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Special Collections

The University of the Virgin Islands Libraries' Special Collections are a rare and unique compilation of works that exemplify a diverse people, culture, and heritage throughout the islands.

Caribbean Collection
The Caribbean Collections consist of materials covering a broad range of topics that pertain to the civilization, history and literature of the Caribbean region.

Materials for inclusion are collected from the English, French, Hispanic and Dutch speaking Caribbean islands which feature literature of local Virgin Islanders and other notable Caribbean writers abroad. The focal point of the collection is to highlight the social, economic, political, cultural and topical issues in the region.

Melchior Center for the Recent History of the Virgin Islands
The Ariel Melchior, Sr. Recent History Center (Melchior Center) Special Collection is located in the Orville E. Kean campus library. It includes books, papers, pictures and other material about the recent history of the Virgin Islands from the 1900s to the present.

Virgin Islands Digital Collection
The University of the Virgin Island Libraries, in partnership with the Virgin Islands Division of Libraries, Archives & Museums was awarded a National Leadership grant for digitization from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2000. The award was given for the purpose of digitizing U. S. Virgin Islands' materials in areas of biography, education, history and culture for access on the World Wide Web. Materials drawn from the libraries' collections include: funeral booklets, historical photographs, newspaper articles, research reports and occasional papers. Access the collection online by clicking the title above.

Ralph D. DeChabert Collection
The Ralph D. DeChabert Special Collection is located in the Albert A. Sheen campus library. It includes books, government documents, microfilm and microfiche which focus, first, on the history and culture of the islands and second, more generally on the broader Caribbean. Access the collection online by clicking the title above.


Click here to visit our Caribbean Collection Library Guide.
Click here to download and view our special collections brochure (PDF).