Primary contact
Level 1, Fisher Library, Eastern Avenue (FO3), Camperdown Campus, University of Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales 2006
Identity area
Identifier
daa/190
Authorized form of name
Rare Books and Special Collections, The University of Sydney Library
Parallel form(s) of name
Other form(s) of name
- Formerly Fisher Library, Rare Books and Special Collections
Type
- University
Contact area
Type
Address
Street address
Level 1, Fisher Library, Eastern Avenue (FO3), Camperdown Campus, University of Sydney
Locality
Sydney
Region
New South Wales
Country name
Postal code
2006
Telephone
02 9351 2992
Fax
cultural.collections@usyd.libanswers.com
Note
Description area
History
Our Rare Books and Special Collections includes a wide-ranging variety of materials from across the world. Highlights include medieval manuscripts, unconventional artist books, early illustrated science and medical books, an expansive science fiction collection, and so much more.
They are used for teaching students across the University, and for research by both academics and external researchers.
Geographical and cultural context
Mandates/Sources of authority
The University of Sydney
Administrative structure
Records management and collecting policies
Buildings
Holdings
Includes:
- Medieval manuscripts
- Medieval and early modern printed books (with strengths in literature, religion and science)
- East Asian Collections (Japanese, Korean and Chinese language materials)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources
- Colonial Australian collections
- Authors’ manuscripts and personal correspondence
- Science fiction collection
- Detective fiction collection
- Artists’ books
- Fine printing and bindings
- Modern limited editions
- High-quality facsimiles
- Pre-2013 University of Sydney higher degree theses
- University of Sydney authors collection
- University of Sydney print publications and ephemera
- Boxed collections of archival materials (personal papers, correspondence, manuscript material, clippings, pamphlets, illustrations, objects and photographs).
Finding aids, guides and publications
Browse our Special Collections page (https://www.library.sydney.edu.au/browse/special-collections) to view:
- a curated selection of our rare and special items and collections
- finding aids for our boxed collections.
Visit our Digital Collections repository (https://digital.library.sydney.edu.au/) to search and view curated selections of digitised rare books, special collections, art, research outputs and historical collections.
You can search for items directly in our library catalogue (https://www.library.sydney.edu.au/support/searching/library-catalogue) by limiting your search to the Rare Books and Special Collections library.
Access area
Opening times
Our Reading Room is open Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays 11am-3pm.
Access conditions and requirements
Membership is required to access our collections. If you are not a University of Sydney cardholder and you do not currently have another type of membership to the University of Sydney Library, you can apply online for a free Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) Community ID.
You can view items from Rare Books and Special Collections in the Reading Room at Fisher Library. Make a request to view an item via the Library catalogue, under "more options". You will receive notification when your items are available for viewing. Please bring proof of identity each visit to verify your membership.
The vast majority of our collections are available for research consultation. In the rare instance where the item has access restrictions, permissions may be gained from copyright holders or other authorised agents.
Accessibility
Services area
Research services
General reference assistance available.
Reproduction services
Scanning approval given on case-by-case basis from books, journals, and photographs for personal education use only.
If you wish to reproduce any images of Rare Books and Special Collections material in publications or on the internet, please contact cultural.collections@usyd.libanswers.com for permission. A reproduction fee may be charged.
In all circumstances any reproductions must be credited to "Rare Books and Special Collections, the University of Sydney Library".
Public areas
Control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Revised 12 February 2025
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Maintenance notes
Access points
Access Points
- Agriculture (Thematic area)
- Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
- Built Environment (Thematic area)
- Education (Thematic area)
- Family / Domestic Life (Thematic area)
- Geography (Thematic area)
- Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)
- Labour (Thematic area)
- Language (Thematic area)
- Law and Justice (Thematic area)
- Local Studies (Thematic area)
- Medicine and Health (Thematic area)
- Politics and Government (Thematic area)
- Populations (Thematic area)
- Recreation / Leisure / Sports (Thematic area)
- Religion (Thematic area)
- Science and Technology (Thematic area)
- Social Organisations and Activities (Thematic area)
- Transportation (Thematic area)
- Travel and Exploration (Thematic area)