UW Libraries' Special Collections
Special collections is a catch-all phrase for the manuscript, rare books, and archives collections of libraries. Special collections house unique, unpublished manuscripts, as well as, rare or expensive material. Most academic libraries, larger public libraries, historical societies, and other institutions, may have a special collections department. Many special collections have a regional focus so if your topic occurred in a specific locale and you are seeking unpublished material such as letters, diaries and photographs, then look at the major research libraries in that locale as well as state, provincial, and national libraries.
UW Libraries' Special Collections Links to an external site. collects, preserves, and makes accessible rare books, manuscripts, papers, records, oral histories, photographs, historic maps, moving images, architectural drawings and other material with a regional emphasis on the Pacific Northwest. Some items have been digitized and are available through Digital Collections Links to an external site. however the vast majority is available only onsite.
Please note: During the 2023-2024 academic year, appointments are required to use manuscript material in Special Collections. A link to their appointment form is on the Special Collections Links to an external site. website.
Special Collections' core areas include:
- Book Arts & Rare Book Collections Links to an external site.
- Digital Collections Links to an external site. (Note: we also host collections from other local institutions such as the Museum of History & Industry)
- Digitally Preserved Websites Links to an external site.
- Historical Visual Materials
- Labor Archives of Washington Links to an external site.
- Pacific Northwest Collection
- University of Washington Archives
- Washington State Jewish Archives
Items within Special Collections are non-circulating (e.g. cannot be checked out), and many must be retrieved for users by specific request.
Special Collections Jargon
Special collections have their own set of library jargon that is useful to know:
- Collection: material (published and unpublished) compiled by a person or group.
- Papers: material in a collection associated with a family or person. Example: Frederick Douglass Papers Links to an external site.
- Records: material in a collection associated with a group or organization. Example: Cannery Workers & Farm Laborers Union Local 7 Records Links to an external site.
- Collection Guide or Finding Aid: a description of the content of a specific paper or record collection. Collection guides are the major tool for discovering what is held in a given collection. Example: Tyree Scott Papers collection guide Links to an external site..
- Digital Collections: the catch-all phrase used often by special collections for material that has been digitized. Example: NYPL Digital Collections
Links to an external site. (New York Public Library).
- Inventory or Container List: a preliminary box/folder listing of a collection. Collections that do not have a full finding aid may have an inventory. Example: inventory Links to an external site. for the Association for Women in Communication records.
Tips:
- For information on using UW Special Collections, contact Special Collections or the relevant subject curator. Each collection has a responsible curator with subject expertise that can help guide you in identifying relevant collections.
- See Using the Collections before making an onsite visit (once Special Collections is open)
Content adapted from the Graduate Student Research Institute.