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.
At this time, we are offering remote support to all researchers. For assistance with research, accessing collection materials, or preparing remote 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).
Interested in remote instruction options? Please review our instruction page.
Looking for the Documenting COVID-19 at UMBC project? Learn more here.
Special Collections Search
Advanced Search
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)
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
Use this search to find digital images, digitized books, archives, organizational and personal papers, reports, playbills and more from:
- Photography Collections
- University Archives
- Center for Biological Sciences Archives
- Maryland history collections
- Visit the Digital Collections full site
