-UPDATE, 8/14/2017-
The ULS' two largest distinctive collections units have merged- we are now part of the new Archives & Special Collections! To follow us, keep in contact, or learn more, please see our new page at https://www.facebook.com/pittarchivesandspecialcollections/
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Established in 1966, the collections consists of over 52,000 physical volumes, 560 linear feet of manuscripts and archiv
es, 13,000 photographs, 500,000 theater programs, and various slides, microfilms, posters, recordings, ephemera, and memorabilia. Materials collected by the Special Collections Department are housed in both Hillman Library and the Library Collections Storage Unit (LCSU) in Point Breeze. Given the variety of collecting areas, the language is not limited to English and may include French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Latin. Geographically, the collection range varies within different subject areas and may include New York and western Pennsylvania with an emphasis on Pittsburgh for theatre material; Germany and the United States for the Philosophy works; and the rare book collection may contain material from East Asian, Latin American, Western and Eastern European, and British countries as well as the United States. The diversity in collecting regions reflects the Special Collections Department’s commitment to support the wide-ranging teaching strengths of the University. Chronologically, Special Collections seeks materials dating from the earliest written word to the present that reflect the collection strengths.