Library & archives
The Kinsey Institute's Library maintains an research collection of unrivaled scope with manuscripts, data, materials, and papers from some of the world’s most influential sex researchers.
The archives include the papers of Masters & Johnson, John Money, Harry Benjamin, and Thomas N. Painter, as well as the institutional records of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, the Albert Ellis archives, and the EROS magazine collection.
Search the Kinsey Library Catalog"A sex library, unlike a library in any other subject, must draw material from a diversity of fields. Not only must biology, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, and other sciences be represented, but also material from purely literary sources, from the Classics, from modern fiction, from poetry, from art, from law, from religious literature, and from many other fields."
- Dr. Alfred Kinsey
History of the collection
The Kinsey Institute's research collection owes its origins to Dr. Kinsey's 1938 course on "Marriage and Family" at Indiana University. In preparation, Kinsey began collecting books and articles related to all facets of sex—both to fill in the gaps in his own knowledge, and to gain a broad understanding of the existing literature.
Dr. Kinsey's research collection expanded to include artifacts, photographs, films, and art—all in service of better understanding human sexual behavior around the world and throughout history. By 1948, it was the largest collection of sex-related materials in the world.
Scope of the scholarly archives
The Kinsey Institute houses extensive archival collections for scholarly use and makes many reference materials available online. They include the papers of Dr. Alfred Kinsey and the records of the Institute, as well as materials of research scholars and instititutes such as Masters & Johnson and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.
Browse the archives
Visit the library
The Kinsey Institute Library & Special Collections have moved to Lindley Hall and are undergoing reading room and gallery renovations and are closed to onsite visitors. We hope to open our doors again to visitors by January 2022.
Until then, our collections staff remain available to assist with inquiries or access to digital content where available. You can contact us at at libknsy@indiana.edu.
Plan your research visit
The Kinsey Institute Library is a private research collection. Any qualified researcher may request access, including Indiana University students and faculty, as well as non-affiliated scholars and professionals. Researchers must be at least 18 years old and have demonstrable research needs related to human sexuality, gender, and reproduction.Library policies
Prior to your visit, please review the Kinsey Institute Library's policies, which address application requirements, materials access, restrictions, and other guidelines.
Make arrangements
Please contact the library in advance of your visit to confirm admittance, dates and times of visits, and collection use. Note: Some materials are stored off-site, while others are restricted.
Accommodations
Visit Bloomington provides up-to-date information about campus-area hotels, ground transportation, and parking.
Support Kinsey
Love is more than an emotion. It is essential to our individual and collective well-being. Your support will help ensure the historical preservation of our library and collections and also give a diverse field of researchers continued access to the resources they need to make new discoveries.
Pledge your support