Special Collections Mission Statement

The University of Tennessee Special Collections Library is dedicated to building collections of manuscripts, books, and other unique research materials in support of both the University’s scholarly community and interested members of the general public. Our current collection strengths include materials relating to:

• Tennessee in the American Civil War
• Tennessee politics and politicians in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries
• Religion in Tennessee between roughly 1800 and 1950
• Native American tribes in the Southeast
• 19th and 20th century Tennessee authors
• Knoxville’s growth during the 20th century
• Oak Ridge and the TVA
• The Smoky Mountains

The Library is also dedicated to caring for these rare materials. All of our collections are carefully processed and preserved and are kept in as secure an environment as is available. The Library also makes these collections accessible to patrons, both through active support of researchers as well as through displays and publications dealing with our holdings.