The Special Collections Department is located on the 4th floor of the library and collects rare, unique, fragile, and hard-to-find books. We have a large collection of books on photography, including artists' books and photobooks.
Our books are catalogued Library Home Page, books that are located in Special Collections are indicated in our catalogue under "location". You can access the collection by visiting our reading room and requesting the books you would like to see. We are still open by appointment during the Covid-19 restrictions, please fill out this form to make an appointment.
Browse the photobooks in Special Collections.
The TMU Library First Edition Photobook Award was instituted in 2015 by Library Special Collections Curatorial Specialist Alison Skyrme and Image Arts Instructor Christopher Manson to honor 3rd-year photography students who have made exceptional achievements in photobook production. It provides an incentive for them to achieve early recognition that will have a lasting legacy in our collection. As part of MPS507 – The Photographic Book, a 3rd-year Image Arts course that teaches students design and composition principles, students conceive of and produce their own photobook based on their own photography.
Each year, the Library purchases the top books in the class, as selected by a panel of judges. The books are selected at the annual exhibition of the books at the end of the fall semester, and the winners announced at the exhibition opening. For evaluation, particular attention is paid to the design, sequencing, and integration of images and text. The award is officially given at the next awards night, the following fall semester.