Special Collections & Archives is home to rare items that can only be found at the University of Waterloo.
Our unique historical materials have helped to distinguish Waterloo as an internationally recognized destination for specialized research. However, the market for these items is highly competitive and fast-paced. In order to sustain our vibrant archival and rare book collections, we need to act quickly to acquire new pieces when they become available.
By securing these resources, we provide scholars with new insight into the past that can inform choices of vital importance to society. Collections focusing on women in work, politics, and education support research which can bring health and equality to the lives of girls and women. Our unique collections on mid-century spiritualist practices support research into cultural grieving practices, important for better understanding mental health in a social context. Collected materials from the field of environmental studies provide researchers with historical data useful in creating both policy and practical solutions to global environmental issues. These collections and more like them can be expanded to provide an even deeper understanding of events that have shaped our world.
You can help
Your gift to Special Collections & Archives will allow us to add rare items to the Library, preserving them and making them accessible to inquiring minds. Please join us as we continue to build remarkable collections that shape our worldview and inform choices that improve our society.
Sample of pop-up diagrams, Euclid and the History of Mathematics Collection
