Rare books collection
Books are considered rare if they are printed before 1860, important in their field, are first editions or are collectible.
The collection includes over 200,000 printed books ranging in date from the 15th to 21st centuries.
The reading room is open Monday until Thursday each week, 10am to 4pm, closing for lunch 1 to 2pm. Book a time to visit and view rare books, manuscripts, photographs, archive material as well as some museums objects. Email readroom@st-andrews.ac.uk at least five business days before you would like to visit.
To discuss alternative arrangements including the digitisation of material, please email: speccoll@st-andrews.ac.uk.
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Featured collection
Alchemy
The collection of Professor John Read (1884-1963), professor of chemistry at St Andrews from 1923 to 1963. It comprises c. 350 printed items and some mss which are almost entirely devoted to alchemy and older chemistry texts. The printed books are nearly all pre-1851; there is one incunabulum (Goff M-551) and c. 150 pre-1701 items. Especially notable for first and early editions (14) of works by Michael Maier (1568-1662). Includes prints, engravings, woodcuts, emblem books and catalogues.
