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Special Collections

Special Collections

Image of Barker Research Library Search Room
Designated as an Outstanding Collection logo

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

  • 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. Registration here involves completing a form, providing proofs of identity and agreeing to abide by the Library's rules (please contact us if you require further information on this)

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.

Events

Everyone's History: 20 years of the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Treasure Act
Friday 25th May 2018 - Monday 28th May 2018, 12:00am - 10:00am, Museum of Archaeology
THE DLI COLLECTION GALLERY: COURAGE, COMRADES, COMMUNITY
Friday 25th May 2018 , 12:00am
Living on the Hills: 10,000 years of Durham
, Wolfson Gallery
Fun Flags
Saturday 26th May 2018 - Sunday 27th May 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Palace Green Library
3D Imaging in Archaeology
Wednesday 30th May 2018, 1:00pm - 2:00pm, Museum of Archaeology, David Errickson
Fantastic Finger Puppets
Saturday 2nd June 2018 - Sunday 3rd June 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Palace Green Library
Little Bookworms
Monday 4th June 2018, 10:30am - 11:30am, Palace Green Library
Bodies of Evidence: How science unearthed Durham’s dark secret
Saturday 9th June 2018 - Sunday 24th June 2018, 10:00am - 11:59pm, Palace Green Library
What do we do here?
Saturday 9th June 2018 - Sunday 10th June 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Palace Green Library
Little Bookworms
Monday 11th June 2018, 10:30am - 11:30am, Palace Green Library
Little Bookworms
Monday 11th June 2018, 10:30am - 11:00am, Palace Green Library
Better than before? Comparing Moscow’s Cold War and Putin-era policies toward Arabia and the Gulf
Thursday 14th June 2018, 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Sir James Knott Hall, Trevelyan College, Professor Mark N. Katz, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University
Excellent X-Ray!
Saturday 16th June 2018 - Sunday 17th June 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Palace Green Library
Little Bookworms
Monday 18th June 2018, 10:30am - 11:30am, Palace Green Library
Stupendous Stained Glass
Saturday 23rd June 2018 - Sunday 24th June 2018, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, Palace Green Library
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News

Malcolm MacDonald Papers: newly released material

The Malcolm MacDonald Papers catalogue has now been updated with the latest (March 2018) return of documents formerly retained by the FCO. The last such return was in 1996.

(17 May 2018)

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Quick Links

Contact details

Special Collections
Palace Green Library
Palace Green
DURHAM
DH1 3RN
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)191 334 2972
Email: pg.library@durham.ac.uk