Assistant Manager of Visitor Services, at blithgow@7gables.org or (978)744-0991 x 153. Once you arrive on site, a trained staff member will be present to assist you with locating materials and with any questions you may have.
- Appointments should be made at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Each appointment is a maximum of 3 hours per visit.
- Digital copies are available, at a minimal charge, upon request and as allowable by copyright law.
- Notepads, pencils, and electronics will be allowed into the library. All bags are subject to search before and after a visit.