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Rare books and special collections are often defined as materials that, because of subject coverage, rarity, source, condition, or form, are best handled separately from the general collection. Every library collects different subject areas. In our case, we have robust collection of American popular culture. This includes 19th and 20th century American literature, dime novels (e.g. Beadle’s, Nick Carter, Deadwood Dick, Pluck and Luck, etc.), comic books, science fiction and fantasy, and historical children’s books (authors such as Horatio Alger, Louisa May Alcott, Frank Merriwell, Oliver Optic, etc.; series such as Tom Swift, Nancy Drew, The Bobbsey Twins, Elsie Dinsmore, Hardy Boys, etc.). Other strengths include a teaching collection of rare books, private press books, opera in Chicago, 18th century British literature, book arts, black studies, drama, and women, gender, and sexuality studies.

IRS regulations forbid libraries, librarians, and curators from appraising materials. However, antiquarian booksellers do it for a living. The easiest way to find an antiquarian bookseller in the States is to visit the website of their main professional organization, the (ABAA). Regionally, you can find booksellers who deal in used and rare books through the . You can also look in your local Yellow Pages under "booksellers." If you would like to try to search for yourself to determine a likely value, you can use sites like  or  to find a current market price for a book.

Generally speaking, we work through professional book dealers who have relationships with our Technical Services Department when we make purchases. We are always happy to accept donations from single volumes to large groups of books.

It depends. Sometimes it is the age of the book. Sometimes it is how scarce it is, its method of production, historical significance, or the celebrity of its previous owner. First editions are not always rare, and rare books are not always first editions. You can learn more through an online guide published by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the American Library Association, called .

In extraordinary circumstances, you may make an appointment to use RBSC materials with the Head of Special Collections and Archives Department outside of our normal hours. These appointments are made available to researchers as well as to class and group visits. To make an appointment, please call (815) 753-9392 or email us.

Absolutely! We are always happy to give tours. Email the Rare Books Librarian to set up an appointment: Monday - Thursday from 9 am - noon and 1 - 4:00 pm. We also welcome the opportunity to talk to groups and classes of all ages and educational levels. We work with you to tailor tours, class visits, and discussions to your research or teaching interests. We do ask that you schedule at least two weeks in advance so that we can gather items of interest to you. Faculty and educators interested in using materials as a part of curricula are encouraged to contact the Rare Books Librarian.

In addition to about 10,300 rare books, predominantly in history, art, literature, religion, and philosophy, we also have 41 Special Collections. The largest portion of our collection is devoted to popular literature. We have one of the largest collections of dime novels in the country, and the most comprehensive collection of Horatio Alger, Jr. materials in the country. Our holdings are particularly strong in British and American poetry (Blake, Burns, Byron, Wordsworth, and Whitman) as well as prose (Graham Greene; Alan Denson; James Hanley; Jeremy Taylor) and drama (Historic Scenic Collection/Chicago Lyric Opera, Nisbet-Snyder, and University Drama Collections). We have collections in African Americana (including the Willard Motley papers); Gender Studies; Fine Arts, including a particular focus on Japanese printmaking; Book Arts, including pop-up books and artists’ books; Private Press; Radical Pamphlets; and the Art and History of the Book. We also collect SF/F literature, archives, and magazines as well as comic books. If you are looking for a specific title, please search our . However, some of our collections are not fully cataloged, so please ask us if you do not find what you are looking for.

Staff do not conduct research on the behalf of patrons; however, we are happy to provide reference assistance. It is always recommended that researchers personally visit Rare Books and Special Collections. We understand this may not be possible for some researchers. Please contact the Rare Books Librarian by email or phone (815) 753-9838 if this circumstance applies to you. Questions are addressed in the order which they are received, and response time varies.

Photocopying and scanning is available in RBSC. Copies are $0.25 per page in person; $5.00 for copies of 10 pages or less by mail, $0.25 per additional page. Scans are provided on a case-by-case basis, typically gratis. RBSC and Digitization Lab staff perform all copying and scanning. Requests are to be done through the Digitization Services page. Please understand that not all materials can be copied or scanned due to their condition or nature. Copying is up to the discretion of RBSC staff. We do not accept the OneCard or Copy Card. Please see our Reproduction Policy for details.

The oldest printed book in our collection is a 1480 edition of De Humilitate Interiori by Joannes Carthusiensis, printed by Nicolas Jenson. We also have vellum manuscript leaves that were created roughly 300 years earlier and several medieval manuscript leaves that date from 1150 to 1530 CE. The oldest item in our collection is a cuneiform tablet, most likely Sumerian and created around 2000 BCE.