History in all shapes & sizes
Remember that primary sources are characterized by their content rather than their format. When you visit Special Collections to do research you might expect to find paper, pictures, or rare books, but when you open a box you might also find
- Newspaper clippings
- Signed first editions and published translations of books
- Unpublished manuscripts
- Research notebooks
- Personal and official letters
- Scientific offprints
- Sketchbooks
- Awards and medals
Where to start researching in Special Collections?
Is research still a mystery? Need some help starting? Fear not, we have some ideas for you...
- The Special Collections site is an invaluable resource for accessing our collections.
- Curious about collections that might fit your research? Check the list on the “Collections” page, it has links to sites with digitized documents and finding aids, as well as video content.
- For a general introduction to the research services available in Special Collections, please visit our “Facilities,” “Use of Collections,” and “Visiting Guide” pages.
- If you are researching the work of Linus and Ava Helen Pauling, take some time to explore "Linus Pauling Online."
What do we collect?
We focus on the history of science and technology, the largest and most important of these is the Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers.
In addition to the Pauling Collection, the OSU Libraries Special Collections, is home to a collection of rare books and sixteen archival collections, most of which focus on the history of science and technology in the twenty-first century.
Location & Hours
You'll find Special Collections on the 5th floor of the Valley Library. You can do research in Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please consult the "Visiting Guide" for more information to plan your research trip.
Please visit the "Our Facilities" page for more information about the reading room -- and to get a fabulous behind-the-scenes virtual tour!
