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Rare books, archives and manuscripts

Special Collections

Explore nationally recognised collections, from the Overstone Library to the Beckett and British Printing and Publishing archives.

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Explore the University of Reading Special Collections of rare books, archives, manuscripts and designated collections, plus a growing range of online exhibitions and Reading Room research services

About Special Collections

Free entry

University of Reading Special Collections (based at The Museum of English Rural Life),
Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX
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Opening hours

Tuesday – Friday 
Reading Room 9:30am – 4:30pm 
Museum & Cafe 9am – 5pm
Full opening hours

Beckett Collection

The world’s largest collection of resources relating to the Nobel Prize winning author, Samuel Beckett.

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Archive of British Publishing and Printing

The archive covers the full range of British publishing activity from 1800 to the present day

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Rare Books

Our rare book collections of over 80,000 volumes include early printed books, private press books, modern literary first editions and ephemera.

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Business and Family Archives

Nancy Astor, William Henry Smith, Huntley and Palmers, DEGW and more

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Writers’ and artists’ papers

Fiction, poetry, journalism, film, photography and architecture

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Reference Collections

Material to support research using our Special Collections, on Beckett, Museum Studies, book history, evacuees and university history

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Views of the Cloisters and of the Grounds and Buildings, London Road (UHC PH3411)

University History Resources

Institutional collections relating to the University of Reading and its history

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Explore stories from our collections

Discover Our Online Exhibitions

From biscuit tins to bees, literary treasures to travel tales – discover exhibitions that bring our archives, books and objects to life.

Access the MERL Library, Archives and Special Collections

Reading Room

Book ahead for archive and Special Collections research, or drop in for Open Access Library use. Priority is given to visitors consulting the collections.

Latest News

Published Date
February 13, 2026

Mills & Boon: The Surprise Archive 

Having long been a lover of a good romance novel, it was a dream come true to be granted permission…

Published Date
February 2, 2026

Festivals of the Imagination: early editions of novels and poetry by James Joyce 

In 2020, Stephen James Joyce, Joyce’s grandson, bequeathed the Solange and Stephen James Joyce Collection to the University of Reading Special…

James Joyce is sitting on a chair. His young son has his arm around his father's neck and they are holding hands.
Published Date
December 9, 2025

Family photos from the personal archive of James Joyce

The Solange and Stephen James Joyce Collection The University of Reading has acquired a major collection of books, documents and…

Published Date
November 24, 2025

A Century in Print: Exploring Student Life Through University of Reading’s Magazines (Part 2)

We continue our journey through the extensive range of periodical publications housed in the University History collection, also known as…

Published Date
November 14, 2025

A Century in Print: Exploring Student Life Through University of Reading’s Magazines (Part 1)

As part of the Special Collections library team, I am responsible for cataloguing and making available the printed and published…

A pile of letters from the late 1950s showing colourful designs and stamps
Published Date
October 23, 2025

A pile of old letters – new research methods, vintage limitations

  Written by Amanda Knight, Graduate Trainee Archive Assistant, 2024-2025.   As the latest in a succession of Graduate Trainee Archive…

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