Special Collections

Founded in 1833 and occupying listed buildings within the Durham World Heritage site, the Palace Green Library of Durham University houses archives, early printed books and other special collections. There are:

• Over 70,000 books printed before 1850 including 300 incunables
• Over 100 Medieval manuscripts
• 3,400 metres of archives and artefacts
• Over 30,000 maps and prints and 100,000 photographs

We are open to anyone needing to consult our collections once they have registered with us.

Two of the University Library's special collections were awarded Designated status in 2005 in the first round of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Designation Scheme.