Rare Books And Manuscripts
The Department of Special Collections holds more than 35,000 volumes in its Rare Books collection on a diverse variety of subjects, with materials dating from the 15th century to the present.
Some of the more unique areas of the collection are the Celtic Collection, the Luxembourgiana collection, the works of G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc, memoirs from the French Revolution, and early works related to Roman Catholic theology and history.
The manuscript collections contain the personal papers of prominent individuals as well as related records of local groups and societies. Of note are the personal papers and library of Christopher Dawson.
All items held in the Rare Books collections are cataloged and searchable in LibrarySearch.
The Bach-Dunn Collection of Luxembourgiana
One of the largest collections in the United States of books, periodicals, and maps related to the history and civilization of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
The Celtic Collection
A collection of over 15,000 books and periodicals related to the history, language, and literature of the Celtic nations, particularly Ireland.
The Chesterton-Belloc Collection
A collection of over 1,500 first and fine edition books, manuscripts, and ephemera authored by the English Catholic authors G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.
The Christopher Dawson Collection
The personal papers and library of the English Catholic historian, Christopher Dawson.