Lost? Can't find what you need? Consider 
Robert Burns Collection
In 1961, Leslie P. Gray donated a large collection of the works of Robert Burns to Special Collections on behalf
of his parents, the late Harry Gray and Lelah B. Gray. The collection was purchased from Professor G. Ross Roy of the
University of Montreal, who curated an exhibit of 113 of the books in the Noble L. Getchell Library during its grand opening.
Professor Roy wrote an annotated guide to the exhibit.
The Robert Burns Collection , a legacy collection, contains over 400 books. According to former University Librarian David W. Heron, in his preface to the exhibit guide, the collection (at that time) represented "... as good resources for the critical study of Burns and his works as are available in any library in the United States." The collection includes rare editions of important works, such as the Edinburgh edition of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect," the "Skinking edition," published in 1787.
Robert Burns was a superstar in his own time and a cult figure in later times. His legend is kept alive through "Burns Suppers" held around the world on or around his birthday, January 25th. His short but interesting life (1759-1796) has inspired a number of biographical works that are represented in both Special Collections and the Knowledge Center's circulating collection.
The Eighteenth Century Collection Online database provides the full-text of 51 of Burns' writings. These include various editions of Burns' publications. The database allows users to retrieve all of Burns' writings and then conduct keywod searches within them to pinpoint usage of specific words.
Dr. Thomas Meyers, a local Burns enthusiast, models Scottish attire for the 2008 calendar "Men in Kilts"
in a photo shoot in the Burns collection stacks in Special Collections. Photograph by David Howe.
Robert Burns Rare Print Collection, edited by Seymour Eaton. Philadelphia: R. G. Kennedy & Co., [1900]: Special Collections PR 4331 .E3 1900
Online Resources
| Eighteenth Century Collection Online (Parts I and II) | Songs of Robert Burns (lyrics and sheet music) |
| The Burns Encyclopedia (Burns Country) | Robert Burns: A Glossary of Scottish Terms and Index of First Lines of Poems (William Michaelian) |
| Robert Burns (National Library of Scotland) | "To a Mouse" (presented by David Sibbald via YouTube) |
| Poems and Songs of Robert Burns (Project Gutenberg) | Robert Burns: The People's Poet (BBC, YouTube; Part 1) |
| A Tribute to Robert Burns by Archibald Primrose in 1896 (Wikisource) | The Romantic Age (The Letters of Robert Burns) - via the Past Masters Database, for UNR-affiliated users, only |
| Robert Burns Quotes (World of Quotes) | "A Man's A Man For A' That" (YouTube documentary) |
| The Works of Robert Burns (ElectricScotland) | Robert Burns Association of North America |
| The Letters of Robert Burns (Project Gutenberg) | Robert Burns World Federation |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. 1788 reprint (Selected Americana from Sabin's Dictionary) | Nevada Society of Scottish Clans |
Highlights of Special Collections' Robert Burns Collection
| Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory (Burns Federation) | 1st series, Vols. 1-34 | PR 4329 .A6 (1892-1925) |
| Burns Chronicle and Club Directory (Burns Federation) | 2nd series, Vols. 1-25 | PR 4329 .A6 (1926-1950) |
| Burns Holograph Manuscripts in the Kilmarnock Monument Museum | Kilmarnock: D. Brown, 1889 | PR 4336 .S6 |
| Memorials of Robert Burns ... | London: Sampson Low, et al, 1876 | PR 4333 .A45 1896 |
| Reliques of Robert Burns | London: J. M'Creery, 1808 | PR 4303 .C76 1808 |
| Some account of the Glenriddell mss. of Burns's poems | Liverpool: Walmsley, 1874 | PR 4336 .B7 1874 |
| The Songs of Burns, with symphonies and accompaniements ... | London: Bayley & Ferguson, 1896 | PR 4324 .L447 1896 |
| Tam O'Shanter | [Edinburgh?]: Royal Assoc. for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Scotland, 1855 | PR 4314 .A1 1855 |
| The Works of Robert Burns (4 vols.) | London: T. Cadell, 1801, 2nd. ed. | PR 4301 .C8 1801 |
Other Robert Burns Resources in the Knowledge Center
Research Resources Microfilm - KC Level 2 (From The Eighteenth Century microfilm set, S0269, unless otherwise indicated.)
| Address to the people of Scotland | Glasgow: Brash & Reid, [1797] | Reel 894, no. 27 |
| An address to the Deil. With the answer. By John Lauderdale | [Edinburgh?]: 1795 | Reel 3734, no. 12 |
| Address to the people of Scotland, respecting Francis Grose | [Glasgow?, 1795?] | Reel 4684, no. 7 |
| Alloway kirk; or Tam o'Shanter. A tale | [Glasgow: Brash and Reid, 1796] | Reel 8861, no. 9 |
| Aloway kirk; or, Tam o'Shanter. A tale | [Glasgow?, 1796?] | Reel 4684, no. 8 |
| The Ayrshire garland. An excellent new song | [Dumfries?, 1789?] | Reel 5095, no. 2 |
| Domestic happiness exhibited in John Anderson, my Joe | Glasgow: Brash & Reid, [1796] | Reel 3251, no. 6 |
| Holy Willie's prayer, letter to John Goudie, Kilmarnock, and six favourite songs, viz. Duncan Gray, The lass that made the bed to me, A man's a man for a' that, Of a' the airt's the win' can blaw, Now westlin winds, I gaed a waefu' gate yestreen | Glasgow: Stewart & Meikle, [1799] | Reel 3411, no. 15 |
| An honest man the best o' men, a favourite new song | Glasgow: Brash & Reid, [1797] | Reel 894, no. 29 |
| The kirk's alarm: a satire; A letter to a taylor, The deil's awa' wi' the exciseman, and An unco mournfu' tale | Glasgow: Stewart & Meikle, [1799] | Reel 4598, no. 9 |
| O wat ye wha's in yon town? And open the door to me, oh! Two favourite songs | Glasgow: Brash & Reid, [1797] | Reel 899, no. 9 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Dublin: William Gilbert, 1789 | Reel 4599, no. 7 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Dublin: William Gilbert, 1790 | Reel 269, no. 17 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Dublin: William Gilbert, 1787 | Reel 1034, no. 27 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | London: Strahan, Cadell & Creech, 1787; 3rd ed. | Reel 3046, no. 1 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Edinburgh: Robert Burns, sold by Creech, 1787 | Reel 8702, no. 2 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Edinburgh: Robert Burns, sold by Creech; 1787 | Reel 4787, no. 6 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Kilmarnock: John Wilson, 1786 | Reel 4787, no. 5 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | Philadelphia: Stewart and Hyde, 1788 | Reel 4795, no. 9 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect | New -York: J. And A. M'Lean, [1788] | Reel 282, no. 11 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Edinburgh: Adam Neill and Co., 1800 | Reel 2378, no. 1 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Belfast: William Magee, 1793 | Reel 4828, no. 3 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Edinburgh: T. Cadell, 1794 (a new edition, enlrgd) | Reel 4688, no. 2 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Edinburgh: T. Cadell, 1798 | Reel 4785, no. 3 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Edinburgh: T. Cadell, 1797 | Reel 8358, no. 3 |
| Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect. In two volumes | Edinburgh: T. Cadell, 1793 | Reel 4756, no. 7 |
| Sylvander and Clarinda; the love letters of Robert Burns and Agnes M'Lehose | New York: G. H. Doran Co., [1917] | History of Women microfilm set C24: Reel 883, no. 7268 |
| Two original poems: The echo of friars-carse hermitage; Avon's stream: a dirge | Glasgow: Brash & Reid, [1797] | Reel 894, no. 28 |
