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Special Collections Guide for Student Classes

Rare Books, Manuscripts & Artifacts

The Rare Books, Manuscripts & Artifacts collection contains materials illustrating various methods people have used to record transactions, thoughts, and knowledge in language forms: cuneiform writing in clay tablets; Greek on papyrus; sacred texts in Sanskrit on palm leaves, in Hebrew on a leather scroll, in illuminated manuscripts on parchment; early printed books. Individual collections include: 

  • The Leland Schubert Collection of 1920s imprint first editions 

  • The Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning Collection (books from their own library, their art collection, and furniture) 

  • The Kate Greenaway Collection 

  • Early 20th century Sheet Music 

  • The Jaccaud Collection of Presidential Campaign Literature: Books, pamphlets, signs from 1834 to the present day 

  • A rare and contemporary Spanish Civil War Collection 

  • The Bayley/Walt Whitman Collection (first editions, photographs, correspondence) 

  • The Paula B. and Thomas W. Harvey Collection of Civil War Letters