There’s a room on the third floor you may not know too much about. You know the one I am talking about, room 314. You’re not sure you are allowed to go in, yet you see other students in there but have no idea why they get to use that space with a whole desk to themselves, getting the materials brought to them instead of hunting through the stacks, and pillows - for their books. Or maybe you have come across a book located: “Lincoln Park Special Collection (3rd fl.) –non-circulating” with a call number that started with the prefix SPC, SPCN, or ARDFAC and asked “what does this mean?” or thought “why bother if I cannot check it out?”

This is why: the Special Collections and Archives, or SpCA as I fondly abbreviate it, is one of the hidden treasures in the John T.  Richardson Library. Special Collections refers to the books with rare or unique content, format, or subject focus. Our Special Collections contains over 21,000 volumes, including unique collections like the Lemke Napoleon Collection, the Bradford Dickens Collections, the Vincentiana Collection, or Faculty Publications. The Archives contain documents and materials from different organizations or institutions- including those of DePaul University- arranged in an orderly manner to aid patrons in their research. 

Now that you know the way to this hidden treasure here is why you should check it out (even though you can not check out the material). The books and materials you find here are great ways to boost your bibliography. There may be information or illustrations that are not found in the circulating collection. You can bring your laptop and digital camera to take notes and photographs of illustrations to insert into your paper. The overall experience of  appreciating books and the work that goes into them is well worth it.

And finally, gone will be the days of aimlessly wondering the stacks thinking “where is this book?” We will bring it to you!