Plan your visit + start your research: Special Collections and Rare Books

Researcher touching a page of a medieval manuscript from 1269

Special Collections and Rare Books welcomes students, scholars, and members of the general public to visit our reading room. Researchers are encouraged to review the resources below before visiting SCRB.

 Research guides

Need help getting started with your research? Check out SCRB's Research Guides that cover a range of topics that can be found in our collections, from activism, small press and publishing, immigration, and more!

 Finding material at SCRB

Before coming to visit us, it's often helpful to figure out what it is you want to see when you get here.

Check out our How-To Guide to search for archival materials, rare books, and digital and digitized collections.

 Using materials at SCRB

Coming to visit in person? Find out what you can expect from us before you get here!

Learn about our reading room policies, access our research forms, and learn how to Use Special Collections and Rare Books.

 Research grants + opportunities

Gene Bridwell Graduate Scholarship in Special Collections Annual Award 
Award for graduate students who will use the Contemporary Literature Collection as part of their research.

Lola Projects Graduate Award in Special Collections
Award for graduate students who show evidence of scholarly interest or creative achievement related to dance, choreography or movement-related holdings at SCRB.

Eric Swanick Special Collections Travel and Research Grant
Travel grant to defray costs for researchers working with SCRB materials.

Charles Olson Award in English
Award for individuals whose research and publication plans involve study of the Charles Olson collection at SCRB.

Contemporary Literature Graduate Research Award
Award for master's or doctoral students pursuing research in the Contemporary Literature Collection.

Special Collections Print Culture Research Award
Award for undergraduate or graduate students in the Department of English who are conducting research for an essay, project or thesis that makes use of the pre-1950s physical materials in SCRB.

MA Directed Study term in Special Collections
Directed Study term for students in the MA Print Culture stream.

 

 Have other questions? 

If you need help, please contact our Special Collections Assistants at 778.782.5674 or scrb@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian.