Rare Book Collection

The Rare Book Collection contains materials dating back to the Middle Ages and beyond. Maintained primarily to support Western’s teaching curriculum and student research, it also provides materials for library exhibitions, public programming, and community engagement.

The collection is frequently added to and, at present, is particularly useful for teaching book history, medieval manuscripts, and the exploration and settlement of the Pacific Northwest. Materials documenting the relationship between print culture and Native Americans are a current area of collecting focus.