What do we mean by Special Collections?
Introduction
There isn’t an easy definition! The University of Manchester Library holds one of the finest collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives and visual collections in the world, collectively known as the University of Manchester’s Special Collections. These collections are mainly concentrated in the magnificent building on Deansgate, The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, in the centre of Manchester. They are also housed in the Main Library on the University campus, (The Archives Centre and Map Room), and at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE (Race Archives and Community Engagement) Centre, in Manchester Central Library.
What do we keep in Special Collections?
Use the links below to find out more about the kinds of Special Collections material that we hold at the University of Manchester Library.
Images reproduced with the permission of The John Rylands University Librarian and Director of the University of Manchester Library. All images used on this page are licenced via CC-BY-NC-SA, for further information about each image, please follow the link in the description.
