University of Manchester Library

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    • Address
      • 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH, England, UK
    • Directions
      • There are two Special Collections Reading Rooms. One is located at The John Rylands Library on Deansgate in the city centre. The other is at the Main Library on the Oxford Road campus.
    • Opening Hours
    • Closing Hours
      • Easter, Christmas to New year, Bank holidays
    • Access Information
      • Researchers can book appointments to access material in the Special Collections Reading Rooms. Please note that collections may be held at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, the Main Library or the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE (Race Archives and Community Engagement) Centre.
      • We also offer hour long digital appointments where you can view some of our Special Collections via a Zoom call.
      • To book an in person or online appointment, please use our booking request form https://forms.library.manchester.ac.uk/public/form/5ca60337f85e57c3bbc9e522. If you have any trouble with this form, please email the reading room team at: uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
      • Please be aware that access restrictions may apply.
      • Limited spaces are available, and you must book a place in advance before coming to the reading room. We ask for three days' notice to view most items, except for those requiring curatorial approval or delivery from off-site which may take longer. A member of staff will check the status of the material and confirm the date and location of your appointment.
    • Advance Orders
      • It is essential to contact us in advance of any visit. We can then retrieve the materials you want before you arrive. This is particularly important on your first visit.
    • Photographs Allowed
      • Yes
    • Accessible
      • Yes
    • Archival and Other Holdings
      • The University of Manchester Library holds one of the finest collections of rare books, manuscripts and archives in the world. Both The John Rylands Library and Victoria University of Manchester Library had built up outstanding Special Collections. After their merger in 1972, these collections were concentrated in the magnificent Deansgate Building of The John Rylands Library, in the centre of Manchester.
      • The printed collections encompass almost all the landmarks of printing through five centuries: magnificent illustrated books, examples of fine printing, landmark works in typography, key historical texts and exquisite bookbindings.
      • We hold over 4,000 incunables, including the largest collection of Aldines in the world and the second largest collection of works printed by Caxton.
      • The collections cover a wide range of subjects: theology and philosophy; literature, drama and music; art and archaeology; science and medicine; economic, social, political and military history; travel and exploration. The vast majority of the Special Collections printed books are recorded in our online printed-book catalogue.
      • The Library's manuscript collections cover more than fifty languages, including all the major European and Middle Eastern languages, and numerous Far Eastern ones. They span five millennia, and are written on virtually every medium ever employed. The subject range is vast, encompassing literary, historical, antiquarian, genealogical, biblical, devotional, ritualistic, medical, scientific, legal and administrative texts.
      • The Library holds several hundred archives of companies, business associations, trade unions, charities, social organizations and religious institutions, as well as landed families.
      • Particular strengths include Nonconformist archives (especially of Methodism); archives of recent and contemporary literature and drama; the archives of the University of Manchester; and the papers of individual scientists and academics.
      • Most Special Collections are held at The John Rylands Library.
      • Other collections are held at the Main Library on the Oxford Road campus. These include the archives of the University of Manchester, Christian Brethren Archives, many scientific and medical archives, and post-1800 medical books.
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