Black and white photo of ASU Gammage auditorium, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Distinctive Collections

Welcome

ASU Library's collections of rare and unique materials include rare books, manuscripts, photographs, prints, historical newspapers, realia, architectural drawings, materials related to ASU’s history, and much more. Our major collections document the peoples and places of the Southwest Region. We also have collections that provide a window into the history and cultures of North America, Western Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.

ASU Library's specialized materials staff is committed to providing access to everyone who is interested in learning about our collections.

Interested in a collection?

Get in touch with an archivist or curator to learn more!

Our team

The Distinctive Collections and Archives team consists of librarians and archivists who have extensive disciplinary knowledge to help students, researchers and members of the community interested in our collections. Our team also has specialized training in the selection, description and specialized care of rare and unique historical materials.

News and blog

More news
Codex Nuttall (1902), a facsimile of a Mixtec history, replicates the accordion fold style of the original document, which is painted on deer hide.

Voices from Latin America can be found in dynamic ASU research collection

Two people smiling for the camera in front of a book shelf display

Humanities Lab transforms in-class research into real-world impact

Frank Lloyd Wright's "Taliesin West," his winter home and architectural school, which he began in 1937 in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Arizona's Sonoran Desert.

Preserving America’s Cultural Touchstones: the National Register of Historic Places

Curator unboxing archival materials from the Theatre for Youth and Community Collection

Theatre for Youth and Community Collection still in spotlight after all these years