Special Collections, which includes Rare Books, had another highly successful year of notable and carefully considered rare book acquisitions via purchase, with eight items from three national and four international professional vendors, including Italy, France, and the Netherlands.  Four of the recent arrivals are discussed in detail below, while space issues result in two others related Read More

Working in Special Collections is a joy, but it is not without its terrors. The persistent challenge of preserving collections for long-term access requires vigilance, patience, and the courage to face entropy each and every day. This semester – just in time for Halloween – you can experience some of the chills that archivists face Read More

This week’s guest blogger is Alexander Sanfilippo-Scherer, Alumnus Classical Studies Major, Class of 2025, and a budding numismatist. He has completed multiple research experiences and an internship with the CUA Special Collections. .  What can a simple coin tell us about the past? Ancient Coins can reveal many things to many different people. People that Read More

Robert Frederick Trisco (1929-2023) was a renowned Professor of Church History at The Catholic University of America (CU) and a longtime editor, especially for book reviews, of The Catholic Historical Review (CHR), the official publication of the American Catholic Historical Association (ACHA), an organization he also served as Secretary and Treasurer. An only child and Read More

The blog post below was written by Jana Considine, who is currently working toward her masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Maryland. She completed a volunteer internship in the Rare Books Room this summer. This Summer, I had the pleasure of interning at the Rare Books Library at Catholic University Libraries, Read More

A common experience for students, parents, and alumni of most American universities is receiving a copy of their institution’s alumni magazine in the mail. These publications, ranging from annual newsletters to quarterly magazines, are a fixture of academic outreach and public relations. But more than just serving as a connection between campus and alumni, these Read More

At the beginning of the summer, Rare Books received a bequest of thirteen antiquarian works from the personal collection of Msgr. John F. Wippel, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy [1]. The collection includes eight works printed before or during the year 1500 and features titles by Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Peter Lombard, Duns Scotus, Anselm, and others. Read More

Over the past year, Special Collections staff continued tackling conservation challenges that have arisen within the University’s Rare Books collection. Our past conservation projects can be seen in: “Part I”, “Part II”, “Part III”, and Part IV. As in years past, we have continued working alongside Quarto Conservation and have another incunabulum (a book printed Read More

This morning (July 31, 2025), our staff awoke to the news that Pope Leo XIV has approved St. John Henry Newman to be bestowed the title of Doctor of the Church. As of the time of this writing, there are 37 Doctors of the Church with Newman set to become the 38th. These figures, ranging Read More

Catholicism in Scotland was almost extirpated in the wake of the Reformation of 1560, banning Mass and abolishing the authority of the Pope. New laws changed a millennium of worship, and although the Presbyterian Church was not fully established until  1682, Scottish religious life was forever altered. Scottish universities were closed to Catholics and priestly Read More