The Rare Books Collection

The Rare Books collection contains rare works which are unique in a library of many first editions and exclusive materials. Several items may be the sole copy of the work in existence. Examples of rare items in the Library Division’s collections include: Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African (1794); a collection of 18 editions of Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin in various languages; and Henry Baker’s Patents by Negroes [1834-1900].