The mission of Special Collections is to support research and teaching at Portland State University. Materials in Special Collections are acquired because they have long-term, historical research potential; possess unique physical characteristics, such as binding or printing; or are inherently rare or scarce. The items in the collection may vary considerably according to the intrinsic qualities of the material itself, or the research needs of a particular program. Regardless of the criteria used to select them, all materials in the collection are deemed to have value to Portland State University academic programs. The purpose of Special Collections is to preserve these materials within a secure environment where their availability in usable condition to the PSU community and to the general public can be ensured.

Collection

Special Collections at the PSU Library is a limited collection, the strengths of the which are detailed below. Types of items include books, correspondence, diaries and journals, manuscripts, maps, newsletters, newspapers, organizational publications, audio/visual materials, ephemera, and sheet music.

Rare Books Collection
Materials in the Rare Books Collection are acquired through donation or transfer from general stacks. Items are occasionally, though rarely, purchased for the Rare Books Collection. Donated items intended for the Rare Books Collection are judged on the basis of rarity (e.g. early printing; limited edition; valuable autograph or inscription; fine binding; high market value of comparable item); fine plates or illustrations which could easily be removed or stolen; physical fragility when preservation is necessary and the item cannot be rebound; or upon expert recommendation.

 

Middle East Studies Rare Books
The Library has collected inthe Middle East studies area since the Middle East Studies Center wasestablished in 1961 as the first undergraduate center of its kind. PSULibrary also joined the PL-480 program, now Middle East CooperativeAcquisitions Program, to acquire vernacular materials. Materialscollected are generally in English, but other Western Europeanlanguages are also represented. There is a sizeable vernacularcollection, chiefly in Arabic, but also including titles in Persian,Hebrew, Ottoman and Modern Turkish. The collection is strong in theareas of religion, languages and literature, history and other socialscience disciplines. Due to the limited acquisition of Middle Eastpublications in the United States generally, nearly all imprints can beconsidered rare, and Ottoman Turkish, since it is no longer an activelanguage, is very rare.

Asian Studies Rare Books
Material supporting research in the interdisciplinary field of Asian studies is collected. The collection includes English-language materials as well as those in the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean vernacular in disciplines such as art, history, foreign languages & literature, philosophy, and religion.

Early American Imprints
Special Collections includes some early American imprints, circa 1650-1800, including sermons, essays, histories, biographies, books of poetry, and prayer books.

Other Special Collections

Gates Collection of African and Afro-American Life
Mr. And Mrs. Osly J. Gates donated the Gates Collection to the Portland State University Millar Library in 1969. The collection is an assortment of materials containing to black history and includes books, music scores, newspapers, periodicals, and ephemera.

Rose-Wright Manuscript Collection

Incunabula and Early Printed books
Through donations and purchases, the Library has gathered a collection of approximately 40 leaves from Incunabula (books printed before 1501) and early 16th century books.

Examples:

Access

Most rare books and special collections materials are listed in the PSU Library Catalog. Collection guides are available for some manuscript collections. Reference desk staff can direct you to the appropriate tools and aid you in finding what you need.

Materials in the collection are available to PSU faculty, staff, students and the general public upon request. These materials do not circulate and must be used in the Library. Patrons are required to fill out a request form for each Special Collections item and relinquish a valid picture ID while using the material. Request forms are located at the reference desk in the Library Research and Learning Center on the Library's 2nd floor. The Special Collections Coordinator or a reference technician will retrieve the item(s) from the Special Collections Room.

Once the material is retrieved, the patron will be directed to a place to use the material, generally a consultation area or office, and will be provided with a copy of the Special Collections Use Policy.

In general, only one item will be used at a time, for a period of two hours. Additional items and time are arranged with the reference technicians or Special Collections Coordinator. The materials are accessible only when someone is available to handle the requests. Generally this will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday. At other times patrons can make an appointment with the Special Collections Coordinator to obtain material.

Policies & Procedures

Special Collections holds the Library's rarest, most valuable and often most fragile and vulnerable material. Its security and preservation for future researchers depends on the actions we take in handling this material today. Patrons are asked to comply with the policies regarding the special handling and care of materials. The reader is responsible for safeguarding all materials made available for use.

• Food and drink are not permitted when handling Special Collections material.
• Pencils only are to be used for note taking.
• Handle the material with clean, dry hands. White gloves may be required for handling particularly rare or fragile items.
• Turn pages slowly and carefully, touching only the margins if possible. Do not crease pages.
• Open new, or previously unopened, books carefully. Forcing the covers back can break a book's spine, especially if it is tightly bound. Do not attempt to cut uncut pages. Return the volume to a library staff member for treatment.
• Do not write on paper laid on top of library materials. Tracing of maps or illustrations is not permitted.
• Please bring any damaged material to a library staff member's attention.

Copyright

Use of manuscripts and published materials is subject to provisions of the copyright law. Laws against libel and invasion of privacy may also apply. Readers assume full responsibility for any legal questions that may arise as the result of their use of materials in the collection.

Permission to Publish

Permission to examine materials, or to obtain copies, does not imply the right to publish them, in whole or in part. A separate written request for permission to publish must be made to the Special Collections Coordinator. Permission must also be obtained from the author or anyone else who holds copyright or other publication rights.

Reproduction

If photocopying can be done without injury to the materials and does not violate copyright or other restrictions, a single copy of any item will ordinarily be made for the researcher's personal use, upon written request and payment of the appropriate fees. Such copies may not be later duplicated; nor may they be transferred to or deposited with another person or institution without written permission from the Branford P. Millar Special Collections. For some collections the researcher may be required to return copies after use. Researchers may not electronically scan any item.

Donating Materials

PSU Library welcomes donations of materials for Special Collections that are consistent with Library and subject area collection development policies. Gifts offered to Special Collections are subject to the Policy Regarding Gifts of Library Materials. The Special Collections coordinator will determine the gift's appropriateness for inclusion in the Library's Special Collections with regard to the mission of the Library, the Special Collections collection development policy and physical condition considerations.

Questions? Contact Special Collections

Phone: 503.725.5874
Email: specialcollections@lists.pdx.edu
Location: 396 Millar Library
Hours for Special Collections