From rare books and manuscripts to artworks and contemporary zines, the University of Delaware’s Special Collections is home to many unique items that enhance teaching, learning and research. Our expert staff work closely with these materials on a daily basis–acquiring new items, describing and preparing collections for use, and coordinating instruction sessions and research visits. While hundreds of visitors engage with Special Collections each year, the staff who care for these materials often form personal connections to the items they encounter along the way. What sparks their curiosity? What memories, emotions or reflections emerge while processing a collection or handling an object?  

In Personal Lives: Staff Selections from Special Collections, visitors are invited to explore collection materials chosen by individual staff members that highlight a personal connection, interest or story. From new acquisitions to old favorites, the items on view offer a window into the people behind Special Collections and the meaning they make from the collections in their care. 

The exhibition is on view August 25, 2026 - May 28, 2027 in the Special Collections Gallery in Morris Library. The Special Collections Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.