Special Collections
Archives and Rare Books
Access rare materials with confidence
Items in the Special Collections are unique and irreplaceable. Book an appointment or contact the Special Collections team to learn more about accessing these unique scholarly materials for your learning and research.
Book an appointment
All items in the Rare Books Collections and the Archival and Manuscript Collections are non-circulating and can only be used in the Elizabeth Comper Special Collections Reading Room. The Reading Room is open Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Appointments are required.
Researcher guidelines
Know before you go. Learn how to access, handle and cite Special Collections materials responsibly. These guidelines ensure the long-term preservation of our holdings for future scholars.
Reproduction services
Request scans or digital copies. Explore options for digital scans, AV material and other formats. Review service fees, timelines and reproduction policies.
Publishing, copyright & citation
Cite responsibly. Review our citation standards and copyright policies for unpublished or archival materials. Learn how to request permission to publish.
Please direct queries to: specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca
Before visiting, you are warmly encouraged to review the Researcher Guidelines. Rare materials damage easily but if well-treated, they can last many generations and, in some cases, hundreds of years.