 Under the leadership of Robert B. Downs (1958–1974), the University Library began identifying rare titles throughout the general stacks and subject libraries, bringing them together in a new, larger space designated the Rare Book Room.Downs actively sought to enlarge the library's holdings in its areas of strength and to develop new areas of interest.During his tenure, the library acquired numerous major collections, including the Lloyd Francis Nickell collection of eighteenth-century English literature (2,000 volumes), the Ewin Cannon Baskette collection on freedom of expression (10,000 items); the Spanish Civil War collection; the Marvin T. Herrick collection of Italian plays from 1500 to 1700 (500 items), the Jacob Hollander collection of economic history (4,470 items); the Franklin J. Meine collection of Mark Twain (2,100 items); the Yamagiwa collection of Japanese illustrated books (1,800 items); the Harwell collection of Confederate imprints and sheet music (2,500 items), and a large group of Carl Sandburg papers.