A new home for library treasures: the Rare Books Room opens

After months of construction, planning and plenty of noise from the basement, Dalton McCaughey Library’s new Rare Books Room is officially open!

To celebrate its opening, Dalton McCaughey Library, with special guests from Ormond College, hosted a gathering on Tuesday (18 August). Representatives from the two founding organisations of the library, Duncan Macleod (Uniting Church in Australia) and Brendan Byrne (Society of Jesus in Australia), and Library Manager, Cindy Derrenbacker spoke to the project and the rare book collection’s history.

The special exhibition The Christian Imagination: Persisting Through Time and Space showcased highlights from the rare books collection. Tours of the new facility were also available to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how we’re caring for the collection.

The purpose-designed space will safeguard the library’s most significant and fragile collections—dating back to the early 1500s. Featuring finely controlled climate conditions, specialised storage, and enhanced security, it ensures that rare and unique materials will remain protected, conserved, and accessible for generations ahead.

This new room expands opportunities for research, teaching, and engagement, supporting ongoing work to describe and digitise the library’s rare holdings. Scholars, students, and visitors will benefit from improved access, richer records, and enhanced support for deeper study and theological reflection.

And there’s still time to see the exhibition! Half of The Christian Imagination is on display for the next couple of weeks, before we give those old books a well-deserved rest out of the limelight (too much light isn’t good for old books) and bring out the second half. Interested in the rare books, the new room, or arranging a tour? Get in touch!