Friends of UNT Libraries: Rare Book Room

The Rare Book Room was formed in 1981 by bringing together various items already in the collections of the UNT Libraries. 25 years later, through gifts, purchases and transfers from other departments, some 20,000 items make up the Rare Book and Texana Collections--and we are still growing!

The holdings of the Rare Book and Texana Collections range in age from a 4,000 year old clay tablet to items produced a few months ago. In addition to the traditional "book" format, the collections also include scrolls, palm-leaf books, microforms, periodicals, posters, maps, original artworks, artifacts, games, toys, printing equipment, photographs, postcards, coins, paper money and clothing.

In addition to housing and making available rare and unusual items that UNT students, faculty, staff and other visitors would otherwise be unable to see, the staff of the Rare Book Room also does preservation and conservation work, as well as working both inside and outside the department to digitize rare items and make them available to the world via the Internet.