The Special Collections are rare and unique accumulations of materials that exemplify a diverse people, culture, and heritage throughout the islands of the Caribbean. The primary purpose of the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas and St. Croix Campus Libraries’ Special Collections is to support the research and instructional needs of the University community. The general community has access to the collection for research purposes if their needs cannot be met elsewhere. In order to manage, preserve, and secure the collections, the stacks are now closed to the public for browsing, patrons may request to borrow materials from personnel at the ITS Service Desk. This is a recent development for the Ralph M. Paiewonsky Library on the St. Thomas campus) and is part of our current renovation project.
The Melchior Center for Recent History was started in 1979, thanks to the generosity of Ariel Melchior, Sr. The collection highlights recent history of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This collection is housed as a separate collection. The Caribbean Collection has also been relocated and, as with the Melchior Collection, materials may be requested through staff members at the ITS Service Desk. Materials from both collections may be used in the library.
Customers must have a library card in order to check out the materials for in-house use. As always, customers are welcome to make copies of the materials in accordance with copyright law.
By providing access to the materials in the Special Collections by request, we hope to better preserve the collections, and insure the availability of materials to our current and future customers.
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