Supporting Special Collections

The Department of Special Collections, like the Libraries of the University of Wisconsin-Madison more generally, has benefited greatly from the generosity of donors; and we are most grateful for the continued support of members of the campus community, the Friends of the UW-Madison Libraries, and other donors and friends both near and far.

Should you wish to donate books or other materials to the Department of Special Collections, we would be pleased to talk more with you about your books or collections, our collection policy and needs, and ways in which our holdings are used in teaching, learning, and research. Please contact the Curator of Special Collections at askspecial@library.wisc.edu, telephone (608-262-2809 / 608-262-3243), or mail:

Curator of Special Collections
Special Collections
990 Memorial Library
University of Wisconsin
728 State Street
Madison, WI 53706

We can then describe more fully the collection policy of Special Collections and our donation procedures.

See also information about helping to build the collections and support the activities of the UW-Madison Libraries:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries
• Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries
• the University of Wisconsin Foundation.

You should consult your own tax adviser about any tax implications of your decision and note that the Department of Special Collections is prohibited by university policy and the Tax Reform Act of 1984 from participating in the direct appraisal of gifts.

Concise answers to many questions about old, rare, and antiquarian books can be found at “Your Old Books,” a guide sponsored by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, and the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia. See also our suggestions about the care and value of rare books.