Special Collections

The University possesses many outstanding collections of rare books and manuscripts, located in the Special Collections Department of Alderman Library. The primary focus of these collections is American history and literature--in particular, the Tracy W. McGregor Library of American History, and the Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature.

Among the treasures to be found in Special Collections are:

• Thomas Jefferson papers and his architectural drawings of the
  University of Virginia.

• One of 25 copies of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence.

• One of the earliest printed atlases, Ptolemy's Cosmographia, printed in 1475.

• Illuminated medieval manuscripts, including illuminated 14th and 15th century French and Flemish books of hours.

• William Faulkner Collection, the largest single collection of Faulkner editions, manuscripts and personal papers.

• Ingram Poe Collection, over 1000 letters and other materials assembled by John Henry Ingram, biographer of Poe.

• Jorge Luis Borges Collection, the strongest Borges collection known, including unique copies of several of his early works.

Special Collections mounts several exhibitions each year in the McGregor Room and Stettinius Gallery. Recent exhibitions may be viewed on the Web at www.lib.virginia.edu/ speccol/scdc/exhibits.html.