About Us

The Special & Area Studies Collections Department is home to the University’s collections of rare print, archives, manuscripts, and materials related to the study of different geographical or thematic areas. These collections have grown out of the individual efforts of the University to amass, arrange, and advance knowledge for the future. Our faculty and staff bring expertise, commitment, and energy to the collections under our care, making them greater than the sum of their parts.

We are located in the historic Smathers Library Building, where you will find our reading rooms and exhibition spaces. You can take a tour of the different areas of the library below. All of our collections are open to students, researchers, and the general public, and selections are available worldwide via the University of Florida’s Digital Collections website.