JIRS: Nat'l Yiddish Book Center

Nat'l Yiddish Book Center

Nat'l Yiddish Book Center
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Bldg
1021 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002-3375

Phone #:(413) 256-4900
Phone #:(800) 535-3595 Not to be Published
Phone #:(413) 256-4900 x 107 Visitors Center
Phone #:(800) 783-9272 Book Store
Phone #:
Fax Number:(413) 256-4700 ;

Web Page: www.yiddishbookcenter.org
E-mail: yiddish@bikher.org

Program/Service Notes:

Director: Aaron Lansky                    Visitor Center Director: Jane Gronau

The National Yiddish Book Center was founded in 1980 by MacArthur Fellow Aaron Lansky, who continues to lead the organization as its president.

We are not a genizah, a storehouse for dusty books no one will ever read again. To the contrary, our goal is to return old books to a new generation of readers. As the world’s only comprehensive supplier of Yiddish books, we’ve drawn on our extensive duplicate holdings to establish or strengthen Yiddish collections at more than 450 of the world’s great libraries, including Harvard, Yale, Library of Congress, the British Library, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and national libraries in countries as distant as Australia, China and Japan.
Because many of our books are physically deteriorating – and because we no longer have sufficient supplies to meet demand – in 1998 we launched the Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library: a pioneering program to digitize the titles in our collection and make high-quality reprints available on demand. Our easy-to-use online catalog means that Yiddish, once the most endangered of literatures, is now the safest and most accessible. 

We invite you to visit us in person at our beautiful new headquarters in Amherst, Massachusetts: a lively "cultural shtetl" featuring a book repository, theater, conference space and museum exhibitions. For hours and directions please click here.
In the meantime, feel free to browse our website, where you’ll learn more about our many activities. If you like what you see – if you share our belief that books are essential for Jewish cultural survival – then we hope you’ll join us. Annual membership in the National Yiddish Book Center is just $36, and includes substantial discounts on books and other merchandise and a year’s subscription to Pakn Treger, our English-language magazine. Just click here for an application form and details.

Collects and disseminates Yiddish books;conducts activities contributions to the revitalization of Yiddish culture in America. Publication: De Pakn-trger/ The Book Peddler

Website also has a comprehensive list of Yiddish Translators organized geographically with name, address and phone.

Program Details:

Hours: Mon-Fri, 9-5 Center is open to visitors Mon-Fri 10-4/Sun 11-4

Person In Charge: Director:Aaron Lansky

Eligibility: Anyone may visit the center

Fees: Membership: $36/ year Donations of money and Yiddish books appreciated.

Service Area: Worldwide

Intake Process: Just call, visit or go to website

Operating Agency: Independent Organization (Not classified)

This information was last updated on 04/10/2008

This information is provided as is with no guarantee as to the accuracy of the information. Information is considered to be accurate as of the date of the last update, printed above. Jewish Information & Referral Service may not be held liable for misuse of this information.

Hours:	Mon-Fri, 9-5 Center is open to visitors Mon-Fri 10-4/Sun 11-4
Person In Charge:	Director:Aaron Lansky
Eligibility:	Anyone may visit the center
Fees:	Membership: $36/ year Donations of money and Yiddish books appreciated.
Service Area:	Worldwide
Intake Process:	Just call, visit or go to website
Operating Agency:	Independent Organization (Not classified)

Jewish Information and Referral Service