Rare Books holds over 100,000 volumes, along with a collection of serials and audiovisual books, the majority of which complement the archival collections at SCRC. Subjects primarily include American and British expatriate literature, Irish literature and history, James Joyce, American philosophy, First Amendment Freedoms, Southern Illinois history and culture, World War I and II history, Spanish Civil War history, early print books of the 15th through 18th centuries, fine printing books of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and historical children's literature. Also included are the extant libraries of historical persons and institutions, such as John Dewey, Lawrence Durrell, Ralph E. McCoy, and the Open Court Publishing Company.
Morris Library's catalog Primo includes entries for all rare books, as well as SIUC dissertations and theses.
