Rare, unique and important pieces of art history and culture are located at UCA's four campus libraries, as part of our archives and special collections.

Curated over many years, our archives and special collections contain a wide range of books, artworks and materials which enrich UCA's enormous catalogue of resources for students, staff and the public to access.

It is a constantly evolving and growing collection, which celebrates the activists of the past, and champions the work and research of great artists.

Find out more about how to access our archives and discover a taste of our special collections on this page.

Our
special collections

UCA is home to some incredible Special Collections, including the University Institutional Archives, and the following at each campus:

  • Al Kailani Collection
  • The Drew Gallery Project
  • Stour Valley Arts
  • Herbert Read Gallery Archive
  • Artists' books
  • Diagram Group artwork
  • Typographic Circle poster collection
  • Artists' books

Access our archives

Our archives are not just for our students and staff - they're accessible to all.

Outside of COVID-19 restrictions - see our the latest coronavirus updates - each of our four libraries welcomes visitors from outside the university - just book an appointment in advance.

Members of the public, teachers and SCONUL members can access our archives for reference only - see Our Libraries page [insert link] for more information - with an appointment.

Meanwhile, our online catalogue is freely available for you to browse, however, bear in mind this catalogue is always being updated and not all of our records will appear here.

Here are some helpful guides on what is available at each library, and how to navigate our online catalogue:

Donate to our archives

Do you have archival material which you would like UCA to keep and curate on your behalf?

Find out more here:

Contact us

For further information on our archives or to book an appointment to access them, please contact us at [email protected]