Special Collections holds a wide variety of materials, including rare books, comics, maps, and university publications. The following are some frequently asked questions about using Special Collections print resources.
The Division of Special Collections is located on the fourth floor west of Ellis Library, the main library for the Columbia campus. To reach the fourth floor west, take the stairs or elevator to the third floor (not 3R), turn to your left, and take the stairs or lift up to the fourth floor. The reading room is at the top of the stairs to the right.
Campus Map with Driving/Walking Directions
See our hours page for this information.
Yes! Special Collections materials are here for all students, faculty, staff and visitors. All library users are welcome and encouraged to visit Special Collections. The only requirement is that you have a photo ID (an MU ID, driver's license, or other official photo identification).
There are many different collections within the Division of Special Collections. All Special Collections materials have MERLIN location codes beginning with MU ELLIS SPEC, followed by a collection code (RARE, MU, CLOSED, etc.).
The table below lists all the book and print collections in Special Collections, along with their collection codes. You can find out more about each collection by clicking on its name.
Collection Name |
MERLIN location codes |
RARE, RARE FO, RARE XFO, and RARE RES |
|
CLOSED, CLOSED FO, and CLOSED XFO |
|
COMIC and COMIC FO |
|
TEXTBOOK |
|
TMJOHNSON |
|
LAGO |
|
FLMOTT |
|
JGN |
|
PEDEN |
|
MU |
|
SANBORN |
Books in Special Collections are housed in closed stacks, which means that patrons cannot browse the way they can in the rest of Ellis Library. To use most print materials, please come to the Special Collections reading room (room 401) during regular operating hours.
When you arrive in the reading room, you will be asked to store your belongings on the shelves or in the secure lockers provided on site. Staff members will then ask that you fill out a request slip for each item you would like to see. After you fill out the slips, the staff person will check your photo ID and get the books out of storage for you.
Here is the information you will need to fill out the request slip for a specific book:
Please familiarize yourself with our Book Use Policies prior to your visit.
In most circumstances, no. Special Collections books must not be taken out of the reading room, with only a few exceptions. However, books can be placed on hold so that patrons do not have to fill out a request slip each time they come in.
Some Closed Collection and Comic Art Collection books may be checked out subject to the discretion of Special Collections staff. To find out more, read our Book Use Policies.
Since many of the materials in Special Collections are old and fragile, photocopying and scanning are restricted. Staff members will evaluate your scanning or photocopying request on a case-by-case basis. If your request is approved, it will be carried out by Special Collections staff and will be completed on a staff availability basis. Please see our Copyright Policies and Photocopying Policies for more information.
If you need any help with Special Collections materials, just let us know. You can contact us through our Ask a Question page or email us at SpecialCollections@missouri.edu. You can also contact individual staff members through our contacts page. We're here to help!
Contact: Special Collections - Email: SpecialCollections@missouri.edu
Copyright © Curators of the University of Missouri
Published by: Special Collections
Last revised:
Friday, January 23, 2009