Bruce Peel Special Collections

Closed due to COVID-19

Bruce Peel Special Collections

Thanks to visionary collectors and generous donors, Bruce Peel Special Collections houses a world class collection of more than 100,000 rare books and a significant collection of archival materials that explore a range of local and international subjects. Open on weekday afternoons throughout the year, researchers and visitors are welcome to browse the current exhibition or examine rare materials in the Gregory Javitch Reading Room. For more information, check out our website.

All researchers (including students, faculty, visiting scholars, and members of the general public) must request materials in advance, either using the “Request Me” option in the University of Alberta Libraries catalogue or by submitting a Retrieval Request Form (for books) or a Discover Archives Retrieval Request Form (for archival materials) before 8am on the day of their visit in order to be sure that library materials have been retrieved from storage and are available for their use.

Access to Special Collections

Special Collections is accessible through Rutherford South via the stairs leading to the basement on the west and east sides or via the elevator located in the southwest corner of the Rutherford building (library school entrance).

Closest Parking/Transit Options

• LRT stop is University Station.
• Bus stop is University Transit Centre.
• Closest parking is located just east of HUB mall (Lots 700, N, and U).

Directions to/from above including details about wheelchair accessible entrances and pathways, availability of ramps and automatic door openers, etc

From the University Transit Center, Special Collections may be reached by travelling north on paths or sidewalks to either the west or east entrance of the Rutherford building, crossing the galleria to Rutherford South (ramp available), and using either set of stairs to travel to the basement level front door of Special Collections or the elevator to get to the basement back door. For elevator access, the most direct route from the transit center is along a path to the library school entrance (southwest corner of the Rutherford building), open during normal business hours, where there is a ramp and an automatic door. The elevator is easy to find from this door and the back door of Special Collections is at the basement level.

Alternatively, one can take the elevator in the Transit Center up to the top level, travel through the pedway to HUB Mall, turn left and travel through HUB Mall. There is a pedway from HUB mall to Rutherford and there is an elevator in HUB just before it. One can use this elevator to travel to the ground floor and go outside to cross a short distance into the Rutherford Galleria.

All doors along both paths are wheelchair accessible and have automatic door openers.

Building Access

The two front doors for Special Collections are located at the bottom of the stairs found on the west and east sides on the ground floor of Rutherford South. The back entrance may be used by those who need elevator access and is accessible via the elevator in the southwest corner of the Rutherford building.

Elevators

The back door of Special Collections is accessible via the elevator located in the library school which is in the southwest corner of the Rutherford building. Take the elevator from the main floor to the basement (B) level.

Tables/Workstations

Special Collections has one public service terminal--primarily used by patrons to access the library catalogue--on a standing desk which does not have adjustable seating.

The Gregory Javitch Reading Room in Special Collections has four tables with mostly wooden chairs and a couple of adjustable office chairs. The classroom in Special Collections is equipped with large tables and wooden chairs.

Washrooms

There are men’s and women’s washrooms on the same floor as Special Collections, located just outside the library. Neither has a changing station.

Alarms

There are two fire alarms located in the lobby of Bruce Peel Special Collections, one by each of the two main entrances, as well as one across from the back entrance by the elevator. There is also a fire alarm in the hallway to the men’s washroom (east entrance). In the nearby hallways to the men’s and women’s washrooms there are phones with 24 hour direct lines to Campus Security.

Service Desk

Special Collections has one service desk located in the main lobby, partially visible from the two main entrances.