Special And Digital Collections

The regional collections housed in Hunter Library’s Special Collections focus on manuscripts documenting southern Appalachian life and natural history, with particular attention to western North Carolina. The manuscripts include letters, diaries, business and financial records, legal documents, literary productions, maps, news clippings, and photographs. Specific collections may represent the activities or history of an individual, a family, a business, or organization.
Areas of collecting interest include:

1. material documenting the cultural and natural history of western North Carolina and southern Appalachia;
2. material documenting the history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians;
3. literary works and papers of authors residing in, or native to, or writing about western North Carolina;
4. materials concerning the history of Western Carolina University (previously known as Cullowhee High School, Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School, Cullowhee State Normal School, Western Carolina Teachers College, and Western Carolina College). Materials include university publications and photographs; and
5. material concerning the behavior of spiders.

Search the Library's Manuscript Collections

This collection contains books that would be difficult to replace if damaged or lost and includes materials pertaining to regional history and culture, Appalachian wilderness, and the behavior of spiders. Special Collections books do not circulate but may be used in the Special Collections reading room.