Special collections
Surprise and delight yourself. Discover, explore and study a wealth of rarities we've built up over the years.
Special Collections Reading Room
The Rare Books Collection and other Special Collections materials held in closed storage, may be accessed in the Special Collections Reading Room.
Exhibitions
Step back to another time and place. Explore the age, uniqueness or beauty of our vibrant displays. Learn the story they tell.
Contact us
- General enquiries:
Tel: +61 3 9905 2689 OR
Email: specialcollections@monash.edu - Dr Anne Holloway, Manager, Special Collections
- Daniel Wee, Special Collections Librarian.
Ada Booth Rare Collection
Rare and unique materials relating to Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies,as well as left-wing and Communist politics.
Asian Special Collections
Rare and archival material from Southeast Asia and East Asia form a leading research resource.
Comics Collection
With a strong focus on early Australian and "golden age" era comics, the collection represents the history of comics in the antipodes
Cookbooks Collection
We have an extensive cookery book collection that contains Australian, French and English examples.
Ephemera Collection
Ephemera are transitory documents created for a specific purpose. The material in this collection relate to the cultural and social history of Victoria and Australia.
Manuscripts and Archives
Manuscripts and archives range from the ancient Bischoff manuscript fragments, through historic diaries, to the unpublished work of modern Australian writers.
Medical History Collection
Historical and contemporary medical books with strengths in early Australian health practice and medical Australiana. Forensic medicine and information from the AIDS crisis is included.
Rare Sound Recordings
Extensive collections of sound recordings from Thailand and India, are joined by Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasia recordings
Special Music Collections and Archives
Complementing the Library's diverse holding of Music and Multimedia, Special Collections contains an extraordinary amount of early sheet music, and composer archives.
Rare Books
The Rare Books Collection is comprised of materials that reflect the history of printing, literature and book collecting. English and French literature and history (Swift Collection), Australian literature and history, popular fiction, are among the highlights as is the exceptional children’s literature collection (Lindsay Shaw Collection).
Science Fiction
The Science Fiction Collection at Monash University has grown over the years in support of the Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, and through the generous donations from individual members of the Melbourne Science Fiction community.