Rare Book Collection
There are more than three thousand volumes of rare books housed in the Archives. This includes titles of significant literary, historical, geographical, and scientific value.
The Robert L. Hess Collection on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
Robert L. Hess, a noted scholar of Ethiopian History, served as Brooklyn College President from 1979-1992. This collection of over 5,000 rare and out of print books and journals includes the memoirs of Italian colonial officials and soldiers, linguistic texts, travel accounts and histories. For more information, please visit the Hess Collection page.
The Stuart Schaar Collection on the Middle East and North Africa
Upon retiring from Brooklyn College, Professor Schaar of the History Department donated his book collection and personal papers to the Library. His collection consists of approximately 4,000 books and periodicals and 77 boxes of manuscript material. The collection also includes a large number of diverse and eclectic works of art from the region.
Information for Donors
The Brooklyn College Archives and Special Collections documents the history of Brooklyn College and the borough of Brooklyn. Donations of materials within the scope of our collection policy are welcome. If you are considering donating items to the archives please get in touch with Colleen Bradley-Sanders, the College Archivist.
Monetary Donation
Make a secure one-time donation to the Brooklyn College Foundation to support the preservation of Brooklyn College and Brooklyn history by visiting Support the Brooklyn College Foundation. Within Fund Designation, please specify #31205594. For Additional Comments or Questions Relating to This Donation, please specify how you would like your funds to be used in Special Collections (i.e. preserving a specific collection, restoring books our Rare Books, or to help process the collections from Brooklyn College departments, faculty, or alumni).
You can also mail a check or money order payable to: THE BROOKLYN COLLEGE FOUNDATION, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210-2889.
Please specify Fund #31205594 in the memo line of the check.
Telephone: 718-951-5346
Email: specialcollections@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Brooklyn College Archives, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
The Archives is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. by appointment only. Please email us to schedule an appointment.
NOTE: The Archives will be closed on the following dates for a CUNY-mandated inventory: November 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, and 13.
If you have a question regarding our archival collections, please send us an email. Currently, we cannot predict response times since we have limited staff on campus. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
Our new exhibit examines the rise and fall of Italian colonialism in the Horn of Africa through the lives of individual Ethiopians, Eritreans, and Italians.
Download our coloring books.
