© Buncombe County Special Collections. All rights reserved.
Welcome to
Buncombe County Special Collections

ABOUT

The Buncombe County Special Collections Library (formerly the North Carolina Room) is a medium-sized archival facility located on the lower level of Pack Memorial Library in Downtown Asheville. Buncombe County Special Collections specializes in the social, cultural, and natural history of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina.

What are you looking for?

Explore the Collections

Manuscript Collections

0

Exploring Back To Year

0

Images Archived

0

Digital Collection Size

0

Featured Photographer: Andrea Clark

Date: 1968 Before acquiring these photographs, the Pack Library NC Collection included only a few photographs of the vibrant Valley Street neighborhood, now just a fading memory. Thanks to Andrea Clark's photographs, the people and places of that community live again. [View the collection]

Visit

Hours: Tuesday 9am-7pm, Wednesday-Friday 9am-5pm (Mondays by appointment). Learn more and plan your visit here. 

Reading room hours may be affected by public programs. View upcoming BCSC events on the calendar.

Contact

For questions or to schedule an appointment, please email us at packnc@buncombenc.gov

GET STARTED
Your Journey Begins Here

Latest Posts

Read more +27 March 2026 By packnc in Quirks & Kerfuffles

Asheville’s Weirdest Facts and Fictions, Part III: Counterculture Curiosities

Welcome to the third installment of our series of blog posts about our region’s weirdest history! If you missed the first two, check out Part I (about some persistent local myths) and Part II (strange animal stories). This series is inspired in part by storyteller and author Liz Z. Pardue, who will be at Pack
Read more +25 March 2026 By packnc in Quirks & Kerfuffles

Asheville’s Weirdest Facts and Fictions, Part II: True Tales of Eccentric Animals 

On March 31, storyteller and author Liz Z. Pardue presents Keep NC Weird! The Strange & Macabre History of Our State at Pack Memorial Library, a one-hour journey through the strangest history, most eccentric characters, and darkest folklore of the Old North State. In anticipation, we’re rifling through some of the weird tales we happen to know
Read more +23 March 2026 By packnc in Quirks & Kerfuffles

Asheville’s Weirdest Facts and Fictions, Part I: Dubious Legends 

“Keep Asheville Weird!” We’ve all heard it.[1] But what exactly is so weird about Asheville? How long has our region had a reputation for quirkiness? And how much of it is actually true? On March 31, storyteller and author Liz Z. Pardue presents Keep NC Weird! The Strange & Macabre History of Our State at
Read more +16 January 2026 By packnc in Events, News

BCSC News: January-April 2026 Events

Happy 2026! In case you missed it, the Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections need your support! Donate now to double your impact—plus, mark your calendar for upcoming events and exhibitions taking place now through April!
Read more +31 December 2025 By packnc in Events, News

BCSC News: New Hours + Matching Donations!

Happy New Year! We have some important updates to ring in 2026, including a new schedule plus a special message from the Friends of BCSC to double the impact of your donation.
Read more +19 December 2025 By packnc in News

2025 in Review

2025 has been a year of recovery for our entire region, and we're grateful for all the visitors, researchers, donors, colleagues, and supporters that have joined us in the important work of preserving memory and connecting community.
TOP