Our collections consist of over 250,000 rare books dating from 1471 and more than four million manuscript items.
We welcome all visitors, whether staff or students of the University of Birmingham, or members of the public.
Our work directly supports the University's research, learning and teaching agenda by collecting and making accessible all collections, and seeking to acquire material which ties into that agenda.
Policies and governance
Find out more about policies and legislation that relate to or have an impact on archives and rare books, such as the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Read our policies and find out about our governance structure.
Special Collections
The University of Birmingham’s Special Collections department comprises three distinct research libraries: the Cadbury Research Library, the Barber Fine Art Library, and the Shakespeare Institute Library.
Careers advice
Our professional staff team comprises Archivists, Conservators and Librarians, working alongside our dedicated Library Support Assistants. If you are interested in learning about our professional roles, or require career information, please refer to the professional organisations listed below:
Social media
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