Overview

Welcome to the official website of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). RBMS strives to represent and promote the interests of librarians who work with rare books, manuscripts, and other types of special collections. If you happened on our website because you are interested in finding out more about your old books, please refer to our guide titled "Your Old Books" for some basic information and references. If you are a new member of RBMS or are interested in becoming one, please refer to our membership information page.

News & Events

• Winners of the 2009 Katharine Kyes Leab & Daniel J. Leab Exhibition Awards announced [posted 6/14/09]
• RBMS Annual Meeting Times and Locations (10-14 July 2009) [posted 6/2/09, updated 6/11/09]
• Keyword searchable online archive of the RBMS Newsletter [posted 5/22/09]
• The final version of ACRL/RBMS Guidelines Regarding Security and Theft in Special Collections is now available [PDF, posted 3/11/09]
• Draft of ACRL/SAA Joint Statement on Access to Research Materials in Archives and Special Collections Libraries [MS Word, posted 1/8/09, revised 2/20/09]
• RBMS Midwinter Meeting Times and Locations (23-26 January 2009) [posted 12/12/08]
• RBMS Workshop on Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Books) Friday, December 12, 2008 at Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, New Haven, Connecticut [posted 11/14/08]
• 50th Annual Preconference Seas of Change: Navigating the Cultural and Institutional Contexts of Special Collections [posted 9/10/08, updated 1/5/09]