The Special Collections, being a part of the University Library of Antwerp, and the Ruusbroecgenootschap Library together make up one recognized cultural heritage organisation. This has led to an intense and fruitful collaboration. You can look at our combined annual rapports to learn more about our collaboration.
But cooperation does not stop at our doorstep. We take part in different comities and boards with other heritage libraries and organisations like Faro and the Vlaamse Erfgoedbibliotheken. For example, we have worked on a sector wide position paper about loaded library heritage, an initiative co-shouldered by the University of Antwerp.
Mission of the Special Collections
Our department, together with the University Archives, care for the rich and varied heritage collections of the University of Antwerp. As collection administrators, our job is to act as the ‘memory’ of the University. We collect, select, preserve, register, describe and unlock the collections that tell that history. In addition to that, we also stimulate research and awareness about the university’s heritage. We do this according to the industry standards developed by the academic communities, since they are our main audience and stakeholder.
The Special Collections manages three types of heritage:
- The library collection, or Preciosa collection
- The art collection
- The academic heritage
Collection policy plan
The past years, the Special Collections have not only realized the strategic policies set by the Department Library and Archive, but also added our own innovative collection policies, which transcend the collection policies of the library as a whole.