Special Collections

» 18th Century Reading Room
   Collection of letters, maps, documents, books, music, engravings, and other materials from Europe and the Americas ranging from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

   
   http://18thcenturyreadingroom.wordpress.com/

» ASU Special Collections
   Collection of rare books, manuscripts, and numerous special-interest collections centered around particular persons or topics of interest to scholars. Located at Arizona State University.

   
   http://www.asu.edu/lib/speccoll/

» An Gorta Mor: The Great Hunger Archive
   Collection of books and art about the Irish famine, including digitized handwritten pages from the Board of Guardians meetings in Killarney.

   
   http://www.thegreathunger.org

» Balson Holdings Family Trust
   Historical collections including politics, maps, coins, bank notes, and African artifacts.

   
   http://www.bhft.com/

» Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
   Features one of the few original, remaining Gutenberg Bibles, a sunken sculpture garden and translucent marble "windows." Located on the campus of Yale University.

   
   http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/

» Bibliotheca Alexandrina
   Includes materials in a variety of languages plus a special collection of United Nations resources.

   
   http://www.bibalex.org/

» Bucknell University - Sheary Project
   Selected histories, genealogical data, newspapers, and civil war manuscripts from central Pennsylvania at the Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library.

   
   http://www.isr.bucknell.edu/Collections_and_Borrowing/Special_Collections_University_Archives/Union_County_History/

» Burton Library Special Collections
   Books, maps, and genealogies, most of which is specific to the Detroit area. Library card required for access.

   
   http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/Special_Collections/special_collections.htm

» Canberra Bushfires
   Photo galleries and information documenting the Canberra Bushfires of 2003.

   
   http://canberrafires.xsnet.org/

» Children's Literature Research Collections
   Contains children's literature collections available for research use at the University of Minnesota Elmer L. Anderson Library, including Kerlan, Hess, Treasure Island, Oz, and Paul Bunyan.

   
   http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/

» Civil War Newspapers
   Contains readable, searchable Harper's Weekly Civil War newspapers from 1861-1865.

   
   http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/the-civil-war.htm

» David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
   Collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century North and South American maps and other historic materials.

   
   http://www.davidrumsey.com/index.html

» Eli Siegel Collection
   Collection includes books on literature, philosophy, history, art, economics, and science, many of which contain handwritten annotations by Mr. Siegel (1902-1978). The Collection is open by appointment to persons seriously studying Aesthetic Realism.

   
   http://www.elisiegelcollection.net/

» Filipinas Heritage Library
   Electronic research center on the Philippines.

   
   http://filipinaslibrary.org.ph

» Getty Research Library
   Collection emphasizes the history of architecture. Contains rare books, prints, maps, photographs, optical devices, and manuscripts located in Los Angeles, CA.

   
   http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/library/

» Guelph Public Library (GPL) Local History Archives
   Public and private records on the history of Guelph, Ontario, Canada featuring a guide for genealogists, finding aids, and a searchable photograph database.

   
   http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/localhistory/

» Haverford College Quaker and Special Collections
   A collection of rare books, maps, newspapers, and photos, especially those relating to the Society of Friends.

   
   http://www.haverford.edu/library/special/

» IK Foundation & Company: Collections: Library
   Contains rare works on archaeology, history, art, geography, Quaternary geology, Carl Linnaeus and cartography.

   
   http://www.ikfoundation.org/library.html

» Illuminated Books
   Illuminated and illustrated books scanned for online viewing. Collection consists of books from the 1800's to the 1920's.

   
   http://www.illuminated-books.com

» Indiana State University Rare Books and Special Collections
   Rare research collections including those specific to Indiana. Some materials are for display purposes only.

   
   http://odin.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/

» Jackson Davis Collection of African-American Educational Photographs
   Part of the special collections library at the University of Virginia.

   
   http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/collections/jdavis/

» Josep Bosch Historical Newspapers Collection
   A project to recover, restore, preserve and exhibit historical newspapers from all over the world. The emphasis is to collect newspapers published in the city or country where the event took place.

   
   http://www.josepbosch.net/

» Kent State University Special Collections
   Contains works of literature, performing arts, and histories of crime, labor, and printing dating back to the 1800's.

   
   http://speccoll.library.kent.edu/

» King's College London, Foyle Special Collections Library
   Collection has particular strengths in modern Greek and Byzantine studies, Portuguese studies, voyages and travels, theology, literature, medicine and science. Some materials have restricted access.

   
   http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iss/library/spec/

» L. Tom Perry Special Collections
   Collection specializes in the Renaissance and Reformation time periods.

   
   http://sc.lib.byu.edu

» Literature for Children
   A collection of digitized children's literature titles from the 17th through 20th centuries.

   
   http://susdl.fcla.edu/juv/

» Los Angeles Public Library - Rare Books Department
   Over 16,000 volumes predominately in English and Spanish, dating from the fifteenth century. The majority of materials were published in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Catalog available online. Collection may be consulted by appointment only at

   
   http://www.lapl.org/central/rare_books.html

» Margaret Herrick Library
   Offers research and reference collections about the motion picture industry.

   
   http://www.oscars.org/mhl/

» Mayview Manor, Blowing Rock NC
   Brief history and an assortment of photos taken of the famous Mayview Manor, Blowing Rock, NC in the 1930s.

   
   http://rebcole.tripod.com/mayviewmanorblowingrocknc/

» Mirror of the World
   Rare books and manuscripts from the State Library of Victoria's collection of precious and historically significant books.

   
   http://mirroroftheworld.com.au

» Misericords of the World
   Photograhs of misericords found in British and European churches, Cathedrals, Hospitals and Courts.

   
   http://www.misericords.co.uk

» Monash University Rare Books Collection
   Rare editions of literary and artistic works dating from 1476 to present.

   
   http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/rare/

» Munchausen - Library
   Private library for research concerning the phenomenon of Munchausen.

   
   http://www.munchausen.org/en/index_en.htm

» National Air Photo Library
   [English, French] Collection containing millions of aerial photographs of Canada from the 1920s to present.

   
   http://airphotos.nrcan.gc.ca/

» National First Ladies Library
   Located in the home of Ida McKinley in Canton, Ohio, this library includes biographies, photos, oral histories, and other materials about U.S. First Ladies.

   
   http://www.firstladies.org/

» Pitcairn Islands Study Center
   A museum-research facility at Pacific Union College containing materials on Pitcairn and the Mutiny on the Bounty.

   
   http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/

» Research World History
   Research articles and historic photographs.

   
   http://www.researchhistory.org

» SFSU J. Paul Leonard Library -- Special Collections & Archives
   Archive of San Francisco State University, the library also contains source materials relating San Francisco Bay area history, and the Marguerite Archer Collection of Historic Children's Materials.

   
   http://www.library.sfsu.edu/about/depts/specialcol.php

» Sacred-Magick: The Esoteric Library
   Collection of esoteric, occult, and magick writings. Monthly membership fees required.

   
   http://www.sacred-magick.com

» Simon Fraser University Library Special Collections
   Located in Burnaby, British Columbia, the library houses several types of collections including one on children's literature.

   
   http://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/collections/specificcollections/specialcollections/spcl.htm

» The British Cartoon Archive
   Catalogue database of over 85,000 cartoons covering British social and political history. Based at the University of Kent.

   
   http://library.kent.ac.uk/cartoons/index.php

» The Great White Fleet
   Presents the history and a collection of rare items related to the 1908 fleet of battleships called the Great White Fleet.

   
   http://www.greatwhitefleet.info

» The Islamic Foundation Library
   Collection of Islamic Literature in Leicestershire England. Search the catalogue in various languages.

   
   http://www.iflibrary.org.uk/

» The Jacob M. Lowy Collection
   [English, French] Hebraica and Judaica, Rare Bibles, and Hebrew Incunables spanning several centuries.

   
   http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/6/6/

» The Mary Baker Eddy Library - Special Collections Department
   Numerous resources about the life, ideas, and achievements of Mary Baker Eddy who was the founder of the Christian Science system of faith.

   
   http://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/collections/collections.jhtml

» The Morrison Collection
   A collection held at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) containing Chinese books, manuscripts, and operas collected by Dr. Robert Morrison between 1807 and 1824.

   
   http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Morrison/

» The Rothschild Archive
   Located in London, England, the archive was established to preserve the record of a family that was widely recognized for contributions to the economic, political, and social history of many countries throughout the world.

   
   http://www.rothschildarchive.org

» The Thomas B Mack Florida Citrus Archives
   Collection includes documents, labels, photographs, maps, ledgers of Florida citrus history.

   
   http://www.geocities.com/tbm_flcitrusarchives/index.html?984794507150

» The Toppan Rare Books Library
   Housed at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, the collection specializes in the history and literature of America (particularly the West), the history and literature of the British Isles and Europe, world-wide travel and exploration, fishing, hunting, and

   
   http://ahc.uwyo.edu/about/departments/toppan.htm

» The Yale Map Collection
   Houses rare sheet maps (pre-1850) and other map and reference collections.

   
   http://www.library.yale.edu/MapColl/

» The deGrummond Children's Literature Collection
   American and British children's books dating from 1530 to the present housed at the University of Southern Mississippi McCain Library.

   
   http://www.lib.usm.edu/~degrum/

» UBC Library - Special Collections and University Archives
   Collection houses rare research materials, children's literature, historic maps and photographs, a special section on the history of Chinese immigrants to Canada.

   
   http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/

» UC Riverside Libraries Special Collections
   Including media in a wide range of subject areas, including science fiction and fantasy, Native American history, citrus history and California history.

   
   http://library.ucr.edu/?view=collections/spcol

» University of Alberta Bruce Peel Special Collections Library
   Collection includes many rare and fragile works including pre-18th John Bunyan, 18th century English poetry and plays, and Victorian and Edwardian Children's Fiction. Access restrictions apply.

   
   http://www.library.ualberta.ca/specialcollections/index.cfm

» University of Arizona Library Special Collections
   Includes four core collections: the History of Science Collection, The Fine and Theater Arts Collection, the British and American Authors Collection, and The Art of the Book. Located at the University of Arizona Library in Phoenix, Arizona.

   
   http://www.library.arizona.edu/speccoll/

» University of California, Irvine - Special Collections and Archives
   Collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, works distinguished for their illustrations, bindings, or fine printing, several distinguished subject collections, and University Archives. Restrictions on access apply.

   
   http://www.lib.uci.edu/libraries/collections/special/special.html

» University of California, Santa Barbara Department of Special Collections
   Special collections department houses several unique collections ranging from religion to politics. Works date from the 13th-20th centuries.

   
   http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/index.html

» University of Florida - Department of Special and Area Studies Collections
   Contains sections on children's literature, performing arts, Florida history, rare books, and university archives.

   
   http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/default.htm

» University of Michigan Special Collections Library
   A variety of collections including an assortment of ancient papyri dating to 300 BC. Papyri topics include Biblical fragments, religious writings, public and private documents, private letters, astronomical, astrological, mathematical, and magical texts.

   
   http://www.lib.umich.edu/spec-coll/

» University of North Dakota Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
   All materials relate to the heritage of North Dakota.

   
   http://www.library.und.edu/Collections/spk.html

» University of Oregon Special Collections and University Archives
   Houses rare books and manuscripts including the papers of Sen. Wayne Morse, children's literature, documentation of women in society, missionaries, feminist and lesbian periodicals, Oregon trail diaries, and architectural materials.

   
   http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/

» University of Southern California Special Collections
   Collections include Los Angeles regional history, American literature, Lion Feuchtwanger and the German emigre experience, natural history, and university history.

   
   http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/collections/

» University of Virginia Special Collections Library
   Historical collection including a collection of letters, documents, and early printings of the Declaration of Independence.

   
   http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/

» Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives
   Collection contains manuscripts, photographs, performing arts materials, and rare books in divinity, history of religion and Methodism, history of fine paper and printing, significant Mark Twain editions, a collection of 18th and 19th-century accounts by

   
   http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/collections.shtml

» Vanderbilt University: Divinity Library
   Religious collections including an Jewish history collection.

   
   http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/collections.html

» leadhills miners library
   Official site of the oldest subscription library in Great Britain. Details of the library and history etc.

   
   http://www.miners-library.fsnet.co.uk