Archives and Special Collections: Explore Our Collections

Do I need to make an appointment?

Yes. For best results please contact a Library staff member ahead of your library visit. The library staff member will make sure the materials you requested have been prepared and are available at a time convenient for both parties. Most materials will only be available 8.30 - 12 pm  and 1 - 4.45 pm.

Can I check out any of these materials?

Items in special collections are there for a reason and under most circumstances can only be used within one of the designated working spaces.

Can I make copies?

Permission must be granted before any copies may be made. Many of our items may be photocopied or scanned by our staff. We do reserve the right to decline the scanning or photocopying of certain fragile materials. Please be aware, copyright laws may apply to some of our material, and it is your responsibility to understand these laws before requesting copies or using the material in anyway other than a personal nature.

Our Archives and Special Collections include many unique and exciting items as part of various collections. These collections include:

• Selections from the Abraham H. Cassel Collection

  • Abraham Harley Cassel (1820-1908) was an Eastern Pennsylvania Dunker. Although he enjoyed only six weeks of formal schooling, he began collecting as a youth and eventually owned one of the great personal collections of late 19th century America, at least 50,000 volumes. He stored these in his farmhouse near Harleysville, PA. Although the scope of his collecting was broad, the special strength of the Cassel Collection is in the Pennsylvania-German holdings. The Dutch, German, and English language materials containing early works of tremendous importance to the Reformation, by Menno Simons, Caspar Schwenkfeld, Jacques Outerman, Heinrich Bullinger, Georg Fox, and many others. Valuable portions of the collection were sold to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (1882) and Mount Morris College in Illinois (1879). Finally, in 1899 M.G. Brumbaugh personally purchased most of the remaining collection and donated it to Juniata College. 

    Date Range of the Materials:  late 15th century to end of the 19th Century   (1450s – 1890s)  

• Loyal F. Ramsey Science Fiction Collection
• Bill White Comic Book Collection
• Snow Hill Nunnery Collection
• Bible Collection
• Historical Documents and Pamphlets
• Hymnals

To find items in these collections, you can browse our finding aids, linked below. Finding aids for some collections are still in progress, but many of these items are listed in our catalog. You can search for topics in Discovery and filter location to "Archives and Special Collections".

Archives Record Groups

Special Collections