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Primary Sources: A Research Guide

University Archives and Special Collections at UMass Boston

Students reading beside the windows in the Joseph P. Healey Library, circa 1970s.

Location: Joseph P. Healey Library, 5th floor, University Archives and Special Collections Research Room
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Please note: Appointments are strongly encouraged. Email library.archives@umb.edu to schedule a visit or to request reference assistance.

Key Resources

Finding aids
Digital collections
Open Archives News, UASC's online newsletter

 

Mission and History

University Archives and Special Collections (UASC) in the Joseph P. Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself.

The mission and history of the University of Massachusetts Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives and Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities.

To carry out its mission, University Archives and Special Collections is committed to working with, promoting, and assisting community archives in the Greater Boston area through facilitating cross-organization collaboration and access to informational, educational, and practical resources relevant to archival procedures and best practices.

For more information about UASC's collections, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives/collections.

Collections

The collections in University Archives and Special Collections are divided into two broad categories:

University Archives constitutes the official records, publications, and photographs of the University of Massachusetts Boston, as well as materials documenting preceding institutions such as the Boston Normal School and Boston State College.

Special Collections includes collections that reflect the University’s urban mission and strong support of community service, and contains records of social welfare organizations, community organizations and alternative movements, and local history, as well as collections that document issues related to war and social consequence. Also contained in the department’s Special Collections is a selection of rare and special books.

Healey Library | University of Massachusetts Boston | 100 Morrissey Blvd | Boston, MA | 02125-3393 | 617-287-5900