Rare Books and Special Collections / Cultural Collections / University Services / The University of Newcastle, Australia

Home → University Services → Cultural Collections → Rare Books and Special Collections

At present, the University's Rare Book and Special Collections comprise more than 32,000 volumes, many of which are extremely valuable and unique to Australian libraries. The existence of these Collections is largely due to the generosity of a number of benefactors as most of the items have been acquired by donation, or purchased from bequest funds. Collectively, they not only form a major resource in their own right, but also enrich our capacity to support a multitude of research programmes. Major strengths of the Collections include early modern or pre-1800 material, 19th century Australian literature and especially poetry, and 19th century Australian History with particular emphasis on the period prior to 1860, and James Joyce. In recent years, the availability of the Light Trust Fund, a bequest of $1,000,000 made to the Library by former Newcastle identity Reta Light has enabled us to build on and enhance these strengths.

The Auchmuty Library Rare Book Collection had its genesis in a series of donations to the Library to mark its opening in February 1968. Since then a great number of private collections, as well as one-off donations from organisations, academic staff and members of the community, have enabled the Collection to swell to well over 32,000 items. It has only been since 1996, with the amalgamation of Archives and Rare Books, that the Collection has been consolidated in one area. Until then it was housed in two locations, with a number of private collections being scattered amongst the general collection. During 1993 a concerted effort was made on behalf of the then Rare Book Librarian, Elizabeth Guilford, to bring together these private collections, which included the private libraries of the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, J.J.Auchmuty, and Kelver Hartley, Foundation Professor in French. There are over 40 separate collections of rare books held in the Cultural Collections Unit.