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Special Collections

Explore

Explore our vast collection of books, archive documents, photographs, newspapers, illustrations, periodicals and maps.

From 15th century incunabula to modern research and digital content, we have something for everybody.

Highlights include the extensive Welsh and Celtic collections in the Salisbury Library, a broad range of British and continental rare books, and modern research archives dedicated to the history of medicine and science.

Print collections

Salisbury library

A large personal library of Welsh studies books, once owned by Enoch Robert Gibbon Salisbury (1819-1890).

Cardiff Rare Books

In a bid to become home to a national library for Wales, from the late 19th century onward Cardiff City Council built up a remarkable collection of books at its Central Library.

Other special collections

We are home to a number of important historical music collections, including family libraries formerly owned by Herbert Mackworth (1737-1791) and Theodore Aylward (1844-1933).

Archive collections

Archives

Use Archives Hub to explore Cardiff University’s institutional records, student newspapers, and many personal archives.

Digital collections

Digital Special Collections is a growing resource of digitised books, archives, music scores, newspapers, maps, and photographs from the 17th century to the present day. All of our IIIF-enabled digital content is freely available to view and re-use under a Creative Commons license.