Special Collections

The Special Collections department collects materials of enduring historical and cultural value -- housing, preserving, and making accessible materials that are original, rare, unique, fragile, and archival. Our collections and staff support UMBC's research and educational mission and its dedication to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility and lifelong learning.

We have resumed on-site services in addition to remote support to all researchers. For assistance with research, accessing collection materials, or preparing instruction, please contact the Special Collections staff directly. We can be reached by:

  • chat (select "Ask a Librarian" button on the right side of any webpage)
  • e-mail (speccoll@umbc.edu)
  • voicemail (410-455-2353)
  • online research consultation with an archivist (schedule a consultation here).

Hours and Appointments

Use the online scheduling service to reserve an on-site research appointment. Appointments are available during regular hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 12-4pm and Thursday 12-7pm.

For 2023, our hours are as follows:

Regular hours Jan 28-March 10, 2023
Closed March 19-25
Regular hours March 27-May 9, 2023
By appointment May 10-August 29, 2023


Interested in Fall 2022 instruction options? Please review our instruction page.

Looking for the Documenting COVID-19 at UMBC project? Learn more here.


Special Collections Search

Advanced Search


camera

Use this search to find:

  • Photography collections (portfolios, digital images, historic equipment, and related archival collections)
  • Archives finding aids (University Archives, Maryland history collections, Literary manuscripts, and the Center for Biological Sciences Archives)
  • Science fiction fanzines
  • Radical literature
  • Maryland & regional maps
  • Artwork & posters
  • University publications

Search Tips

  • Use quotes for phrases, e.g. "Spring Grove"
  • Or, use AND for phrases, e.g. Spring AND Grove
  • For name searches, use last name, first name in quotes, e.g. "Adams, Ansel"

Library Catalog (catalogusmai)

 


books

Use this search for:

  • Photography books & serials (Bafford)
  • Science fiction books & serials (including pulp magazines!) (Rosenfeld)
  • Maryland history & serials (Arnold/Howard)
  • Artists' books
  • Rare books
  • Comic books
  • Alternative Press Center Collection
  • Theses and dissertations
  • Adventure, Mystery & Detective Pulps
UMBC Digital Collections

Search for

in    


Lewis Hine photograph of child laborer

Use this search to find digital images, digitized books, archives, organizational and personal papers, reports, playbills and more from:


Reading Room open by appointment


  • Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 12-4pm
  • Thursday 12-7pm
  • Schedule an appointment or email speccoll@umbc.edu for assistance. Appointments are required during the exam period, Winter session, and Summer session.

Read our blog

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter See us on Instagram Watch us on YouTube

Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery . University of Maryland, Baltimore County . 1000 Hilltop Circle . Baltimore MD 21250

Library staff resources