Special Collections
The Special Collections department of the Transylvania University library provides secure housing and specialized care for the unique and valuable research materials of the library. The department contains rare books, pamphlets, photographs, manuscripts, and the University archives.
These collections provide a unique opportunity for students to use primary source materials and to study Kentucky history and the important books of Western culture. The department is located on the upper level of the library.
Rare Books
The Rare Book Room, furnished by a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Farris of
Richmond, Kentucky, opened in 1960. This room houses the Clara Peck Collection
of books dealing primarily with the history of the horse and natural history.
Highlights of this collection include the Book of St. Albans, 1486;
Audubon's Birds of America, 1826-38, and his Viviparous Quadrupeds
of North America, 1845-48; Orme's Oriental Field Sports, 1805-1809;
Bonaparte's American Ornithology, 1833; and the first five editions
of Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler, 1653-1676. Housed in the same room
are the Horine Collection of pre-1800 medical books, the Marcia Owen Collection
of children's books, and original paintings by Audubon, Troye, and Peale.
Other rare books, located in the closed-stacks area of the department, consist of the old Academic Library of approximately 3,500 volumes and the old Medical Library of over 5,000 volumes that served Transylvania's Medical Department until it closed in 1859.
Manuscripts
The manuscript collection consists of letters, notebooks, memoirs, diaries,
account books, and documents. Major collections of papers include those of Jefferson
Davis, Henry Clay, Robert Peter, John Wesley Hunt, Daniel Drake, and Horace
Holley.
Doris Ulmann photo
in Transylvania's collection. Also available with Ulmann photos from other
collections on the Kentuckiana
Digital Library.
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Archives
The University archives are the central repository for the permanent records
of Transylvania University. Contained in the archives are the minute books of
the board of trustees beginning in 1783, faculty minutes, early matriculation
records and account books, manuscript theses of medical students, photographs,
and many old files of manuscript notes and correspondence from the offices of
the dean and president prior to 1900. The archives also contain files of the
University catalog from 1821 to date, as well as the Crimson (yearbook),
The Rambler (student newspaper), and the Transylvanian (literary
magazine).
Reading Room
The J. Winston Coleman Jr. Kentuckiana Reading Room was designed to house the
well-known local author and historian's private collection of Kentuckiana. The
collection includes over 5,000 books and pamphlets, thousands of photographs,
as well as manuscripts and personal memorabilia. Of interest to students are
the many county histories and Kentucky biographies.
Use of the Collection
Special Collections is open to researchers with an appointment. Students who need Kentucky materials
or other materials related to their course work are welcome. No materials may
be checked out of the department, but some of the materials may be photocopied
by the library staff. Please call to schedule an appointment.
On-line Access
Some of our collection is cataloged in the Transylvania Library Catalog. We also
recommend searching the Kentuckiana Digital Library where our Doris Ulmann collection
of photographs is available, as well as the collections of many other special
collections and archives in Kentucky.
Hours
Special collection is available by appointment. Please call 233-8225.
Photos are available online. Explore under "Contents List."
This is a collection of photographs taken in and around Lexington and Fayette County, Kentucky. Included are images of local buildings, businesses, racetracks, banks, schools, churches, and homes. Also present are photographs of the courthouse, public library, orphan asylum, jail, and Transylvania University.
Photos are available online. Explore under "Contents List."
This is a collection of twenty-three photographs of Appalachian subjects. Ulmann was famous for her portraits.
