Special Collections

Call for Applicants: Posner Curatorial Internship

Carnegie Mellon University Libraries invites current or incoming graduate students to apply for the recently reimagined Posner Curatorial Internship. The Posner Curatorial Internship supports Carnegie Mellon University graduate students in gaining practical and paid training in rare books and special collections librarianship. The Internship is intended for students who plan to pursue a career in cultural heritage institutions, including work in libraries, archives, and museums.

Related: Special Collections, About us

Register Now: Fine and Rare III and IV

The Libraries’ Special Collections is envisioned as an interdisciplinary workshop where humanistic modes of inquiry combine with innovative tools to study historical technologies, books, and artifacts.

Philip Glass & Rare Music Editions in CMU Libraries’ Special Collections

After leaving Juilliard in 1962, the composer Philip Glass (1937-) — known for his spare film scores, unconventional operas, and musical minimalism — came to Pittsburgh as a composer-in-residence with Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Fine and Rare III and IV Introduce Musical Treasures and New Acquisitions

Carnegie Mellon University Libraries and Special Collections invite you to join us for two upcoming installments of the “Fine and Rare” series. On December 7, 2023 at 6:30 p.m., Curator of Special Collections Sam Lemley will share rare musical treasures in “Fine and Rare III: Musical Marvels of Special Collections Unveiled.” Then, on January 25, 2024 at 6:30 p.m., “Fine and Rare IV: Inside CMU Libraries’ Special Collections” will introduce recently acquired items in the collections.

Event Recording: Constitution Day 2023

In recognition of Constitution Day 2023, the University Libraries and the Division of Student Affairs hosted the virtual lecture, “Presidential Personalities and Constitutional Power Grabs in Latin America, 1945-2021,” about constitutions in Latin American countries and the efforts of presidents to alter them. A recording of the event is now available.

From Stage to Page: 400 Years of Shakespeare in Print Extended by Popular Demand

CMU Libraries and The Frick Pittsburgh are pleased to announce the extension of "From Stage to Page: 400 Years of Shakespeare in Print" and "Inventing Shakespeare: Text, Technology, and the Four Folios."

Anniversary Exhibitions Trace Influence of Shakespeare through Time and Technology

This year, the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries presents two exhibitions to mark the quatercentenary (1623-2023) of Shakespeare’s First Folio, a copy of which is held in the Libraries’ Special Collections.

“From Stage to Page” Opening Reception

On April 1, friends and supporters of Carnegie Mellon University Libraries and The Frick Pittsburgh gathered for an opening celebration for the joint exhibition, “From Stage to Page: 400 Years of Shakespeare in Print.”

Fine and Rare II Introduces Rare Shakespeare Documents, Plans for Shakespeare Quatercentenary

On January 19, 2023, the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries and Special Collections hosted “Fine and Rare II: Inside CMU Libraries’ Special Collections,” the first event of our celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio.

New to CMU Libraries’ Special Collections: The First Western Treatise on Cryptography & Mechanical Encryption

This month the Libraries acquired a copy of Leon Battista Alberti’s posthumously published Opuscoli Morali, which includes a short work on ciphers and cryptanalysis, “La Cifra”, commissioned by papal secretary Leonardo Dati in 1466 or 7.