WELCOME TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS!
The Lehigh Libraries Special Collections is the home of the university’s archives, local history, manuscript and rare book collections, and is open to the Lehigh community and the public. The collections preserve and provide access to thousands of linear feet of archival materials and over 40,000 rare books.
But there’s more to Special Collections than just our collections! We answer hundreds of reference questions every year and offer class instruction and research assistance for Lehigh faculty and students. We are also open to scholars and community researchers. We host events, open houses, and exhibitions throughout the year. Please contact us today!
Local history, Lehigh University collections, and photographs are generally available the day of your visit. We are located in Linderman Library 3rd Floor West Room 342, the Bayer Galleria. We are open by appointment Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m and are open for walk in consultations.
Research Services
Lehigh History Resources
Information and resources on Lehigh's role in engineering, sciences, education, arts and humanities, leadership and entrepreneurship.
Digital Special Collections
Digitized and born-digital material from the holdings of Lehigh Libraries Special Collections.
New Resource
16th and 17th Century Atlases
Featured works from the collection of Lehigh alumnus Duncan Payne '63.
Lehigh Photograph Collection
Over 20,000 digitized photographs related to Lehigh University.
I Remain
Autographed letters collection including letters, manuscripts, and ephemera from over 400 writers throughout the centuries.
Local History
Material related to the history of Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley.
Speeches of Lee Iacocca
Collection of 500+ speeches delivered by Lee Iacocca '45 during his time as CEO of Chrysler and after his retirement.
Medieval Manuscripts
Digitized handwritten medieval books, leaves, and fragments. This collection was created as part of the CLIR funded Bibliotheca Philadelphiensis with the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL).
Postcards
Over 1,200 digitized postcards related to Lehigh and the Lehigh Valley. Many of these postcards are part of a gift from the South Bethlehem Historical Society.
Digital Bridges
A collection of over thirty representative historical bridge engineering monographs, manuals, and artifacts. This project was underwritten in part by Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered through the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Library's NETShare program.
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
A project to digitize the maps and drawings of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company held by Lehigh University's Special Collections. This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Fritz Laboratory Reports
Reports documenting research conducted at Lehigh's Fritz Engineering Laboratory between 1937 and 1997.
Athletics Materials
Team photographs, football programs, and athlete scrapbooks.
Stereographic Photos
Side-by-side photographs that can create a three-dimensional image when viewed through lenses.
Current Exhibit
Feathers & Folios
Rediscovering Miles Rock
Featured Exhibits
Where Do We Go from Here?: Selected Maps and Atlases from the Duncan Payne and Lehigh Libraries Collections
Where Do We Go from Here?: Selected Maps and Atlases from the Duncan Payne and Lehigh Libraries Collections
Manufacturing A Narrative About Work: Labor Fiction Inspired by the Industrial Age
Manufacturing A Narrative About Work: Labor Fiction Inspired by the Industrial Age
No Postage Necessary
Postcards from the 1900s until the present, detailing changes over time to the campus and surroundings.
Transfers and Gifts
Contact Us
Get in touch with Special Collections via
- Phone: 610-758-4506
- Email: inspc@lehigh.edu
- Mail: 30 Library Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015