Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) is open by appointment.
SCUA has never stopped providing online reference and digitization services. You’ll find we have further expanded and improved access to our collection resources during the pandemic. In all we do, we follow University protocol to enhance the safety of our spaces. This page provides important information that will make your next visit to Special Collections and University Archives a success.
Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
During the semester some classes will be held in Special Collections that may affect the availability for appointments. Please keep this in mind as you plan your visit, and we thank you in advance for your flexibility.
Special Collections owns approximately 700 manuscript collections on a variety of topics including civil rights, performing arts, astronomy and physics, and others. The collections listed here are a select list of manuscript collections held by Vanderbilt Libraries.
Special Collections Finding Aids.
For a list of all special collections by subject, please see the collections Subject List.
For a list of all the special collections by title, please see the collections Alphabetical List.
Please note that for the alphabetical and subject lists, a handful of items are owned by other libraries in the system even though most items belong to Special Collections. If you are uncertain which library owns an item on the list contact Special Collections.
Off-Site
If the phrase "off-site" appears next to a collection title, then the collection is stored at our off-site facility. Individual boxes will need to be requested for use in class and in the Special Collections Reading Room. Due to limited storage on our hold shelf, only two boxes per person may be requested at a time from off-site storage.
Inventory Available
If the phrase "inventory available" appears next to a collection title, then a paper-based inventory is available for the collection. To request a PDF of the inventory, please contact Special Collections for assistance.
Small Collection
If the phrase "small collection" appears next to a collection title, it contains less than one full box of material. All other collections contain at least one full box of papers.
Thanks to Teresa Gray, Public Services Librarian, Special Collections, for compiling this manuscripts page.
Selected items and collections from Vanderbilt Special Collections are digitized and available. Includes all items from the James Robertson Papers (Early American Republic, Native American History, Tennessee History), History of Medicine Collections, and more.
Catalog of books, manuscripts, websites, internet resources, maps, computer programs, musical scores, films, slides, newspapers, journals, magazines, sound recordings, articles, chapters, papers, and videotapes available at libraries worldwide. Cross-search OCLC databases: ArchiveGrid, ArticleFirst, Ebooks, ECO, ERIC, GPO, MEDLINE, OAIster, PapersFirst, ProceedingsFirst, WorldCat, and WorldCatDissertations.
ArchiveGrid includes over 5 million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. Over 1,000 different archival institutions included.
Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on archival material from different European countries as well as information on archival institutions throughout the continent.
SNAC is demonstrating the feasibility of separating the description of persons, families, and organizations—including their socio-historical contexts—from the description of the historical resources that are the primary evidence of their lives and work. A key objective is to provide researchers with convenient, integrated access to historical collections held by multiple private and public archives and libraries around the world while also setting the stage for a cooperative program for maintaining information about the people documented in the collections.
822,286 items from more than 1,000 U.S. archives, libraries, and museums related to African American history.
Special Collections, Fisk University
Consists mainly of primary and secondary materials on African-American themes.
Special Collections, Nashville Public Library
Serves as a repository and research center for historic Nashville materials.
Tennessee State Library & Archives
Collects and preserves materials of historical, documentary, and reference value, and literary works and printed matter to be of special interest to the citizens of Tennessee.