Rare Books and Special Collections, The University of Sydney Library

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

Email

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)
  • Clipboard

Primary contact

Level 1, Fisher Library, Eastern Avenue (FO3), Camperdown Campus, University of Sydney
Sydney, New South Wales 2006