Mission Statement

Special Collections and Archives, as part of the University of Iowa Libraries, advances direct engagement in learning, research, and creative work through providing staff expertise and exceptional collections on our campus and worldwide. We acquire, preserve, and make available primary sources in many areas and across many disciplines and historical periods. We nourish creative research, learning, and teaching for a broad audience. We emphasize the artefactual nature of our materials, but encourage additional interaction with them by providing digitized versions.

News and updates

Read about what is happening in the department, with descriptions of recent acquisitions, highlights from the collections both famous and obscure, and subscribe to our RSS feed.

Exhibitions

Descriptions of current and upcoming displays in the department, and links to online exhibitions.

Robert A. & Ruth Bywater Olson Graduate Assistantship

Graduate Assistantship for current and incoming students in masters or doctoral programs here at the University of Iowa. One GA is hired each year for a two year position as junior staff in the department.

The Iowa Bibliophiles

A book collectors club featuring monthly talks during the academic year on subjects related to rare books and collecting.

Useful Links