Manuscripts and Archival Collections

Rare Books & Special Collections houses personal papers of members of the University staff, graduates, benefactors and other individuals and organisations associated with the University of Adelaide, and other papers relating to the Library's general collection interests, notably the theatre, music composition, the central Pacific, and Australian aboriginal culture, linguistics and physical anthropology. There also collections of scripts, author's manuscripts and individual letters and documents of interest for their provenance, content or form.

A list of the manuscript collections is available and is supplemented by further listings for each collection. Entries for each collection and for other individual manuscripts will also be found on the University of Adelaide catalogue.

The official archives of the University and some associated bodies are held by the The University of Adelaide Archives.

Records relating to the history of the Library itself are listed here.

Other South Australian archival material is held by The State Library of SA (family, business and society records) and by State Records (official government records).

Extensive records of Australian scientists are listed on Bright Sparcs.

Access to Manuscript Collections

A formal request for access to the manuscript collections held in the Rare Books & Special Collections of the Barr Smith Library must be made prior to use of any material. A completed application form is to be submitted to Special Collections. Official identification is required. The request application signifies acceptance of the access conditions as set out on the form.

Citation of unpublished material held in Rare Books & Special Collections should be made in our preferred style.

For additional information, please contact Rare Books & Special Collections at :-

Barr Smith Library, Adelaide University, South Australia 5005.
Telephone 61 8313 5224
Fax 61 8313 4369
Email cheryl.hoskin@adelaide.edu.au