The early and rare printed works of the Utrecht University Library collection are kept in several climate-controlled depositories. You can request these documents
Pamphlets and brochures can be found in the printed catalogue of Utrecht pamphlets and the annotated catalogues of other large collections (Knuttel etc.). There is also a card catalogue for Dutch, mainly 18th century pamphlets (the Kloosterboer catalogue) if they cannot be found in the printed pamphlet catalogues. A large part of the pamphlets is also full text available.
If you want to have an overview of the many subcollections within the Utrecht Special Collections you can consult the website of the Digitaal Repertorium (in Dutch only). This Repertorium gives an overview of and insight into the thematic (sub)collections of Utrecht University Library, provided that they can clearly be traced as independent collections, because the items are placed together and/or because they have their own catalogue, inventory or list. They cover almost all scholarly fields. The items consist of manuscripts, printed works and maps, historical and recent material. Humanities form the largest part, the field in which manuscripts and printed works are the main sources.
Searching in Worldcat
The early and rare printed works held by Utrecht University Library are for the larger part included in WorldCat. Here you can also search for collections from other libraries. There are several ways to search WorldCat for early and rare printed works:
Searching by subcollections and subject
Catalogues of some (thematic) subcollections are availabe in the Special Collections reading room: with the help of these catalogues parts of the collection can be searched by subject. These subcollections are:
Most other subcollections can be found in print format catalogues or on microfiche. These can also be found in the Special Collections reading room. For an overview of these subcollections go to the Digitaal Repertorium.
An ever increasing part of the collection of early and rare printed works is digitised and so online available.
In this way the documents are 24/7 available and great tools for teaching and reseach purposes. There are two ways to find out if a work is electronically available:
On the Special Collections website you will find a digital exhibition of incunables printed in Utrecht. It contains an overview of the earliest printed books held by Utrecht University Library.
The early and rare printed works of Utrecht University Library can be consulted in the Special Collections reading room. These items can be requested in WorldCat.
Requested material is kept ready for you at the desk of Special Collections for a period of seven days. Do you wish to extend this period? Please ask the desk staff.
Not all early and rare printed works can be consulted just like that. Special permission from the curator is needed when you want to consult material that is very vulnerable or precious. It may also happen that special materials are on loan somewhere else or are being restored.
On the 6th floor of the Utrecht University Library you will find a reference library, next to the reading room for special collections and map room. Here you can consult reference works in the fields of manuscripts, early printed books, maps and atlases, and private collections. Part of this library is for loan.
For an overview of the different rubrics in the reference library PDF's per material type are available (in Dutch):
