What We Do

The Rare Book Museum, hosted within the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥'s Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books, is Georgia’s first rare book museum and the state’s third largest museum-grade rare book collection.

The Museum’s origins date back to 1986, when the Bentley Rare Book Gallery was founded by library director Robert B. Williams. The Gallery opened to the public in 1988 and was named for Marietta lawyer Fred Bentley Sr. and his wife Sara, who together with the founder, Robert Williams, helped envision the space and made several donations to the rare book collection starting in the 1980s. The vision and purpose of the Rare Book Gallery, as developed by the original curator, Robert Williams, was to build a collection that demonstrated the history of the book in the English-speaking world by acquiring rare books and manuscripts from significant periods in the production of books. Since then, the rare book collection has been built by many donors, including Dr. F.A. Quadfasel, Robert de Treville Lawrence III, Frank J. Sparti and Betty F. Sparti, John and Carol DiFazio, Dr. David Pavesic, and astronauts Edgar D. Mitchell (Apollo 14) and Charles Duke (Apollo 16). The longest, continual collection donor is Robert Williams, whose curatorial vision grew the Museum’s holdings from nineteenth- and twentieth-century first editions to a world-class collection spanning the entire history of the printed word.

We invite you to explore our free exhibitions, join us for public programs, or schedule a research visit with our archivists and curators.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Faculty are welcome to schedule an instruction session with the curator of the Rare Book Museum. The curator will work with you to determine the most appropriate venue and materials with which to instruct your students. Use our  to request instruction services (NetID and password may be required for sign-in).

  • Instruction typically covers:

    • Methods of searching for rare materials
    • The concept of the book as a physical object
    • Interesting aspects of early printed and modern books pertinent to the field of study
    • The incorporation of rare materials into student research
    • The use of collection materials to illustrate the history of readership

    Please contact the curator to discuss specific learning objectives and course topics

  • The Rare Book Museum is a small learning space. No more than twenty-five students can be accommodated at once. If your class is larger than twenty-five, there are several options available:

    • Classes of between twenty-five and thirty-five may use a Library classroom with permission of the library staff
    • Students may be split into multiple groups that visit the Museum during consecutive class sessions or consecutive increments of a single class session
    • The curator may visit large groups in their designated classroom space, utilizing teaching collections and digital materials to reach learning objectives
  • We welcome the opportunity to work with faculty on actively engaging students with our materials. Please contact the curator with project concepts.
  • The collections of the Rare Book Museum are a resource for all members of the KSU and broader communities. Fill out the appointment form or email rarebooks.kennesaw.edu to discuss your research with the curator.
  • The Rare Book Museum is free & open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; no reservations required. To schedule an appointment to conduct research with materials in the collection, fill out the appointment form, including information on the purpose of your visit and how many people will be included.

  • The Department of Museums, Archives & Rare Books hosts multiple exhibitions around campus. Rare Book Museum exhibits are displayed both downstairs in the museum space on the ground floor and in the Athenaeum Gallery, located on the second floor of the Sturgis Library. Check our Exhibitions page for more details.

    In addition, the Museum of History and Holocaust Education has regular hours during which anyone may visit.

  • The collections of the Rare Book Museum are a resource for all members of the KSU and broader communities. Fill out the appointment form or email rarebooks.kennesaw.edu to discuss your research with the curator.
  • The Rare Book Museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Research visits are scheduled by appointment only. Fill out the appointment form or contact the curator to discuss your visit.
  • The collections of the Rare Book Museum do not circulate; however, depending on the condition of the materials, a limited number of reproductions may be made for research purposes. Contact the curator to discuss your options.

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