The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections,
located in the Harvey S. Firestone Library and the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript
Library, is one of the premier repositories of its kind. Its holdings span
five millennia and five continents, and include around 200,000 rare or significant
printed works; 30,000 linear feet of textual materials, ranging from cuneiform
tablets to contemporary manuscripts; a wealth of prints, drawings, photographs,
maps, coins, and other visual materials; the Cotsen Children's Library;
and the Princeton University Archives. The privately owned Scheide Library
is associated with the Department.
The mission of the Department is to collect, preserve, organize, describe,
and promote use of the primary source materials and unique intellectual
resources in its care. A staff of 50, headed by Ben Primer, Associate
University Librarian, pursues a wide range of activities designed to fulfill
this mission, including collection development, cataloging and processing
programs, reference and outreach services, and exhibitions.
Specific information about each of the Department's units can be found by
following the corresponding hyperlinks on the right.
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