Longtime supporters of the University and the Library, Albert ('46) and Shirley Small made a substantial gift toward the construction of the special collections library that bears their name and houses Mr. Small's remarkable collection of autograph documents and rare, early printings of the Declaration of Independence
Catalog records of special collections are a bit more special than usual library catalog records that we are familiar with. Most of the materials in Special Collections are old, and they often go through the hands of several owners before they come to the library. Therefore, you can find descriptions about previous owners or history of the material itself: such as notes written by owners, purchase receipts, and photographs in the bookcase. In addition, catalogers sometimes need to catalog materials other than books, such as leaflets, scrolls, sculptures, etc. The charm of the special collections catalog comes from explaining contextual information and some special physical formats. It helps library users to efficiently search for information by allowing them to understand the characteristics of the materials, without physically looking at them.
university of virginia special collections library
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The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia is a research library that specializes in American history and literature, history of Virginia and the southeastern United States, the history of the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, and the history and arts of the book. The library is named after Albert and Shirley Small, who donated substantially to the construction of the library's current building.[1] Albert Small, an alumnus of the University of Virginia, also donated his large personal collection of "autograph documents and rare, early printings of the Declaration of Independence." This collection includes a rare printing of the Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence. Joining the library's existing Dunlap in the Tracy W. McGregor Collection of American History, Small's copy made U.Va. the only American institution with two examples of this, the earliest printing of the nation's founding document. It also includes the only letter written on July 4, 1776, by a signer of the Declaration, Caesar Rodney.[2] The Albert H. Small Declaration of Independence Collection boasts an interactive digital display which allows visitors to view the historical documents electronically, providing access to children and an opportunity for visitors to manipulate the electronic copies without risk of damage to the original work.[3]
Though the collections cover a range of fields, the library is best known for the Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History, the Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature, the William Faulkner collections, Jorge Luis Borges Collections, the Sadleir-Black Collection of Gothic Fiction, extensive book, manuscript, and photography holdings in Virginia history, and original documents of the works, life, and legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Additional strengths include historical papers of James Madison, Dolly Madison and James Monroe, typography and other book arts, trade catalogues, slave narratives, equestrianism and other forms of traditional sports, documents, correspondence and oral records of the Southern Civil Rights Movement, political and public affairs papers of major Virginia political figures, and one of the world's largest collections of miniature books.
In the early decades of the twentieth century, many rare and unique items were added to the library's collections, both books and manuscripts. Purchases were also made as well, including the John Henry Ingram collection of Edgar Allan Poe. In 1930 a "Virginia Collection" was established in one wing of the library and the first archivist was hired.[4] Following the construction of the new Alderman Library in 1938, the Division of Rare Books and Manuscripts was organized to house and administer the principal historical materials in the library's collection. Over time, these units became separated, so that by 1962 there were two divisions: the Rare Books Division and the Manuscripts and University Archives Division. These departments merged in 1987 to form the Special Collections Department. In 2004, the current building opened.
The university has long been the home to many original documents relating to Thomas Jefferson and his family. Holdings include hundreds of letters to and from Jefferson, his architectural drawings, family documents, numerous books from Jefferson's library, an extensive research collection of works about Jefferson, and artifacts such as one of his polygraphs and the telescope with which Jefferson watched the construction of the university from his hilltop home nearby, Monticello.
The library documents the history of the university all the way back to its founding; holdings include the original minute book of the Board of Visitors, written mostly in the hand of the first secretary, Thomas Jefferson, as well as the first matriculation book, which documents every student who entered the university in its early decades, including notables such as Edgar Allan Poe. Early ledgers of the university document the building of the university's structures, the renting of enslaved laborers to build and maintain the campus, and the development of a curriculum. Documents from the late nineteenth- through the twentieth century document the development of the university's modern infrastructure, student organizations, expansion of the campus and operations, and debates over the university's refusal to admit women and black students.
U.Va. holds the largest collection of printed and manuscript materials related to William Faulkner. His association with the library began when he came to the university as a visiting faculty member, first in the 1930s and then in the late 1950s. The William Faulkner Foundation, which Faulkner founded, was created in part as a mechanism by which to secure the continued deposit of his papers in the university's Manuscripts Collection after his death, which occurred in 1962. This collection, converted from a deposit to a gift in 1962, comprises the bulk of the manuscripts and typescripts of the writer's novels and short stories, along with extensive correspondence and other related materials. In 1960, scholar and bibliographer Linton Massey had donated his massive collection of Faulkner editions, periodicals, and secondary works. Faulkner's daughter, Jill, deposited many further manuscripts and over 300 books from Faulkner's library over the course of many years, and additional Faulkner collections, such as the papers of U.Va. professor and Faulkner biographer Joseph Blotner, have been added. The collection is the basis for a major online archive of Faulkner audio recordings.
The collections are rich in the genre of political or editorial cartoons, and include the archives of Richmond editorial cartoonist Ed Seibel, UVA alumnus Bob Gorrell, and Art Wood. The Gerald Meeks Collection is a comprehensive collection of examples of American cartoon artists; among its treasures are a large collection of Oscar Cesare originals. The papers of Edward Stettinius Jr. include a large number of original editorial cartoons about the founding of the United Nations. A complete set of Vanity Fair (UK magazine) caricatures also resides in the library. In 2018 the library acquired the papers and original art of editorial cartoonist and fine artist Pat Oliphant.
The library's collections play a prominent role in many courses taught in the Rare Book School, which serves hundreds of scholars, librarians, and book dealers each summer.[11] Of particular interest are the extensive publishers bindings, early printed works, and a working Hinman Collator.[12]
In 2012, the Special Collections played a significant role in documenting the ouster and reinstatement of the university's president, Teresa Sullivan. Along with collecting physical documentation of the public and press reaction to the events, the library made news for collecting born digital materials[13][14] and accepting materials collected for the library by members of the public.[15]
Some of the books in the collection fill very specific niches, such as Eastern European pop-up books. This unique holding is actually one of about 850 pop-up books in the library's collections. This particular book is a brand-new edition of a centuries-old Persian legend about a serpent king.
The Special Collections Request System powered by Aeon is an automated request and workflow management software specifically designed for special collections libraries and archives. We are implementing the system toimprove patron services and maximize staff efficiency while providing unparalleled item tracking, security and statistics.
The WVU Libraries have extensive online collections, featuring millions of academic journal articles, available through databases and ejournals. The Libraries book collections include nearly a million ebooks available through the library catalog. Additionally, the Libraries have print collections in four Morgantown locations: the Downtown Campus Library, Evansdale Library, Health Sciences Library, and Law Library.
The new library houses the University's Rare Books and Special Collections, which include valuable documents such as Thomas Jefferson's original papers. As an adjunct to the main University libraries, the new facility establishes a separate, but related identity. Constructing the bulk of the new library below grade preserves the library quadrangle as an open green. The library provides seminar rooms, visiting scholar offices, exhibition and meeting spaces, rare book and manuscript preparation spaces, a state of the art digital processing area and a new below-grade archive. In addition to the main reading room and secure special collection stacks which house the main reading room and staff areas on one level and the secure special collection stacks below. 2ff7e9595c
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