University of Reading Special Collections Services

    • Related Resources
    • Web
    • Email
    • Telephone
    • Address
      • Redlands Road, Reading, England, United Kingdom
    • Directions
      • http://www.reading.ac.uk/special-collections/special-collections-findus.aspx
    • Opening Hours
      • Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00
      • Last Thursday of the Month 09:00-21:00
    • Closing Hours
      • Closed on University closure dates
    • Advance Orders
      • We advise you to order documents in advance some archives are held off site.
    • Photographs Allowed
      • Depending on the material
    • Accessible
      • Yes
    • History
      • Our collections, which include rare books, archives and manuscripts, are substantial and varied, particularly for a University of this age and size. The majority result from donations: the tradition of acquiring special material is as old as the University, the bequest of the Overstone Library in 1920 setting a pattern. The collecting of manuscripts and archives began in a systematic way in the 1960s, and from the start has been dominated by the programme to collect and manage British publishers’ archives. The University's collections also include artwork.
      • Two of our collections have been recognised as Designated collections of national and international significance - the Beckett Collection and the combined records of British publishing and printing.
    List of Collections(View as Search Results)