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Books in locked cases

Special Collections

Our Major Collection Areas

  • Photograph of a book with illuminated text

    Rare & Fine Books

    From general works to bibliographies, the books in this collection date from the 1400s to the present and cover a range of subjects from literary treasures to medicine to natural history.

  • Photograph of fans entering a circus

    Circus & Allied Arts

    Photographs, posters, programs, route books, correspondence, business records, band scores, books, and more primarily covering the circus, but also related arts including carnivals, sideshows, and vaudeville.

  • Photograph of Abraham Lincoln

    Lincoln Collection of H.K. Sage

    This growing collection of Abraham Lincoln-related materials amassed by donor Harold K. Sage includes over 2,600 books and pamphlets, artworks, and manuscript materials.

  • Illustration of a girl and boy

    Children's Literature & Historical Textbooks

    Home to several noteworthy children’s literature collections, including the papers of author Lois Lenski, and historical textbooks from the 18th to mid-20th centuries.