Special Collections

Special collections are rare, unique, and irreplaceable. At UC Berkeley, special collections are a cornucopia of items from many time periods and countries of origin. Some are rare because not many were made; others are rare because they were so ephemeral or commonplace that no one thought to collect them. And others are rendered unique by way of handwritten notes added in the margins by notable owners.

There are early Buddhist scriptures, leaflets from the social protest movement, letters written by Charles Darwin, obscure cookbooks with handwritten annotations, ancient cuneiform tablets, and the largest collection of papyrus texts in the Americas. Unlike a museum, where objects are sequestered from tactile engagement, library special collections are meant to be used and handled. This poses a challenging, yet fascinating, conundrum: How do conservators facilitate handling, while simultaneously protecting the objects?