The Rare Book Collection and Washburn Collection include rare books, special editions, books by alumni, faculty and staff, catalogs, yearbooks, student theses, and books about Washburn and Topeka history. Books and materials in these collections do not circulate.

The William I. Koch Art History Collection is a special collection donated by William I. Koch. The collection contains more than 12,000 monographs, exhibition catalogs, periodical volumes, auction catalogs and ephemera generally covering the history of visual arts, photography and architecture. Bibliographic listings of items currently available are accessible through the Washburn Libraries Online Catalog (ATLAS). Due to the specialized nature of the collection, the items are available for in-library use only.

The Thomas Fox Averill Kansas Studies Collection is an eclectic, inclusive set of materials dedicated to the study of Kansas literature through the state's folklore, history, geography, flora, fauna, social fabric and culture. The holdings include novels, plays, collections of poetry and fiction, histories, biographies, memoirs, letters, scholarly articles, collected folklore, manuscripts and ephemera gathered over 40+ years. Wichita author and musician Irma Wassall has donated her literary papers to the Collection.