What are archives and special collections?

What is an archive?

Archives are repositories for rare and unique primary source material. They contain first-hand evidence such as letters, dairies, notebooks, reports, photographs, and sketches, as well as ephemeral items such as posters or tickets.

These items are often deposited with an archive who will care for them, ensuring a safe environment that will preserve them for future generations.

Archives collect material based on the organizations they serve e.g.

• Colleges and universities
• Companies
• Government
• Local government
• Cathedrals
• Historical societies
• Museum collections
• Societies and organizations

The University holds the following archives:

• The University Archive
• The Mary Braddon Archive
• The Sarah Grand Archive

You can find out more about archives in the UK and the rest of the World in the related links.

What is a special collection?

A special collection is a group of books that are focused on a single topic, such as nineteenth century children’s fiction or Quaker history. Often a library will build up specialisms based on the needs of its community. They are different from books in the main collection in that they are not borrowable because of rarity and access is only on request.

The University holds the following special collections:

• Historical children’s fiction collection
• Historic collection
• The works of W.B. Maxwell
• The works of John Strange Winter
• Quaker Books from the Maidstone Society of Friends Meeting House