The Special Collections Department of the University of St Andrews Library is home to the University's Manuscripts, Muniments, Photographic Collection and Rare Books. The department is situated on Level 1 of the University Library which is on North Street behind the Crawford Arts Centre.

The Manuscript Collection is eclectic, ranging in date and subject from Greek papyri and medieval philosophical treatises to modern business records. The manuscripts are of widely varying nature: single volumes, letters or documents, as well as collections relating to individuals, families and institutions, organisations and movements. Most manuscripts are owned by the Library, but some are deposited by their owners under terms and conditions which vary widely. The Collection is particularly strong in material relating to the North-East Fife locality, including estate, architectural and business records as well as (on deposit by the Keeper of the Records of Scotland) the records of the former North-East Fife Burghs, and the Presbytery and Kirk Session Records of the former Presbyteries of Cupar and St Andrews. Other strengths include papers relating to individuals or studies connected with the University, particularly 19th century science and literature (including large collections of manuscripts relating to some of the great scientists of their day, such as D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson), and a fine collection of theological material — particularly relating to the Roman Catholic Modernist Movement. There is also a small, but high-quality, collection of oriental items, mostly in Arabic, Persian or Turkish, and containing some specimens dating from the middle ages to the 19th century.

The Muniment Collection - the archives of the institution itself and its constituent colleges - is held within the manuscripts department, under the care of the Keeper of Muniments, which post is at present combined with that of Keeper of Manuscripts. The collection is divided into several parts: the records of the University as a body, of its constituent colleges, and of the Library. For brief descriptions of each of these collection areas, please refer to The Collections. The Muniments date back to 1215 and represent the recorded history and corporate memory of the University of St Andrews. Much of the early material relates to the lands, titles and privileges of the University, which was founded by 1410-11 and confirmed by papal bull of Pope Benedict XIII in 1413. There is material written in Latin, French and Scots as well as in English - indeed, Latin was the normal language for much of the written record up to the mid 18th century! The archive includes a huge range of material, including title deeds on vellum, some with medieval seals still attached, minutes, accounts, matriculation and graduation records and lists of students, maps and plans, photographs, administrative files and correspondence. The most recent material held is that which it has been decided is no longer of current administrative use.

The Historic Photography Collection is one of the largest and most important n Scotland, stemming primarily from the fact that St Andrews played a vital role in the development of the photographic process through the early interest of Sir David Brewster and his friendship with William Henry Fox Talbot. The collection numbers in excess of 300,000 images, and is still being increased by acquisition. The images exists in a wide variety of formats: negative (on glass and film of varying sizes), lantern slides, prints (from salt paper to modern photographic), postcards and modern transparencies.

The collection reflects St Andrews' importance in the history of photography: there are many examples of the pioneering work of Dr John Adamson, D O Hill and Robert Adamson, and Thomas Rodger. Building upon these eminent beginnings, the collection has been developed over the last several decades to include large collections such as: (i) the photographic archive of Valentines of Dundee, the well-known photographic company which produced albums of Scottish views from the 1870s, and later became famous as the producer of picture postcards; (ii) the complete archive of Robert M Adam, the well-known Scottish landscape photographer whose work spans the first half of this century and numbers some 15,000 negatives; and (iii) the work of George Cowie, a local press photographer from 1930 to 1982, which covers all aspects of life in and around St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife, with a considerable section on the subject of golf.

There are also other smaller photographic archives include Lady Henrietta Gilmour (animals, West Highlands, family and estate life, 1890-1914), J E A Steggall (Scottish, English and continental journeys, 1887-1925), J H Wilson (botany, St Andrews, 1890-1910), David Jack (Scottish, architectural survey of St Andrews, 1914-60), Donald McCulloch (West Highlands, 1934-60), G Alan Little (Fife, Tayside + general Scottish, c 1960-1995), Alan Reiach (Scottish and international architecture, 1930s-1950s), James B Milne (international - tourist sites, 1970s, 1980s), Hamish M Brown (primarily Scottish topography, c 1960-1990s), and Janet M Sykes (Scottish and international: topography and folk culture, 1950s-1980s)

As well as other smaller groups, there are many thousands of photographs contained within collections of archival papers, covering a wide range of subject matters from Byzantine archaeology, through seal studies in the Behring Sea, to plant specimens.

The University Library contains approximately 100,000 volumes of Rare and Older Books, acquired by purchase and gift, since its foundation in the 15th century. The libraries of the colleges of St Leonard, St Salvator and St Mary, founded before that of the University itself, formed the first collections of books within the institution, and these were incorporated into the main library in the 18th century. The University library itself was founded by royal gift in 1611-12, when King James VI and I and members of his family presented over 200 volumes to the University to mark the founding of the Common Library.

From 1710 to 1837 the Library was entitled to a copy of every book printed in Britain under the Copyright Deposit Act, as a result of which it is particularly strong in 18th century material, with a special emphasis on books relating to the Scottish Enlightenment. The copyright privilege was lost in 1837, but the Library has continued to purchase rare books, particularly in fields related to the University's teaching and research.

The main subject areas of the collections are theology, classics, history, English and Scottish literature, philosophy, science and medicine. There are about 150 incunabula, 5,000 16th century, 7,000 17th century, as well as a substantial general collection of 18th and 19th century items.

All these items share a supervised Reading Room which is open for use by staff and students of the University, visiting scholars and the general public. Facilities include 24 reader places with power points for personal computers, microfilm and microfiche readers and printers, photocopying and photographic services.

Readers requiring research assistance, or those who wish to view items from the Photographic Collections, are advised to make prior appointments.

Postal and E-mail enquiries may be made to the Department, although it is limited in the extent to which research can be carried out on behalf of enquirers. There are no research or access charges.