The Home of Philatelic Research - APRL
It goes without saying that libraries play an important role in the creation and furtherance of research. In the same vein, the mission of the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) is to support and assist the research needs of our members, our patrons and the philatelic community. With its worldwide collection of over 90,000 items, including books, monographs, journals, auction catalogs, stamp catalogs, government documents, exhibits, show programs, photographs, videos, research papers, and archival materials the APRL is the true home for worldwide philatelic research.
For many APS and APRL members as well as Philatelic Literature Review (PLR) subscribers, access to the resources of the APRL is the greatest benefit they derive from their membership or subscription. Members and subscribers enjoy the unique benefit of being able to borrow material from the collection. Books, monographs, journals, auction catalogs, stamp catalogs, government documents, exhibits, and many other materials can all be borrowed from the collection by members and subscribers.
New Benefit - APRL Digital
One of the new and distinct benefits of membership or subscription is access to the library’s digital collections database, APRL Digital. Begun in 2017, APRL Digital comprises over 600,000 scanned pages, mostly from nine complete journal runs, that is full-text searchable with display, print and download options as well. All told, APRL Digital is one of the largest repositories of digital philatelic periodicals in the world.
In 2021, it is the goal of the APRL to expand the number of complete journal runs from the current nine to forty-five. Publication permissions have been received in order to make this happen. Members and subscribers will benefit from these additional journals, which will expand the subject scope of the database to include philatelic research involving airmail, the Caribbean, Cuba, Danzig, first days, first issues, Florida, the United Nations, Ethiopia, Ohio, Scandinavia, Germany and much more.
Philatelic Literature Review and Library Memberships
If you are already an APS member, please consider subscribing to the Philatelic Literature Review¸ the library’s quarterly journal, or becoming a library member. Your subscription or membership supports the services of the APRL and enables its growth for future researchers and members. The PLR contains articles, indexes and bibliographies, reviews of current philatelic literature, newly published literature announcements, news from the APRL and other philatelic libraries, and “The Clearinghouse,” a forum for subscribers to list literature they wish to sell.
U.S. PLR subscriptions are only $18 annually, while Canadian and International subscriptions are $23 and $30 respectively. There are also different levels of library memberships that further support the APRL and include annual PLR subscriptions: Library Sustaining Membership $30; and Library Contributing Membership $50. Beyond these annual memberships, there are also support levels that include lifetime PLR subscriptions: Library Life Membership ranging from $360 to $600; Library Patron, $1,000; and finally Daniel W. Vooys Fellow $5,000.
Whatever your level of support, consider a PLR subscription or a library membership in order further the goals of the APRL and to support it as the research home of the philatelic world. Find out more here.
The APRL Notes Column is reprinted from the February 2021 Issue of The American Philatelist, The Research Issue. If you are interested in joining the American Philatelic Society to gain access to members only benefits such as this highly acclaimed monthly magazine, visit Together We Grow today!