Special Collections

Our special collections date from the founding of the University in 1865. Andrew Dickson White, Cornell’s co-founder and first president, was a life-long book collector who believed that curated collections of primary resources were essential for instruction and scholarship. This foundational notion continues to guide Cornell’s developmental policies for special collections. The Library is dedicated to curating diverse and inclusive special collections and supporting the broadest possible access through digitizing selections from our holdings that are housed in several of our subject libraries.