Special Collections is home to many unique autograph and holograph manuscripts. The oldest manuscript dates back to the early 1200s. These collections include Papal manuscripts, The Critic literary magazine collection, various 18th and 19th century letters written by notable British and American authors, as well as a lengthy letter written by Illinois' wandering poet Vachel Lindsay. Patrons are invited to peruse the materials in person or to enjoy the collection digitally.
Rare Books and Print
Dominican University holds approximately 2,000 rare books published between 1500 and 2018. These books include autographed, inscribed, and limited editions, as well as publications related to the history of the Sinsinawan Sisters themselves. Among these codices are some distinct holdings as well, including the Racine Dominican gift and the Irish Book Collection of Mae Kennedy Kane.
Archives and Special Collections is responsible for accessioning, cataloging, safeguarding and displaying the University's collection of artwork. There are approximately 3,500 items (and counting) in the Dominican University Art Collection. Some of the materials identified within Manuscripts, Prints, and Special Collections are catalogued and administered as part of the artwork collection. The Archives also administers a lending program placing works in offices, departments, and public spaces throughout both campuses. The collections include paintings, prints, sculptures, woodworks, mosaics, costumes, tapestries, wall hangings, scrolls, metalworks, and photographs.
The Archives' photograph collection contains a rich visual history of the Rosary College and Dominican University spanning several decades. Images from the collection include visuals of campus life, academic events, alumni reunions, foreign programs, and other significant milestones which have shaped the university's identity. From early black-and-white photographs to digital images, our collection contains a variety of prints, negatives, and slides all accessible upon request.
Images are being digitized on an ongoing basis, with some collections already fully accessible, such as our Japanese Lantern Slides, and Wilson A. Bentley's Snowflake collection. If you have a specific image request you can submit a reproduction request form available through our Archives Services & Policies tab. For any further questions or assistance reach out to us at archives@dom.edu or (708) 524-5929.
The Archives is home to a diverse body of multimedia resources in a wide variety of formats. Our audio collection includes oral histories, theater productions, poetry readings, and materials related to lectures and seminars delivered during campus events. The largest body of materials is drawn from conversations with Sisters from 1960s through the 1980s, and lectures from Siena Center events. Our video archives currently include materials dating from the early 1920s up through today. The bulk of materials is contained on video cassettes, though we've obtained DVD-rs for storage of our 8 mm, 16 mm, 13 mm film collection. The archive collections are being digitized on an ongoing basis, but clips of our audio and video collection will soon be accessible through our Digital Collections page. For further information please contact archives@dom.edu or (708) 524-5929.
Dominican University is home to a rich, diverse set of Special Collections. Encompassing various historical materials, our holdings include:
- American Library Association Correspondence, 1879
- Wilson A. Bentley Snowflake Collection
- Hart Family Civil War Collection
- Hispanic Postcard Collection
- Japanese Lantern Slides, ca. 1880s
- Mo Lebowitz and The Antique Press Collection
- The Louis A. Lerner Papers
- The O'Shea Family Papers
- The Patricia Ellen Ricci Papers
In addition to our historical and graphic design collections, the University also holds related research collections including a sizable set of print auction catalogs from numerous notable auction houses including Buterfields, Christie's, Sotheby's, and Charles Wood Bookseller. Some of these collections such as the American Library Association Correspondences, the Wilson A. Bentley Snowflake Collection, the Japanese Lantern Slides, the Hart Family Civil War Collection, and the Patricia Ellen Ricci Papers are accessible digitally. High resolution scans can be requested by emailing archives@dom.edu
The Archives house a diverse collection of student, and university related publications which document the history of Rosary College and Dominican University. Items within this collection include academic journals, bulletins, literary journals, magazines, newspapers and yearbooks. Each demonstrate the evolution of the university's programs, student life and community engagement. Certain issues of our collection have been digitized and are accessible to peruse. For further information please visit our Publications page or contact us at archives@dom.edu or (708)524-5929.
The Archives' largest collection is its holdings of Institutional Records. These records include files documenting all of its programs and operations, representing the Office of the President, Provost, and Deans, as well as its Faculty, Trustees, and other administrators. The records also include various campus events, theater productions, convocations, commencements, and related academic activities. The records are comprised of analog and digital materials in both contemporary and outdated formats.
These records are, for the most part, restricted. Only the office or the individual who created the records may access them in full. This is owing to the fact that the records may or may not contain salary information, social security numbers, banking information and various materials proscribed by HIPAA and FERPA regulations,
Individuals who are interested in access these materials must contact the Archivist or the University Librarian to schedule a time to review the collections. For additional details, please refer to Steven Szegedi Archivist: sszegedi@dom.edu or (708) 524-5929.
