The Philip Robinson Library’s Special Collections and Archives hold many unique archives and rare books. These materials provide great scope for original research for many subject areas and the potential to complement teaching and learning at the University. These materials comprise rare books and other significant printed works and also archives, which include a full range of materials such as photographs, audio-visual materials, illustrations and maps.

Not everything in Special Collections is old:  the collections date from the fourteenth century to the present day. A collection item might be scarce because few copies survive or because it was issued in a limited print run, it might have been issued by a private press, have previously belonged to someone significant, have a fine binding, be annotated, have additional material tipped or pasted in or be part of a person’s private collection that we wish to keep together.

To find out more about our holdings please refer to the Collections Guide. To discover how you can consult materials see Using our collections.