Special Collections at Mann Library

Mann Library's Special Collections hold materials that are too rare, valuable or fragile to be housed in the regular stacks. They consist of more than 7,000 volumes, many of which contain hand-colored illustrations, engravings and lithographs.

Many volumes housed within Mann Special Collections originated from the personal libraries of great Cornell figures such as Liberty Hyde Bailey, Anna and John Henry Comstock, and Martha van Rensselaer. In several cases these bequests have become the basis of specialized collections of particular importance:

• The Phillips Beekeeping Collection is the world's largest and most valuable collection of books and manuscripts on bees and beekeeping.
• The Rice Poultry Collection is a major repository of information on poultry science.
• The Language of Flowers Collection is a valuable resource for researchers in Victorian culture, horticulture as art, and women's lifestyles.

Other strong collections are available in lace, New York State agriculture, natural history and home economics, botany, evolution, genetics, ecology, agricultural economics, general agriculture and home economics, general natural history, fly fishing, textiles and costume history.

Materials from Special Collections may be used from 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Requests should be made at the Circulation desk. Policies for viewing special collections materials are listed here.