The special and unique collections department at SETU Waterford Libraries is home to unique collections of literary manuscripts, early printed books and collections donated by individuals.

A special collection is a group of items, such as rare books or documents, and can be made up of many different material types such as video’s, audio cassettes and 35mm slides. The collections are either irreplaceable or unusually rare and valuable, and form part of our culture and heritage.

The Special Collections department has a dual role, to facilitate current research but also the care and preservation of the unique collections in our custody for future users.

The Special Collections staff work with students and academics to support learning and teaching offering access to unique primary sources through instruction sessions and exhibitions. Special Collections also serves the research needs of external scholars, both nationally and internationally who are interested in viewing the collections.

We are also engaging in creating our digital presence to enhance the experience of viewing our collections worldwide. To this aim we are members of The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI).

Our aim is to safeguard Ireland’s social, cultural, and historical records that are in our possession through active management of digital content over time. To ensure that this content remains accessible to researchers, cultural heritage enthusiasts, and members of the public into the future.

Page Updated 29th June 2023