Rare Books & Special Collections

The University of Notre Dame Special Collections is open to the public and welcomes researchers from both on and off campus. An active program of class visits, exhibitions, and workshops highlight Special Collections' vital role in teaching and research at Notre Dame and beyond.

Our collections offer more than 132,000 volumes of printed books and periodicals and over 6,000 linear feet of non-book materials including manuscripts, printed ephemera, broadsides, prints, posters, numismatics, and philately. Strengths of our holdings include: Catholic studies, Irish studies, Italian literature, Latin American and Iberian history and literature, sports and physical culture, and theology and church history.

Special Collections Blog

Please visit the Special Collections at Notre Dame blog for highlights from our rich and diverse collections, news about acquisitions, events, and exhibits, information about services we offer, and behind-the-scenes looks at the work of our curators and conservators.