Manuscripts and archives
The University Library's collections of manuscripts consist mainly of archives from individuals and associations including letters, diaries and manuscripts. The collections also include papyri from antiquity and medieval parchment manuscripts. You find manuscripts in the database Alvin, and in card catalogues and directories at the Humanities Library.
Find manuscripts and archives in Alvin
Alvin is a national platform for cultural heritage material from several cultural heritage institutions in Sweden. You will find some of the university library's manuscripts here, both scanned manuscripts that are available in their entirety and references to physical material that can be ordered. Search for material by name or organization, manuscript title and document type.
Find manuscripts in directories and card catalogues
A large part of the Library's manuscripts is not available in Alvin, but are registered in manual directories and card catalogues . Other parts of the material are not listed at all. Fill in the contact form below and describe what you are looking for, and we will be happy to help you.
Request manuscripts
When you have found a reference to a manuscript in Alvin or in some other source, you can make a request to have the manuscript brought to the special reading room at the Humanities Library. Note that the manuscripts are mainly to be used for scholarly studies and research purposes. Some of the manuscripts can not be requested, due to restrictions of use for some archival material.
About the manuscript collections
Collections at the manuscript department
The Library's manuscript collections have been built since the 1860s. They consist mostly of personal archives from the 19th and 20th centuries and contain, among other things, letters, diaries and manuscripts. You can find archives from authors, artists and opinion leaders, as well as material from researchers and teachers at the university. The collections also include several archives from organisations that contain minutes, annual reports, accounts, prints and other documents. In total, the manuscript collections include over 400 archives. In addition to this, the manuscript department also holds the Swedish East India Company's archives, a papyri collection from antiquity and medieval parchment manuscripts.
Archives from our manuscript collections
KvinnSam's archive
KvinnSam's archive was founded as a private initiative in 1958 and has since 1971 been a part of the University Library. The archive contains around 250 archives of individuals and associations. KvinnSam's manuscripts are mostly from the first half of the 1900s, from the time of the suffrage movement and forward. The archives contain letters, diaries, and manuscripts collected by and about individual women. You can also find records, accounts, and annual reports from women's societies and associations.
Contact us
Contact us if you do not find what you need or if you have other questions. You can visit us at the Humanities Library, call us or fill out the contact form below. Describe what you are looking for, and we will help you.