Rare Books and Special Collections, The University of Sydney Library

Rare Books and Special Collections, The University of Sydney Library

• Formerly Fisher Library, Rare Books and Special Collections

• Universitaire

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.

The University of Sydney

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).

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.

Our Reading Room is open Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays 11am-3pm.

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.

General reference assistance available.

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".

Revised 12 February 2025

• Agriculture (Thematic area)
• Arts and Culture (Thematic area)
• Built Environment (Thematic area)
• Éducation (Thematic area)
• Family / Domestic Life (Thematic area)
• Geography (Thematic area)
• Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)
• Labour (Thematic area)
• Langue (Thematic area)
• Law and Justice (Thematic area)
• Local Studies (Thematic area)
• Medicine and Health (Thematic area)
• Politics and Government (Thematic area)
• Populations (Thematic area)
• Loisirs et 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)