25 West Rosedale Avenue
West Chester, PA 19383
Phone: 610-430-4400
Fax: 610-738-0554 refdesk@wcupa.edu
Special Collections | Telephone: 610.436.3456
Access
West Chester University students, faculty, and staff, as well as others interested in research using the West Chester University Special Collections are welcome to use the collections. NOTE: Materials from Special Collections DO NOT CIRCULATE, and most materials must be used in the Special Collections Room. Also, photocopying may be restricted.
Archival Materials: use the Special Collections Department archival finding aids.
Welcome to Sixth Floor Finds! Our new blog will highlight and explain some of the rich and exciting materials from WCU's Archives and Special Collections.
Hours
Hours may be arranged by appointment.
Email libspeccol@wcupa.edu or call 610.436.3456.
To Request an Appointment, Please Include:
Your name, address, telephone number and/or your e-mail address so the Special Collections Librarian can respond
The author, title, and call number of any book you would like to see, or
a short description of the topic you wish to research in the book or archival collection
The date(s) you are available to use the collection
Library Exhibits: Special Collections perodically exhibits
materials in the library.
See the Library Exhibit Policy and Request Form.pdf to request use of library exhibit space.
Additional Help
Persons interested in Special Collections may also inquire at the F. H. Green Library Reference Desk (email: refdesk@wcupa.edu , phone: 610.436.2453)
Alberta McAfee Historic Textbook Collection: a collection of elementary school texbooks published in America to 1950
Alberta McAfee, WCU faculty member
Combs Collections:
Combs Pop-Up Book Collection, Combs Fine Print Collection
Uel Combs, WCU faculty member
Ehinger Collection: materials dealing with the history of health and physical education to 1945
collected by Russell Sturzebecker and named in honor of Clyde and Ella Ehinger
LUVIM Collection: autographed books and videos of authors who spoke at West Chester University as part of the LUVIM series
Philips Autographed Book Collection: includes autographed books collected by George Morris Philips between 1880 and 1920
(housed in Philips Memorial Building)
Special Collections Juvenile Collection:
rare children's books
Archival Collections:
West Chester University Archives: includes WCU newspapers, catalogs, photographs, and yearbooks
University buildings: Summary data sheets include building history, general condition, current use, and major ongoing projects, available as downloadable Word documents, from the WCU Facilities Division
Becker Archives:
personal papers including research and data relating to the Lenni Lenape Indians, the Etruscans, and Mayan Indians.
Chester County Cabinet Collections: items from the Chester County Cabinet Museum (bows, spears, shells, etc.)
Oral History Collection: taped interviews and transcripts of historic interest
WCU Museum Collections: artifacts from the WCU museum including pottery, implements, etc.
West Chester University Libraries Digitized Special Collections
WCU Special Collections, Keystone Library Network (KLN) Digital Collections.The KLN represents the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and other affiliated libraries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg University, Kutztown University, Millersville University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University currently each contribute to the Keystone Library Network of Pennsylvania Digital Collections.
Autographed Letters of General Anthony Wayne: These letters of correspondence were written by individuals such as Generals Washington, Arnold, Gates, Putnam and Schuyler. The letters were given by Anthony Wayne´s son Isaac to the Chester County Athenaeum, a literary association organized in West Chester in 1827. Later they became a part of the collection of the Chester County Cabinet of Natural Science, and when the West Chester Normal School was opened in 1871, they became the property of the School.
Historic Postcard Collection: Part of the West Chester University Archives, this collection features postcards depicting West Chester’s campus and student life, primarily from the early twentieth century. Many of the postcards include inscriptions from students, faculty, past presidents, and other visitors to the campus.
Philips Autographed Collection: The Philips Autographed Collection of books is one of the treasures of West Chester University. During his tenure as principal of West Chester State Normal School (1880-1920), Dr. George Morris Philips collected autographed copies of many books published during that time. These include both popular and scholarly books autographed by many of the most prominent authors of the day. The collection passed to his son, William Pyle Phillips, who donated the Phillips Autographed Library to West Chester University in 1952. The collection currently is housed in Phillips Hall. The core collection was gathered from 1880-1920, and through the years additional titles have been acquired by the University. The collection's value is not the books themselves but the inscribed autographs, comments, and drawings that were solicited by Dr. Phillips.
WCU Special Collections in the Internet Archive.
These materials were scanned and placed in the Internet Archive using University Performance Funding in conjunction with a special grant from the Sloane Foundation to Lyrasis.
