Special Collections

Updated 07/15/2020

Introduction

The Rare Books Cataloging Team at Princeton University Library is responsible for the cataloging of all printed materials from the Department of Special Collections at Firestone Library, as well as rare items from the Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology. The materials cataloged range in date from the 15th to the 21st century and include:

• Books, serials, broadsides, pamphlets and maps printed before the introduction of machine presses in the 19th century
• Artists’ books and 20th century private press publications
• Children’s literature (Cotsen Library)
• Other special and unique materials such as prints, drawings, photographs, posters, postcards, pictorial advertisements, cartoons, comic strips and visual resources

Documentation is divided into the following sections:

• Rare monographs
• Rare serials 
• Form/genre term guidelines