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, A rare collection from Daniel Foley, Salem native and esteemed landscape architect, of his charming children’s books and writings on horticulture, are also available.
In addition to our archival holdings, you can access documents containing 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.
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.
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) 809-2372. Once you arrive a trained staff member will assist you with locating materials and with any questions you may have.
- Appointments should be made at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Each visit is limited to 3 hours.
- 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.