About
We are home to a variety of collections, from early printed books to the personal libraries of significant authors. At the heart of our collections is the extensive Edith and Lorne Pierce Collection of Canadiana, a vast repository of Canadian histories and literatures.
Resources & Guides
We have compiled the following bibliographic guides to assist you with your research. There is also a large History of the Book reference collection onsite in the W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections reading room.
Planning your visit and requesting collection materials:
Fill out the Rare Books & Special Collections Retrieval Request form
See the guidelines for using our reading rooms
Find out more about locating primary source material.
We host onsite and virtual exhibitions highlighting our collections throughout the year. Contact us if you would like to collaborate on a future exhibit or event.
What you need to know about teaching with special collections:
Special Collections offers two assistantships to promote and facilitate student exploration of our rare book collections. We offer a Digital Humanities Undergraduate Assistantship to Arts & Science students, and partner with the Master of Art Conservation program to offer a Conservation Graduate Assistantship.
We adhere to collecting policies to determine what materials belong in the W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections. Please refer to these documents should you have any questions.
W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections warmly welcomes both in-kind gifts and monetary donations.