Special Collections holds and manages collections of rare books and other valuable, unique, or fragile materials that would be impossible to replace. Consequently, access to and use of our holdings is limited—that is, materials do not circulate, photo-reproduction is on a case-by-case basis, and some items can only be consulted with staff assistance. Please be mindful that you might request an irreplaceable book and, as such, this book requires careful and deliberate handling.
The Dimensional and Artists Books Collection comprises various genres of movable and pop-up books as well as examples of artists’ books, mixed media objects which intersect with the form, content, or function of printed texts. It is an intentionally eclectic collection bringing together books that explore the nature and boundaries of what a book is or how the form can change the “normal” relationship between reader and text.
The Steve Cates Folk Dance Collection captures the history of Murfreesboro’s International Folk Fest and its related organizations - the International Folkloric Society, the Kittrell 4-H Square Dancers, the Rutherford County Square Dancers, and the Cripple Creek Cloggers. The Collection is named after founder Steve Cates and contains administrative and organizational papers, publications, books, newspapers, photographs, scrapbooks, costumes, and cultural artifacts.
This collection is not fully cataloged and processed. Please ask Special Collections staff for assistance.
The Eudora Welty Collection consists of approximately 90 books with the majority being first editions (with some titles in multiple copies) as well as special and occasional publications. Additionally, the Collection includes copies of periodicals where Welty’s short stories and other writings first appeared.
The Educating Tennesseans, a historical collection draws from materials already held in Special Collections. It covers the history and development of classroom education and instruction within the United States, particularly Tennessee, and includes historical classroom texts and materials, as well as teacher training.
