Discover the unique and rare materials housed in UNLV Special Collections and Archives. Explore a vast array of resources related to Las Vegas, Nevada, and the gaming industry, available both in-person and online. Learn how these collections provide valuable insights into the rich history and diverse communities of Southern Nevada.
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UNLV Special Collections and Archives can be found on the third floor of Lied library located on the traditional homelands of the Nuwuvi Southern Paiute People, just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
We collect, preserve and provide in-person and online access to unique and rare materials focused on Las Vegas, our region, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the gambling industry worldwide.
Unlike other parts of the library, our materials may not be checked out or physically removed from our space.
Our reading room is an inclusive and welcoming area for researchers to access physical materials housed in our many collections.
Researchers can explore a wide variety of materials related to Las Vegas, including collections focused on the founding and early years of the city, architecture and urban planning, water and the environment, politics and government.
Other significant collections value the rich diversity of communities and organizations that give our region its unique character.
They enable researchers to learn about Las Vegas’ African-American, AAPI, Jewish, Latinax, LGBTQ+ and Native American communities, and their many important contributions to the history of Southern Nevada.
Other collections illustrate the many contributions made by women in the areas of ranching, activism, politics, medicine, entertainment, and more.
Researchers focused on gaming and hospitality can explore collections on the legendary hotels, casinos, gambling, cuisine and entertainment that made Las Vegas famous.
In addition to these are collections on Central and Southern, Nevada's mining and railroad industries provide insight into boomtowns like Goldfield, Rhyolite and Tonopah.
No history of Las Vegas would be complete without understanding how federal government projects like Hoover Dam, Basic Magnesium, Nellis Air Force Base and the Nevada test site shaped our region.
We have numerous collections focusing on these projects and their impact on Southern Nevada's growth and the development of its infrastructure. UNLV Special Collections and Archives also serves as the university's official archive.
These collections include papers from various colleges and departments, prominent faculty members, and the university’s administration.
Other materials include the student, newspaper yearbooks, and various university publications.
Visual materials include a vast assortment of photography dedicated to the documentation and promotion of the UNLV campus and its various communities.
You can research all of these subjects by exploring various types of physical or digital materials in our collections. These include books and journals, archives, architectural plans, maps, oral histories and photographs.
Other specialized examples include rare and unique artists, books, menus, set design and costume drawings, movie posters, playing cards, digital files and websites relevant to our collecting areas.
Our book collection includes scholarly and popular works, government publications as well as fiction titles set in Las Vegas and Nevada.
Rare books on our collection date back to the 16th century and focused primarily on the subjects of gaming and gambling and feature important works in a variety of languages.
Other rare books provide a broad overview of the changes in literature, printing and publishing, advertising and book history over four centuries.
Our collection of magazines, journals and newspapers date back to the late 19th century, but also contain many current community publications.
These titles provide a portrait of Las Vegas and its activities in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Other significant journals in our collection include historic and contemporary gaming industry, trade publications, LGBTQ+ related publications, and more.
Our unique archival collections include both the personal papers of notable Las Vegas residents and the records of businesses and organizations from our region.
These collections date from the late 1800s to the present day.
They may feature material such as correspondence, diaries, ephemera and photographs.
While other collections contain legal and financial documents, business reports, newsletters and memos.
We make available numerous historical and contemporary maps of Las Vegas and Nevada. These date from the 19th century to the present and provide essential visual information on the physical landscape and growth of our region.
In addition to U.S. topographical maps, our collection contains many others focused on railroads, mining, real estate, tourism, water and geology.
Our oral history collection consists of the personal stories of over 3000 individuals who provide rich detail on the history of Las Vegas, dating back to its earliest days.
From casino employees and construction workers, to showgirls and musicians to activists and politicians.
Our oral history collection tells the story of Las Vegas from many diverse perspectives.
The interviews, which have been collected since the 1970s, are available as transcripts and digital audio files.
Our photograph collection consist of hundreds of thousands of images which provide visual documentation of the Las Vegas Valley, its landscape, its buildings, and the many people who have called this region home.
They include family snapshots, publicity photographs, official government images, postcards and photographic albums, and are composed of prints, negatives, transparencies and digital images.
Our collection includes audio recordings, film and video and digital files containing news footage, documentaries on gambling and Las Vegas history as well as movies filmed in Las Vegas.
The collection also includes rare footage of Las Vegas from the 1920s, production shows and interviews with prominent Southern Nevada residents and politicians.
Our materials can be viewed during an in-person visit or, if available, through online browsing.
Collections containing physical materials and digital files not available online may be examined in our reading room.
While a large selection of digitized items are available online through our portal at special.library.unlv.edu.
Our staff looks forward to assisting you in person, via email, or by phone.
We are committed to providing an exceptional experience for all of our researchers, including those that may need accommodations.
Please feel free to reach out prior to your visit with any questions or requests you may have.
Thank you for your interest in UNLV Special Collections and Archives.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
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