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Spotlight

An airport terminal with passengers seated and walking.
Headshot of Satoshi Ito

The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at Swem Library connects students, faculty, and researchers with rare and unique materials, including: 

  • original manuscripts 
  • photographs 
  • rare books 
  • maps 
  • audiovisual media 
  • and more 

Special Collections is open to all researchers for onsite research, but with limited capacity in our reading room. We strongly encourage requesting an appointment to ensure that we will be able to accommodate your visit. We may need to limit your appointment to two hours depending on demand. Please email us at spcoll@wm.edu with requests for appointments, research consultations, and any other questions.

Ask Us

 

Highlights from the Archives

An Acquired Taste

All Posts
 

Reading Tea Leaves at Special Collections

Written by Dan Du, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina - Charlotte (Special Collections Research Center travel grant recipient, 2023-2024)

 

Rest in Peace Colonel Clifford C. Neilson

Rest in Peace, Colonial Clifford C. Neilson. We are honored to have your combat diary in our collections.

Current Exhibit

All Exhibits
Engraving of the Marquis de Lafayette Marquis de Lafayette by Noël Le Mire from a painting by Jean-Baptiste Le Paon.

Lafayette is Here

The Marquis de Lafayette in Virginia

On display: October 1 - December 2, 2024

Location: Read & Relax; Special Collections Lobby

The honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree presented to the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 is on loan from the Chambrun Foundation who preserves and maintains Lafayette’s estate, Chateau de Lagrange, and its archives. The display of the document coincides with the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of commemorate Lafayette's visit to Williamsburg during his 1824-1825 tour of the U.S.