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Special collections is a term for books, papers, or objects that are unique and/or rare and/or valuable and have enduring research value. They cover a large variety of formats, including books, letters, diaries, unpublished manuscripts, scrapbooks, photographs, sound recordings, video recordings, and objects.
Burns Library specializes in a few collecting areas:
- Jesuit and Catholic history and writings
- Irish and Irish American history, literature, language, and music
- University Archives of Boston College
- Caribbean history;
- British Catholic authors
- Boston history, politics and culture
- Nursing history
- Popular fiction over time
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