Introduction to Special Collections and Archives

There are several ways to locate Special Collections materials online, including the library’s online catalog, research guides, subject guides, finding aids, and the Louisiana Digital Library.

Finding aids, also known as inventories, are detailed guides that describe the contents, scope, and organization of archival and manuscript collections. They help researchers locate and understand materials relevant to their topics of interest.

More than 700 finding aids are available and searchable online. However, some remain available only in paper form and can be accessed in the Reading Room at Hill Memorial Library.

Browse our finding aids.

You can explore our entire collection via the LSU Libraries’ online catalog. To limit your search to materials within Special Collections choose "Special Collections" from the drop-down "Libraries" menu below the search box.

Visit the online catalog.

Subject Guides
Subject guides highlight key thematic strengths within the archives and manuscript collections of LSU Special Collections. Each entry provides a brief description of a collection or item related to a specific topic. Once you've identified materials of interest, you can use the library catalog to locate and request them.

Browse our subject guides.

Research Guides

Research guides are curated by library staff to support exploration of LSU’s special collections. They offer an overview of major subject areas, such as rare books, Louisiana newspapers, and tools for researching Louisiana history, and help users navigate available resources.

Browse our research guides.

The Louisiana Digital Library (LDL) is an online collection of digitized materials from cultural institutions across the state, including LSU Special Collections. It provides access to thousands of historical photographs, maps, manuscripts, books, oral histories, and more.

Explore the Louisiana Digital Library

For informational questions, call the front desk at (225) 578-6544.

For research assistance, call the reference desk at (225) 578-6568.