JCU - Rare Books

The Rare Book Collection at James Cook University Library is a collection of books and serials which, because of their rarity, fragility, or intrinsic or financial value, have been separated from the general collection of the Library.

The Cairns Campus Library has a small collection of rare books, mostly relating to Cairns and Cape York regions.

There are about 450 titles included in the Douglas Campus collection. Most volumes have been donated. The collection of Professor Olsen, the first warden of the University College in the early 1960s, and the outstanding collection of early Australiana donated by Sir Russell Drysdale are two such gifts, although some items, such as the magnificent thirteen volume Birds of Australia, (1910-1925), were purchased by the Library.

Material in Special Collections may not be browsed or borrowed. All material, except archives, is entered in the Library's online catalogue, Tropicat.

Rare Books in Other Collections

National Library of Australia Rare Books		Details of some of the major collections in our National Library
Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection		A major collection of the US Library of Congress entitled The illustrated book, fifteenth through twentieth century.

If this information is inadequate, incorrect, or can be improved in any way, please let us know