special collections
Unique library materials
Special collections refers to materials in a library or archive that receive extra care due to rarity, value, or fragility—rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, or other unique items.
These materials typically require supervised access and cannot be borrowed: The medieval manuscripts are housed in special collections.
The term also names the department managing such materials.
- rare booksUncommon valuable printed works
- catalogingSystematic organization into records
- archivesStored historical documents
- ephemeraDisposables preserved as collectibles
- digitizationAnalog-to-electronic transformation
reading room · manuscripts · incunabula · primary sources · libraries · illuminated · rare editions · photographs · repository · provenance · maps · heritage preservation · climate control · temperature controlled · marginalia · vellum · oral histories · restricted