San Juan Tolcayuca with manuscript map. Nahua, Mexico, late 17th or early 18th century. Manuscript map on amate (fig tree bark) paper.

The Jay I. Kislak Collection comprises more than 3,500 books, manuscripts, maps, documents, photographs, zines, and artist books that convey a panoramic view of the history of the Americas from Pre-Contact Indigenous cultures, hemispheric cultural encounters, the colonial period, and global exploration through the nineteenth century. Jay Kislak built his collection over the course of 60 years, hoping it would provide a resource for studying the multi-faceted history of the lands and peoples of the Americas through varied and sometimes contrasting points of view. The collection is particularly rich in primary source materials on Florida, the Caribbean, Mesoamerican archaeology, and Polar exploration.

The Jay I. Kislak Collection of the Early Americas, Exploration and Navigation has transformed the University of Miami Libraries. The Gallery at the Kislak Center features nearly 200 items from the Kislak Collection. The assembly of rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and artifacts conveys a multifaceted history of the Americas, hemispheric cultural encounters, and global exploration beginning with Indigenous cultures and extending to modern times.

Digital Collections

Includes digitized materials from the Jay I. Kislak Collection’s holdings of books, manuscripts, broadsides, and images.

Books

Includes rare primary and secondary books.

Archival Materials and Manuscripts

Includes rare manuscripts, broadsides, maps, and zines.

Harmful Content Statement

The University of Miami Libraries are working to assess past and current descriptive practices to ensure that materials accurately and respectfully describe the communities featured in our collections, with special attention paid to remediate language that is outdated or harmful to our patrons.
For more information, please see the Libraries’ Harmful Content Statement.

Curious about the Jay I. Kislak Collection’s development policies? Please see the attached document.