Special Collections
Robert M. Snyder, Jr. Collection

The Snyder Collection began as the private collection of Robert M. Snyder, Jr., a prominent Kansas City businessman in the early part of the 20th century. The collection was purchased by William Volker after the death of Snyder in 1937. That same year, Volker anonymously donated the entire collection, then equaling some 14,000 titles, to the University of Kansas City (now University of Missouri at Kansas City). The collection was moved from Ha Ha Tonka Castle, the Ozark home of Snyder, by Clarence R. Decker of the University's English department and future president of the University, who made the 300-mile trip five times. Ha Ha Tonka Castle was destroyed by fire in 1942. The ruins now serve as a historical focal point of Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Missouri.

The Snyder Collection of Americana, which makes up the bulk of the original collection, focuses on the 19th century Trans-Mississippi West experience and serves as the foundation collection of Special Collections. It is particularly strong in Missouri and Kansas History, Native Americans, Mormons and frontier religions, transportation and the cattle trade. The Snyder name is now a designation for the department's broader library of books, as documented in the library's online catalog (MERLIN). In addition to the tens of thousands of titles cataloged today, the original collection contains clippings, vertical files, maps, atlases, periodicals, pamphlets, manuscript material, and memorabilia - being made available through department-created finding aids and collection subject guides.

Special Collections is a non-circulating and non-browsing resource center. The Special Collections Reading Room is open to researchers Monday through Friday during the academic year. Public service hours for the current semester are listed at http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/index.html#hours but researchers are encouraged to call ahead for verification of hours due to University intersessions and other events. Special Collections is located on the fourth floor of the Miller Nichols Library at 5100 Rockhill Road in Kansas City, Missouri. All inquiries concerning access to the collections should be addressed to Special Collections Library Information Specialists Teresa Gipson or Kelly McEniry.