Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library

The Special Collections' Reading Room will be closed for the first two weeks of January

The space is undergoing maintenance and special projects, and will re-open on January 13. 

Woman wearing face mask delicately turns the pages of an old book, which is resting on a v-shaped stand

The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library holds more than 16 million objects including manuscripts, archival records, rare books, maps, broadsides, photographs, audio and video recordings and more.

Collections are particularly strong in American and British literature, the history of Virginia and the southeastern United States, the history and archives of the University of Virginia, sporting books and manuscripts, World War I, bibliography and book arts (including fine press books, pop-up books, artists’ book, and typography).

Find materials in Special Collections

Search archives & finding aids

Archives at UVA

A database for discovering archival materials

Search the Archives

For materials added after 2016

Archival Resources of the Virginias
Search Archival Resources of the Virginias

For materials added before 2016

See all Special Collections news.