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University of Exeter Special Collections
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Join us in exploring the University of Exeter Library's Special Collections, which include archives, manuscripts, rare books and maps. There's something for everyone, and everyone is welcome.

Find out more! ➡️ libguides.exeter.ac.uk/archives
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exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the trees, for this is their special week! 🌲

One of our favourite trees in the collections is this vibrant illustration (and poem!) by the writer and poet, Ronald Duncan.

📷 EUL MS 397/2/2/2

#NationalTreeWeek #NationalIllustrationDay #Archives
Painting of a tree with a grey trunk and leaves of green, red, purple and orange. Next to the tree is a poem: 'Pheasants feathers of amethyst, Magenta, crimson, burnt sienna & brown, Leaf the maple's branches with a mauve mantle, As it stands sentinel to the undying Fall.' Ronald Duncan's signature and the date '9 Sept - 77' are noted in the bottom right hand corner.
November 28, 2025 at 10:32 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Student volunteer, Ted, has written a fantastic new blog post to accompany his exhibition on the Cornish poet & writer, Jack Clemo: 'Exhibition of a Rebel'.

Read it here! ➡️ specialcollections.exeter.ac.uk/2025/11/26/j...

This exhibition is free for all to visit on Level -1 of the Forum Library.
Display case with three shelves, featuring a range of items, including photographs, letters, documents, books, a small bust, and even a box with two conkers!
November 27, 2025 at 9:53 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the walruses, for today is their special day!

To celebrate World Walrus Day, here is an illustration of a walrus from the book 'Animated Nature' (1828) by Georges-Louis Leclerc.

📷 Reserve 590 BUF

#WorldWalrusDay #WalrusDay #RareBooks
Cropped image from a book showing a colour illustration of a walrus in side profile. The walrus is lying down in side profile on sandy ground next to a body of water. It has a slightly doleful expression on its face.
November 24, 2025 at 10:05 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Did you know the University of Exeter has had its own student TV station since 1992?

This newspaper article appeared in the student newspaper 'Exeposé' on 20 January 1992 to announce the launch of XTV.

📷 Exeter University/Exeposé

#WorldTelevisionDay #TelevisionDay #UniOfExeterArchive #Archives
reen background with white bold text at the top reading: 'It's World Television Day!', next to a colour graphic of a television. Underneath is an image of a newspaper article with the title 'Lights, Camera, Action! XTV On Air!'. Underneath is white text reading: Exepose, 20 January 1992, University Archive, University of Exeter LIbrary's Special Collections', next to a graphic of a clapperboard.
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...in our new Special Collections exhibition! 🎄

Head to the display case on Level 0 of the Forum Library for festive feast for the eyes in our 'Vintage Christmas' exhibition, featuring archives, rare books, and plenty of Christmas cards!
Display case showing three shelves featuring archives and rare books relating to Christmas.
November 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Our collections include the library of cultural historian Prof. Chris Brooks, comprising around 10,000 books, many of which are books for children published between the 19th and early 20th century.

This is our most colourful book collection! 😍

#WorldChildrensDay #RareBooks #Victorian #Edwardian
Shelves of books in the Chris Brooks Collection. The books in this photograph were written for children and young adults in the 19th and early 20th century, and many of them have colourful and illustrated bindings.
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the anteaters, for today is their special day!

To celebrate World Anteater Day, here is an engraving from the book 'The Illustrated Natural History' by J. G. Wood, published in 1863.

📷 Reserve 590.2/WOO

#WorldAnteaterDay #AnteaterDay #RareBooks
Engraving of an anteater from a book. The anteater is standing in side profile, with a long thin tongue protruding from its long snout. It has a black stripe running from its upper front legs toward its spine. The coat is dense, coarse, and shaggy with long hairs. It is standing on four legs, and has sharp front claws. The caption under the engraving reads: 'Tamanoir, or Ant-Bear - Myrmecophaga jubata'.
November 19, 2025 at 9:41 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend, but especially to all the peafowl, as tomorrow is their special day! 🦚

To celebrate World Peacock Day, here is an illustration of a peacock from the book 'Animated Nature' (1828) by Georges-Louis Leclerc.

📷 Reserve 590 BUF

#WorldPeacockDay #RareBooks
Cropped image from a book, showing a colour illustration of peacock. It is standing on a branch and looking very regal. A wood grouse stands on the branch underneath.
November 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Kindness comes in many forms. It may just be sharing your fruit with a good friend (which we would like to think is what's happening in this illustration!).

📷 Illustration of a malbrouk and a mandril from 'Animated Nature' (1828); Reserve 590 BUF

#WorldKindnessDay #KindnessDay #RareBooks
Colour illustration a malbrouck sitting on a branch and holding a piece of fruit. It appears to be smiling rather sweetly. Next to the malbrouck is a colour illustration of a mandril, who is sitting on the ground with its knees pulled to its chest, one arm resting on its knees. It appears to be looking rather hopefully at the piece of fruit.
November 13, 2025 at 10:55 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
📣 There's one day left to apply!

We are looking for a permanent full-time archivist to join our friendly team!

Closing date: 11 November 2025

For full details and to apply ➡️ jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

#ArchiveJobs #LibraryJobs #Heritage #ExeterJobs #Exeter #Archives #RareBooks
Collage of 40 images of archives and rare books held at the University of Exeter Special Collections.
November 10, 2025 at 9:44 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
On #WorldDigitalPreservationDay, this photo from our #UniOfExeterArchive is a reminder that technology is constantly evolving, & when it becomes obsolete, information may be lost. Digital preservation is vital to enable access to digital records, now & in the future.

#WDPD2025 #ThrowbackThursday
Black and white photograph of a person with long hair typing at a computer terminal in the Old Library.
November 6, 2025 at 10:22 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
📣 There are just a few days left to apply!

We are looking for a permanent full-time archivist to join our friendly team!

Closing date: 11 November 2025

For full details and to apply ➡️ jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

#ArchiveJobs #LibraryJobs #Heritage #ExeterJobs #Exeter #Archives #RareBooks
Collage of 40 images of archives and rare books held at the University of Exeter Special Collections.
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
A pocket diary is pretty tiny - but sometimes its contents can be even tinier! 🍀

These diaries of Dorothy Harmsworth each contain a four-leaf clover. The tiniest is just over an inch long.

They must be some of the tiniest & luckiest finds in our archives!

📷 EUL MS 435/6/5/1 #TinyTuesday #Archives
Photograph of three pocket diaries dated 1955, 1957 and 1963. Underneath each diary is a four-leaf clover in a labelled melinex sleeve. A metal ruler next to the diaries shows how small the items are.
November 4, 2025 at 10:10 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the jellyfish, for today is their special day!

This coloured plate by Philip Henry Gosse is from the book 'A Naturalist's Rambles on the Devonshire Coast' (1853).

📷 Reserve 574.94235 GOS

#WorldJellyfishDay #JellyfishDay #RareBooks #Devon
Book, lying on a cushion and held open with snake weights, showing a full-page colour plate of a jellyfish.
November 3, 2025 at 11:05 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
!! CORRECTION - Closing date 11 Nov!!

📣 Job alert!
We are looking for a permanent full-time archivist to join our friendly team!

Closing date: 11 November 2025

Apply at: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

#ArchiveJobs #LibraryJobs #Heritage #ExeterJobs #Exeter #Archives #RareBooks
November 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the lemurs, for today is their special day!

To celebrate World Lemur Day, here is an engraving of a lemur - a diademed sifaka - from 'The Illustrated Natural History' (1863) by J. G. Wood.

📷 Reserve 590.2/WOO

#WorldLemurDay #LemurDay #RareBooks
Cropped image from a book, showing an engraving of a lemur climbing a branch, with a wooded landscape in the background. It has turned its head to look behind itself and, from a human perspective, it appears to have a worried expression on its face. The caption underneath reads: 'Propithece, or Diadem Lemur. - Propithecus Diadema'.
October 31, 2025 at 11:01 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Happy Hallowe'en! 🎃

To get you in the mood for Hallowe'en, here are some bone-chilling reading suggestions from our Edmund Collection of Local History.

This spooktacular collection is available to everyone, for research or enjoyment! 👻

#Halloween #Devon #Exeter #Books
Background image of pamphlets in the Edmund Collection with an orange effect. In the centre of the image, there is text in black: 'Happy Halloween from University of Exeter Special Collections!' Surrounding the text in a ring are seven books on spooky subjects relating to Exeter, Devon, Dartmoor, Exmoor and the West Country.
October 31, 2025 at 10:07 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Here's a 'hooded crow' for you (I'm afraid there were no pictures of jackdaws!). You're right, they are all wonderful characters in their own right & there can be no favourite! I do have a particular soft spot for magpies (& used to have one that I hand-fed!), & agree with you that they're magical 😊
Watercolour illustration of a hooded crow in side profile.
October 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Have you heard the spooky tale of the Hairy Hand? 👻✋

Research papers relating to the Dartmoor legend of the Hairy Hand (as well as black dogs, ghosts, vampires, monsters, witches & more!) can be found in the archive of folklorist Theo Brown.

📷 EUL MS 105

#FolkloreThursday #HairyHand #Halloween
Green background with a cartoon cobweb in the top left-hand corner and a cute cartoon ghost underneath. Next to the ghost is written in white text: 'Explore spooky tales in the archive of folklorist Theo Brown!'. Underneath in green text is written: 'EUL MS 105/10 and EUL MS 105/28 from the University of Exeter Library's Special Collections. On the right is a photograph of of a green drawer of index cards labelled 'Devon Folklore' with an index card entitled 'Hairy Hand' protruding from contents of the drawer. Underneath is another photograph of a typescript document entitled 'The Hairy Hand'.
October 30, 2025 at 10:41 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
📣 Job alert!

We are looking for a permanent full-time archivist to join our friendly team!

Closing date: 11 December 2025

For full details and to apply see: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

#ArchiveJobs #LibraryJobs #Heritage #ExeterJobs #Exeter #Archives #RareBooks
Collage of 40 images of archives and rare books held at the University of Exeter Special Collections.
October 29, 2025 at 2:46 PM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Today is the RSPB's Feed the Birds Day! 🪶

Some of the most common birds we feed in UK gardens are house sparrows, wood pigeons, starlings, and magpies. These early 19th century watercolours of birds are from our archives.

Which is your favourite?

📷 EUL MS 23; digitised by @dhlabexeter.bsky.social
Watercolour illustration of a house sparrow in side profile, perched on what appears to be the top of a post. The handwritten caption above reads: 'Fringilla domestica. The House Sparrow'. Watercolour illustration of a rotund pigeon in side profile, sat on a branch. The handwritten caption above reads: ‘Columba cenas. The Wild Pigeon’. Watercolour illustration of a starling in side profile, perched on a lichen-covered branch. The handwritten caption above reads: 'Sturnus Vulgaris [?] The Starling'. The watercolour is dated 22 June 1804. Watercolour illustration of a magpie in side profile, perched on the ground, as if about to take flight. The handwritten caption above reads: ‘Corvus Pica La Pie The Magpie'.
October 29, 2025 at 11:54 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Ted Hughes died on 28 October 1998. Stored safely inside these two boxes are the poet's complete set of poems and drafts for 'Cave Birds'.

Find out more about our Ted Hughes archive collections at ➡️ bit.ly/2YYMXph

#TedHughes #LiteraryArchives #Archives #OTD #OnThisDay
Two blue archive boxes labelled 'MS 58 (A)' and 'MS 58 (B)' on a table.
October 28, 2025 at 9:57 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
And because we had too many good gibbons to choose from, here's a bonus gibbon - in flight!

This engraving of a gibbon comes from 'The Illustrated Natural History' (1863) by J. G. Wood.

📷 Reserve 590.2/WOO

#InternationalGibbonDay #GibbonDay #RareBooks
Cropped image from a book, showing an engraving of a gibbon leaping with its arms stretched in front of it, and its eyes facing towards you. It appears to have leapt from a tree, which is in the background, in front of a forest landscape. The caption underneath reads: 'Silvery Gibbon. - Hylobates Leuciscus'.
October 24, 2025 at 8:52 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
Good morning to everyone, but especially to all the gibbons, for today is their special day!

To celebrate International Gibbon Day, here is an illustration of two gibbons from the book 'Animated Nature' (1828) by Georges-Louis Leclerc.

📷 Reserve 590 BUF

#InternationalGibbonDay #RareBooks
Cropped image from a book, showing a colour illustration of a 'Long armed Gibbon' and a 'Little Gibbon' (as described in the caption underneath. They are standing next to each on their back legs, almost standing upright. The 'Long armed Gibbon' appears to be turning away from the 'Little Gibbon'. The 'Little Gibbon' is waving one arm at the 'Long armed Gibbon', as if trying to get its attention (or annoy it!). Behind the two gibbons is a landscape coloured in green, yellow and blue.
October 24, 2025 at 8:52 AM
exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social
It's a wet and windy day here in Exeter! ☔

What do you like to do on a day like this? Brave the elements with a trusty umbrella or stay cosy indoors with a good book, a cup of tea, and a furry companion?

📷 'The Year Book of Daily Recreation and Information...' (1827): Baring-Gould Library 1660.3
Illustration from a book showing four children in the rain. Three children are sharing an umbrella, with the smallest child hiding under an older child's coat. A fourth child in the background is wearing a coat and hat. In the distance is a windmill. Illustration from a book showing a child seated on a chair with their feet on a stool and a book in their hands. Various activities, including sewing, appear to have been abandoned by the child, who appears to be completely engrossed in their book. A teapot stands steaming on a shelf nearby. A black cat sits next to the stool facing a child.
October 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM