Among our collections, you will find multiple archives with unique samples, articles, and books
Special Collections holds 120,000 rare books, 4,000 manuscript boxes and the city’s largest street archive — open to every member, not only academics. First-time visitors get a fifteen-minute induction; after that, the reading room is yours 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.
What’s included
- Rare-book reading room with staff on hand all day.
- Manuscript, map and photograph vaults with same-day retrieval.
- Free scans of fragile items you can’t photocopy.
- Monthly Archives Open Day vault tours.
How a visit works
1
Register
Show your library card once; we keep your reader ticket on file.
2
Request
Order items at the desk or online — most arrive within the hour.
3
Read
Pencils only, cradles provided, staff a whisper away.
4
Reproduce
Photograph most items free; we scan what you can’t.