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Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Artifacts

The Collection

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 Latin and Ge'ez in illuminated manuscripts on parchment; early printed books.
 


Noteworthy 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


The collection also houses artifacts such as pre-Columbian pottery from Bolivia, Anasazi and Lower Mississippi culture pottery, Asian and African artifacts, oriental carpets, chinaware, and paintings. There is also a collection of 19th century photographs of the American Southwest.

The Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Artifacts collection is open by appointment. Please contact rare books librarian Bernard Derr to arrange a visit.

HOURS

By Appointment

CONTACT

Bernard Derr, Rare Books Librarian

740-368-3288
blderr@owu.edu