Collection overview

The Rare Books Collection contains materials that are considered rare and in need of special care because of their age, uniqueness or physical beauty.

Located on level one of the Sir Louis Matheson Library on the Clayton campus of Monash University, the collection is particularly strong in English literature and history produced between 1660 and 1800. There are also collection strengths in French literature and Australiana.

The Rare Books Collection was founded in 1961 - the year Monash University opened - when the University Librarian purchased a collection of early edition works by Jonathan Swift and some of his contemporaries. There are now over 100,000 items in the collection, including a number of special collection areas.

The collection grows through selection of materials by Rare Books librarians as well as donations, in line with the library's collection development policy.

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