Special Collections
-
Arthur L. Johnson African-American History Collection
Curriculum Guide Collection
Elephant Research Foundation Library
Florence Nightingale Collection
John Herman Trybom Collection
Juvenile Collection
Law Special Collections
Leonard Simons Collection of Rare Michigan History Texts
Louis Kasle Collection
Merrill-Palmer Institute Collection
Mildred Jeffrey Collection of Peace and Conflict Resolution
Millicent A. Wills Collection of Urban Ethnic Materials
Purdy/Kresge Microform Collection
Ramsey Collection of Children's Literature
Textbook Collection
The Curriculum Guide Collection contains paper copies of curriculum guides from school districts throughout the United States. It is located on the fourth floor of the Purdy Library. Items in this collection are cataloged using a unique Dewey based system and are browsable in the Online Catalog by call number. Nothing has been added to this collection since the late 1970s. The Purdy/Kresge Library currently receives curriculum guides on microfiche.
Mildred Jeffrey Collection of Peace and Conflict Resolution
Named for the labor-movement activist Mildred Jeffrey, this collection was donated to the WSU Libraries in 1990. Adult materials were interfiled throughout the regular collection, while children's books have been kept together on the fourth floor of the Purdy/Kresge Library. This collection focuses on the issues of international peace, conflict resolution, human rights, environmental studies, and social justice. The Jeffrey Collection is under continuing development and is currently being expanded to include non-print materials. Growth of this collection is supported by the proceeds of the Mildred Jeffrey Peace and Conflict Collection Fund. Materials in this collection may be searched in the Online Catalog.
The Arthur L. Johnson collection of books, videos and non-print materials reflects the history of African Americans as it relates to the civil rights movement in the United States. The purpose of the collection is to serve the teaching and research needs of students and faculty, as well as the Detroit metropolitan community. The collection began in 1993 with a donation of several print and non-print materials from Arthur L. Johnson and the establishment of the Arthur L. Johnson Endowment. Items in this collection may be located in the online catalog.
Elephant Research Foundation Library
The Elephant Research Foundation Library (ERFL) is a diverse collection of information and display resources about elephants and their relatives both past and present. Items have been cataloged using the Library of Congress classification system for all adult literature and the Dewey system for the juvenile literature that comprises this collection. All ERFL resources are accessible via the Online Catalog. This is an active collection and one that continues to grow as both current and out-of-print resources are added to it. Please note that the Elephant Research Foundation Library is intended for building use only and patrons must apply for access at one of the service desks in the Science and Engineering Library. Requests for interlibrary loan will be honored whenever possible. See the Elephant Research Foundation Library Web site for additional information and an online bibliography.
The Juvenile Collection is one of the largest collections of this kind in a university library. It contains over 60,000 items. The collection covers age groups from preschool to some lower level college. It includes all subject areas and has special subsections for fiction, biography, and picture easy books. This collection was stated by the College of Education in the early 1940s as a resource for training teachers. It is currently located on the fourth floor of the Purdy/Kresge Library.
Established in the mid-1950s, the Kasle Collection contains materials on comparative religion with a special emphasis on Judaica. Included in the Kasle Collection is the Waxer Collection.
This collection is integrated into the general library collection in the Purdy/Kresge Library. Recent additions to the collection are classified with Library of Congress call number. Older portions of the collection are classified under Dewey Decimal call numbers and many are in Storage. Of special note is the large concentration of materials in a special expansion of the Dewey 296 classification
Items in the Kasle Collection may be located by searching the Online Catalog by Title for "kasle collection". No Catalog access by collection title is provided for materials in the Waxer Collection. Waxer catalog numbers are recorded in the "Notes" field of the accession holding statement.
Merril-Palmer Institute Collection
The Merril-Palmer Institute Collection contains books on childhood education, psychology, and sociology. Many of its monographs are rare and some date back to the early 1900s. The collection was donated to Wayne State University by the Merrill-Palmer Institute. Items in the Merrill-Palmer Institute Collection may be located by searching the Online Catalog. It is a non-circulating collection stored in University Libraries Storage under special accession numbers.
Purdy/Kresge Microform Collection
The Microform Collection, which includes periodicals, newspapers, and other content in microfiche and microfilm format, is available in the Kresge Wing of Purdy/Kresge Library on the first floor. Subject and finding guides are available at the Kresge desk.
Florence Nightingale Collection
The Purdy/Kresge Collection contains a collection of items owned by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. You can also read digital copies.
Ramsey Collection of Children's Literature
Named for its originator, Eloise Ramsey, this collection consists of rare and historical children's books. Many of the titles in this collection are extremely valuable and of great historical significance. The Ramsey Collection has been expanded over the years with award winning titles and otherwise outstanding works. If a client wishes to use books in this collection, a request must be made at the Purdy Reference Desk where it will be evaluated. Whenever possible, recent acquisitions to the Ramsey Collection have been duplicated in the circulating juvenile collection.
The Leonard Simons Collection of Rare Michigan History was donated by Leonard N. Simons. It consists primarily of materials on the history of the Northwest Territories, the State of Michigan, and the Detroit metropolitan area. New items are continuously added to this collection. The collection is located in Room 144 Purdy, the Leonard Simons Room. It does not circulate.
The Textbook Collection contains items that cover all subjects. Special attention has been given to subjects taught in the Detroit Public School System. This collection is located on the fourth floor of the Purdy Library. First copies of all textbooks are non-circulating. If there are additional copies, they are usually circulating. Current materials in this collection are classified under Library of Congress call numbers and have the call number prefix "TEXT"; older items are classified under Dewey Decimal call numbers and have the call number prefix "T". Items in this collection may be located in the Online Catalog under their individual titles.
John Herman Trybom Memorial Collection
The Trybom Memorial Collection was named in honor of John Herman Trybom, a pioneer in Detroit vocational education and one of the founders of vocational education at Wayne University. The original collection was absorbed by Wayne State University Libraries in 1958 and in the 1960s the books were disbursed into the general collections. New materials in the field of vocational and applied education are still purchased through contributions from the John Herman Trybom Committee. Books in this collection are distinguished by a book plate.
Millicent A. Wills Collection of Urban Ethnic Materials
Begun in 1968 and dedicated in 1990 to former Detroit school teacher Millicent A. Wills, this collection consists of books that deal with urban life and ethnic diversity. Although this is a non-circulating collection, all books contained within it have been duplicated for the regular circulating juvenile books. The Wills Collection is located on the 4th floor of the Purdy Library near the juvenile collection.