Special Collections is a term that can encompass a great variety of materials, including books, archives, manuscripts, and artifacts. These items are often rare or unpublished, and sometimes completely unique. Because of this, special collections are subject to higher security procedures and may have handling restrictions. They are stored in secure, staff-only areas and do not circulate, meaning they can only be viewed in the reading room under supervision.
Sometimes the format of the materials is the reason they are placed in special collections. Photographs, posters, handwritten texts, or ephemera can require special storage environments and usage rules to allow for long-term preservation and continued access
Special collections can also consist of a grouping of materials focused on a specific theme or topic, such as a literary movement or women’s rights. Sometimes it is comprehensiveness and context, rather than the rarity of individual components, that gives a special collection its value. Repositories will often specialize on a limited number of subjects to focus their collection building and to distinguish themselves from other institutions.
Archives are collections of materials related by theme, origin, or purpose. The term "archive" or "archives" can also refer to the institution or building in which the material is housed.
The Northwestern University Archives, established in 1935, houses records, publications, photographs, and other materials pertaining to every aspect of Northwestern’s history, including the papers of faculty, biographic information on Northwestern alumni, a complete run of Daily Northwestern issues, a complete set of catalogs and bulletins from each of the schools and more than 250,000 photographs.
For a broader list of materials, browse the Archival and Manuscript collection portal, or view some of our unprocessed Manuscript and Archive listings.
Music Library collections include rare books and published scores, including libretti and printed music as well as facimilies of manuscripts of other primary sources. The original archival and manuscript collections represent mutiple styles and eras, including the archives of experimental musician John Cage, collections of music collectors such as Hans Moldenhauer, musical autographs, and general music manuscripts and correspondence from the 14th century to the present.
Northwestern performance recordings from 1995 are available to browse in NUsearch. Performances from 2006-2016 are available digitally in the AV Repository.
Identifying Sources of Information
Consider:
Keep in mind that relevant sources may not be in a single collection.
Online Databases & Sources for Archival Research
Essential Databases
A few examples of collections or portals focusing on regions, countries, or fields of research
Images
Some Historic Newspapers and Periodicals
Other Sites of Interest