Short Description

The Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (RBSCP), including the University Archives, is home to a rich collection of rare and unique historical materials.

Visitors are welcome. RBSCP's spaces include the Jacob Robert Cominsky Reading Room, the Hyam Plutzik Library for Contemporary Writing, and the William Henry Seward Room.

Welcome

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (RBSCP) is open to everyone. We partner with students, faculty, and the community through exhibitions, classes, workshops, and lectures.

Our in-person research hours are Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. 

For questions about the department, including reproductions, please contact us. If you have questions about a specific collection or research topic, your email will be forwarded to the appropriate curator. 

We are excited to announce that the new public user interface for the University of Rochester's Archives & Special Collections is back!  The new interface is more user-friendly and includes more robust search and filter options to help you find what you are looking for. If you currently use our A-Z lists, please note that they will be replaced with the search and filter functionality but will remain up until Monday 8/12 for your convenience during the transition.  If you require a full list of all collections in alphabetical order you can find one by following these steps: 

  1. Scroll down to “Our Collections” section 

  2. Click on “Search Our Collections” 

  3. Click on the “Collections” tab in the blue bar at the top of the page 

Explore RBSCP

About
Welcome! More information about who we are and how to visit us.  

Services
We are open to everyone and partner with students, faculty, and the community on instruction, research, internships, events, and physical and digital exhibitions.

Rare Books and Special Collections
Learn more about our collections through our finding aids, subject guides, and our access and collection development policies. 

Digital Exhibitions and Projects
Links to a wide range of digital exhibitions and projects created by students, faculty, and RBSCP staff. 

RBSCP Blog
Our blog contains information about the collections, people, and events of RBSCP and the University Archives.

University Archives
Discover the history of the University of Rochester through manuscripts, publications, images, exhibitions, and more.

Digital Collections and Publications
Links to fully digitized collections and publications from RBSCP and the University Archives.

Databases for Collections
Databases have been developed for a number of manuscript, book, and print collections in the department to enable access to their contents.

This video gives you an overview to the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation. It includes a bird's eye view of our collections, how we are different from the rest of River Campus Libraries, and an introduction to our online exhibits and collections.

Upcoming events

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Mailing Address
755 Library Road
Rochester NY 14627
Phone: 585-275-4477
Atmosphere
Classical furniture
Food Not Permitted