Special Collections and Archives (SCA) at the UCI Libraries houses the university’s collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, born-digital files, and other unique materials. Our holdings include university archives, critical theory, performing arts, political literature, and a growing collection of artists’ books. In the Orange County & Southeast Asian Archive (OC&SEAA) Center, we lead a community-focused effort to preserve and catalog our local culture.
The UCI Libraries welcomes financial gifts that support the mission of Special Collections and Archives. Your gift will ensure the excellence of our collections and will support the following:
Efforts to preserve our history
Archival collections rarely arrive in perfect shape. Professionally trained staff in Special Collections and Archives spend hours organizing, preserving, and describing materials to make them available for researchers to use.
Your gift will help us hire staff to work on collections, such as the Southeast Asian Archive or collections documenting Orange County history. Recent gifts have supported work on collections relating to LGBT history, women's organizations, and environmental activism in Orange County.
Build unique and rare collections
We strive to collect unique or rare books, manuscripts, archives, and photographs that support primary research in the humanities or social sciences. Your gift will help us continue to build our renowned artists books, dance, or other collections.
Support research in our collections
Archives and primary sources in Special Collections offer direct evidence about the past and often form the basis for original research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Your gift will support research utilizing collections in the UCI Libraries Special Collections and Archives. Your gift will support our initiatives to make more materials available online or encourage young scholars to conduct research with our collections.
Make a gift to support Special Collections and Archives
To learn more about visiting or using Special Collections and Archives at the UCI Libraries, click here.