Skip to main content

Find Special Collections

Special Collections collect and provide access to material across a wide range of subjects. Material from our collections must be used within our Libraries. 

 Contact Us for help with your research. Special Collections librarians are available to provide research assistance in person and remotely.

Choose your search

Archival Collections

Explore finding aids and descriptions of our archival and manuscript collections from groups and individuals.

Explore Archival Collections

Digital Collections

Access digitized material, including photographs, archives and manuscripts, film and audio, and more from our specialized collections. 

Explore Digital Collections

WorldCat UMD

Search almost everything the Classic Catalog has and more, including journal articles and e-books. This provides a more broad search of various institutions' libraries. 

Explore WorldCat UMD

Classic Catalog

Search our unique books collections and more. This provides a more refined search than WorldCat UMD to help you identify items held within our Libraries. 

Explore Classic Catalog

Explore our collections

The Special Collections and University Archives collect materials in the following concentrations. To learn more about our holdings, browse our subjects or contact a librarian.

Explore by format

The vast majority of our books, periodicals and magazines can be found by searching the catalog. Collections of books may also be found in Archival Collections, along with periodicals and magazines that are part of archival and manuscript collections.

Some of our books, periodicals, and magazines have been digitized and can be found in one of the following databases:

  • Internet Archive
    We contribute our unique and rare materials to this "Internet library." In addition to the material we contribute, you can find other institutions' digitized materials in this huge repository.
  • Digital Collections
    These collections include original photographs, correspondence, publications, literary manuscripts, digital videos, and other formats, as well as theme-based bibliographies.
  • HathiTrust
    partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.
  • Student Newspapers
    An historical archive of student newspapers produced at the University of Maryland. 

Most of our archives and manuscripts are described in our Archival Collections database. Because this is not a complete list of our holdings, please contact us even after you feel you have exhausted your search. You never know what our subject experts might be able to find to suit your research needs. Many primary source material, from all over the world, is available in various databases that the UMD Libraries subscribes to. Find databases by subject or name.

Some of our archives, manuscripts and oral histories have been digitized and can be found using one of the following databases:

  • Digital Collections
    These collections include original photographs, correspondence, publications, literary manuscripts, digital videos, and other formats, as well as theme-based bibliographies.
  • Internet Archive
    We contribute our unique and rare materials to this "Internet library." In addition to the material we contribute, you can find other institutions' digitized materials in this huge repository.
  • Archive-It
    The leading web archiving service for collecting and accessing cultural heritage on the web.

Most maps can be found using the Map Database but a few are also found within the catalog. Use the following links to browse map holdings.

  • Map database
    A comprehensive collection of more than 2,500 maps depicting Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay, and the surrounding region from 1590 to the present.
  • Sanborn maps of Maryland and Washington, D.C.
    These maps provide us with a detailed understanding of the physical make up of these cities and towns, and give us insight into the existing social, political, and economic conditions in specific places and times.
  • Maryland Maps Research Guide
    A guide to the variety of map holdings within Special Collections and University Archives.

Many of our photographs can be found by searching Archival Collections. A small portion of our photographs have been digitized and accessible in Digital Collections. Not all photograph holdings are described using these tools, please contact us to learn more about how our photographs might meet your research needs.

Audiovisual holdings can be found by searching Archival Collections. A small portion of our photographs have been digitized and accessible in Digital Collections. Not all audiovisual materials are described using these tools, please contact us to learn more about how our photographs might meet your research needs.

"Born-digital" refers to material whose entire lifecycle has been digital, meaning it was digital at the the time and place it was created. Born-digital material includes documents, photographs, publications, audiovisual material, and many other formats. This content can be found by searching Archival Collections, often marked with a note, "This collection contains born-digital material that has been transferred from its original storage medium". Some files may be unreadable with current technology. Contact us to make arrangements to view the electronic files.

Special formats of born-digital material include archived websites. Browse and search UMD's public web archives.

Get Help

Librarians are available to provide research assistance in person and remotely. Contact us with questions or for help with your research.

Although we try to answer questions to the best of our ability, library staff can provide up to one hour of in-depth research time. We are continuously striving to make our collections more easily discoverable and are glad to help patrons navigate these systems and develop search strategies.

Back to Top