The Department of Special Collections collects, maintains, preserves, and makes accessible the UCSB Libraries’ most valuable, rare, and unique materials. Included are printed materials such as books and serials, as well as manuscripts, and audio-visual materials. Among Special Collections holdings are approximately 250,000 volumes, 16,000 linear feet of manuscripts, 100,000 photographs and more than 200,000 early sound recordings.
Search in the following collections
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Major Collections and Collecting Areas include:
- American Religions Collections (ARC)
- Stuart L. Bernath Memorial Collection
- California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives (CEMA)
- Darwin/Evolution Collection
- Hobart O. Skofield Printers Collection
- Humanistic Psychology Archives (HPA)
- Oral Histories
- Rare Books and Named Collections
- Romaine Trade Catalog Collection
- Santa Barbara History Collections
- University Archives
- William Wyles Collection
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Digital Collections
To browse our collections you may use the following links and resources
To browse our collections by subject, use our various Subject Guides and other collection listings. Special Collections materials can also be found by name using the Alphabetical List of Collections. Most of our collections can be found using the UCSB Library Catalog or exploring the Melvyl Catalog. To view guides for our manuscript collections use the Online Archives Catalog- OAC.
Additional Collections and Subject Areas
To donate to Special Collections please visit the Giving to Special Collections page.
