Our Special Collections of rare books and manuscripts have been assembled over the years thanks to the generosity of individual donors and depositors. Most of them have a connection to the research and teaching undertaken at the University, or a distinctly local or regional dimension. In terms of subject coverage, we have a particular interest in government and politics and psychoanalysis. However, pressures on storage space and our capacity to organise and catalogue collections do mean that we have to be cautious when accepting new materials. While we will always consider taking in collections which match the research and educational interests of the University – especially those which have the capacity to be used in research-led teaching – our ability to house, list, digitise and fully exploit such collections has to be at the forefront of our thinking when deciding on possible acquisitions. Against this background it is not always possible for us to accept collections which are offered to us, and in such a circumstance we will endeavour to recommend an alternative home in another, more appropriate, institution or repository.