Rare books & Archives
At Hertford, we’re proud to be the custodians of two exceptional collections – our rare books, which number around 5,000, and our archival material which traces the history of teaching and learning on Catte Street back to its earliest foundations.
Our historic library collection around 5,000 books published from the 15th century onwards, including a small number of incunabula – books printed before 1501 in Europe. We also hold a number of books written or donated by some of our famous alumni.
The Archives house material relating to the present college and its governance, as well as to that of our predecessors – Hart Hall, Magdalen Hall and the first, short-lived Hertford College. To find out more about the college’s history, visit our Hertford history page.