About: 

For a brief overview of  the materials found in Special Collections, see our page on the library website

Location:

Reading Room for Archives + Special Collections

Room 223, second floor

Hours:

Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

How to identify materials in Special Collections:

All materials are listed in the online catalog & are distinguished by RISD location prefixes "special", "special oversize", "flat folio", "large folio", "special periodical", and "artists' books"

Access:

If you have identified a specific book or periodical in Special Collections that you wish to see, you may drop in any time we are open.

If you are not sure what special materials might be of use from the collection, please contact the Special Collections Librarian, Laurie Whitehill Chong to schedule an appointment.  We can discuss your research needs and find materials suited to them.

Special Oversize BX 2015 .A2 1588    Missale Romanum.

Special NA 2190 .M8 1591    Ornatvs Ecclesiasticvs.

Special ND 3363 .C3 P55 1966    The Hours of Catherine of Cleves.

Special ND 3174 .M3 A65 1970    The Master of Mary of Burgundy.

Large Folio NC 251 .H7 A4 1792    Imitations of Original Drawings by Hans Holbein.

Special Oversize NC 251 .H7 L62 1828    Portraits of Illustrious Personages of the Court of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein.

Special NC 251 .H7 A4 1931 2 vols.    Erasmi Roterodami.  Encomium Moriae.  (Praise of Folly)

Special Oversize NC 251 .D8 W56 v.3 & 4    Die Zeichnungen Albrecht Dürers / Friedrich Winkler.

Special Oversize NC 749 .M37 1614    Perspective Contenant la Théorie, et Practique d'Icelle / Marolois & Vredeman de Vries.

Special Oversize NA 2517 .S3 1615    L'Idea Della Architettuvra Vniversale / Vincenzo Scamozzi.

Special Oversize NA 2812 .V53 1891    The Five Orders of Architecture / Vignola.

Special Z 43 .A3 B63 1992    Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta.

Large Folio NK 1510 .J7 1856    The Grammar of Ornament / Owen Jones.

Duplication Options:

All duplication requests are subject to copyright fair use restrictions.  Due to the often fragile condition of special materials, duplication requests are granted at the discretion of the librarian or staff member.  Scanning and photocopying requests are processed by library staff.  Readers may also take their own digital photographs, upon request.

Sketching and Note-taking:

Graphite and ordinary pencils are the only kind of writing implement allowed in Special Collections when using special materials.  Sketchbooks, notebooks or other paper are allowed as well as laptops.  

Other Special Resources:

Highlights of our collections, selected bookmarks for useful websites, and information about library exhibitions can also be found on our Special Collections Blog