University Library : Rare Books & Manuscripts

Rare Books & Manuscripts houses the Library’s most valuable and vulnerable publications, including old and rare books and fine and limited editions; University of Adelaide publications; and the specialist Pacific and Theatre collections. Particular strengths and collecting interests of the rare book collections include 19th century British and Australian literature, Australiana, natural history, South Australian (including indigenous Australian) history and culture, Pacific voyages, the history of the book, printing and book collecting, and crime fiction.

Rare Books & Manuscripts also has responsibility for the collection and preservation of manuscripts and the personal papers of members of the University community (particularly academic staff), and acquires some collections of personal and institutional papers relating to its particular research strengths in Pacific and Indigenous Australian history and language, British and Australian theatre, and the history of the University.

Only selected items in the collection are available through the Digital Library.