A Look at Our Government Documents Program in FY25

FY25 has been an exciting year for the Government Documents Department. This fiscal year the Department received roughly 2615 documents; 2508 of those were digital items (95%) while 107 were paper items (5%). Town reports made up the majority (97%) of paper items we received.

December 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the enactment of St.1984 c. 412. This statute, which became codified as M.G.L. 6 § 39B, stipulates that every state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must submit copies of their publications to the State Library. Since its passage in 1984, M. G. L. ch. 6 section 39B has been vital to the State Library’s mission of preserving the legislative history of Massachusetts and ensuring access to the Commonwealth’s public documents.

Turning 40 wasn’t the only major milestone for M.G.L. 6 § 39B. With the passage of chapter 206 of the 2024 Acts, M.G.L. 6 § 39B has been updated! The new legislation takes into account the fact that government documents are increasingly published digitally rather than in hard copy. The original legislation required that 8 hard copies of every published government document be sent to the State Library. It now requires only a single copy (if originally published in hardcopy) or shareable PDF for preservation.

The State Library rung in the New Year with the publication of its first training module on MassAchieve! This module covers the basics of the State Library’s Government Documents Program and advises state employees on what materials to send to the Library for public access and preservation. Since the announcement in our February Newsletter, the module has been made available to the public on the State Library’s YouTube channel.

MyPath on MassAchieve screenshot

The Department has had two interns (not simultaneous) from Simmons University’s MLIS program. Both have been invaluable additions to the Department. They have put together awesome exhibits and written blog posts highlighting the Government Documents collection. Read some of their work here:

• Design of Town Reports by Emily Buff, published July 29, 2024
• Y2K: Crisis Averted by Emily Colson, published April 7, 2025

Check out more blog posts about our Government Documents:

• M.G.L. 6 § 39B Turns 40 and Gets a Glow Up! published December 9, 2024
• SuDoc Numbers and Other Things published January 27, 2025
• Town Report Season: 2025 published June 23, 2025

Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents & Reference Librarian

Lesser Terns Alight in the Library

August marks one more installment in our summer of Audubon shorebirds! We are rounding out the season with the Lesser Tern (plate 319), which is also known as the Least Tern. This moderately sized shorebird is found in Massachusetts on both sandy and gravelly beaches. The Commonwealth's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has a webpage devoted to the least tern, where we learned that in 2024 there were 89 breeding sites in Massachusetts. Sometimes, the least tern nests alongside the piping plover since they have similar nesting requirements!

 
The least tern has been identified as a species of greatest concern by the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan. You can read all about the tern on the SWAP website, including information about its lifecycle, habitat, and conservation. 

In Audubon's print, the black capped bird is labeled as "adult spring plumage" which is its breeding plumage. Also shown is the young tern, which is more brown.

Visit our reading room from August 12 through September 9 to see the print on display.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

“Precious Tatters of Silk”

As I’m coming upon my second-year anniversary of working at the State Library, I can’t claim to be new around here; however, there is no shortage of new (to me) special collections items I have the joy of discovering for myself. One of my more recent discoveries is our Civil War regimental battle flag photograph collection.

Regimental battle flags of the 54th and 55th Infantries,
Massachusetts’ first Black regiments to serve in the Civil War.

According to an inscription, the photos were presented to the Commonwealth by the Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Military Order of the Loyal Legion. In 1885, the Loyal Legion was permitted to photograph the many Civil War battle flags borne by Massachusetts’ infantry, cavalry, and artillery units; at the time, the flags were on display in Doric Hall.

I was struck by the number of flags included – more than 160 – and wondered how so many made their way to the State House following the Civil War. I found the answer on the State House Tours website and information published by State House Art Curator Susan Greendyke Lachevre. "The Return of the Colors," shown in Edward Simmons' mural in Memorial Hall, depicts the return of the flags that Governor John A. Andrew presented to the Massachusetts regiments as they departed to fight for the Union. The return ceremony took place on December 22, 1865.

Left: Colors of the 7th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, formed in Taunton.

Center: Flag of the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, also known as the Harvard Regiment, formed in Readville.

Right: Colors of the 41st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, organized in Lynnfield.

Present day visitors to Memorial Hall can see transparencies of battle flags on display. The original flags are part of the Massachusetts State House Battle Flag Collection, and textile conservators moved them to environmentally controlled archival storage in 1987.

Pictured below are two closeup shots of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry regimental battle flags. Governor Andrew spoke of the regiment, saying, "I know not where, in all of human history, to any given thousand men in arms there has been committed a work at once so proud, so precious, so full of hope and glory." The storied 54th regiment is commemorated with a monument on the Boston Common, and the site is part of Boston’s Black Heritage Trail. You can learn more about the 54th and 55th in our Colonel Alfred Stedman Hartwell Collection.

A news clipping dated October 21, 1885 pasted on the inside of the battle flags’ photo album cover reads,

The Old Bay State’s Tattered Flags

... These precious tatters of silk, stained with smoke and fire, and, in some instances, with the blood of their bearers, continue to be the object of appreciative curiosity to the visitors to the State House. The color which bears the stain of Sergeant Plunkett’s blood, showing where he clasped it with his broken, bleeding arms, is the most admired piece of silk probably in New England. Veterans lead their children up to it to see the stain of the brave Sergeant’s blood, and every day groups of sightseers ask to be shown Sergeant Plunkett’s flag.

There will be more to read on Sergeant Plunkett in a future blog post, as what I found about him while researching necessitates a much deeper dive.


Alyssa Persson
Special Collections Processing Archivist

Vacation Inspiration Courtesy of Gleason’s Pictorial!

There's still a solid month of summer left, which means there's time for one more vacation getaway! If you’re looking for inspiration, then turn to our August Collection Spotlight case. Displayed this month is the August 7, 1852 issue of Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion, with a picture of the Pleasant Mountain House on the first page.

Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion was published by Frederick Gleason in Boston from 1851 through 1859, though in 1855 its name changed to Ballou’s Pictorial when Maturin Murray Ballou took over. As per its name, you might find an issue of Gleason’s in someone’s drawing room, also known as a withdrawing room. These were formal spaces in a home in which leisure activities (like reading, needle point, or musical performances), or private or business conversations would occur. For the homeowner or guests, this weekly periodical would provide interesting information to read or discuss, along with illustrations to examine. And in case there is any confusion about where Gleason’s was published, the masthead includes a picture of Boston Harbor and the city skyline, with the dome of the State House prominently displayed on a slightly exaggerated Beacon Hill!

In keeping with the time of year, we’re displaying an issue that was published this month in 1852. Shown on the first page is an illustration of Pleasant Mountain and Pleasant Mountain House, located in Denmark, Oxford County, Maine. Pleasant Mountain rises 4,000 feet above sea level, and the text under the image describes the height as follows, “it is novel to look down upon the clouds, to watch the shower as it passes over different towns and villages, to see it creep around the base of the mountain, or up its side, to hear the rain below you, and be all the while yourself in sunlight.” The text concludes with a description of a hotel that was constructed atop the mountain by Joseph S. Sargent “a beautiful and commodious hotel, while the mountain has become one of the most favorite resorts in New England.” For those itching to visit, the text also makes a point to state that it is only forty-five miles from Portland, a very convenient location if you’re looking to get away!

Note that Pleasant Mountain is located in Denmark, Maine. A fun fact about Maine is that there are over 40 towns named after other countries or cities abroad! In addition to Denmark, there is Peru, Bath, Norway, Lisbon, Mexico, Naples, and Paris – just to name a few. Keep an eye out for some when you’re on your next road trip through Maine!

Gleason’s Pictorial is on display in our reading room from August 5 through September 2, so stop by to take a look. And if you’d like to read about a few of other New England resorts, check out our previous blog post on Souvenir of New England’s Great Resorts published in 1891, and a bird’s-eye view map of Magnolia on the North Shore between Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

State Library Newsletter - August Issue

From lighthouses, to shorebirds, to mountain retreats, summer is still going strong at the State Library! Read about all these and more in our August newsletter, out now.

Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.

The Appalachian Mountain Club in the State Library

Early AMC rock climbing from the

June 1976 issue of Appalachia

The Northeast has many beautiful natural places to explore, but when a person has just moved to Boston with no car and no community, what is the best way to get explore the great outdoors? This was the question that I faced when I first moved to Boston last year, and it was a question that was quickly and thoroughly answered by the Appalachian Mountain Club.

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the country’s oldest outdoor recreation and conservation organization. It was founded in Boston in 1876 and currently boasts a community of more than 90,000 members with chapters and activities from Maine to Virginia. Members of the Appalachian Mountain Club work to build and maintain trails, teach outdoor skills, advocate for the preservation and protection of the natural world, and cultivate fun outdoors experiences for everyone.

Rescue Practice, Mountain Leadership Workshop, 1975

from the June 1976 issue of Appalachia

Throughout its existence, the AMC has put out a variety of publications, some of which are now housed at the State Library. One such publication is the Bulletin of the Appalachian Mountain Club, which documents the meetings, excursions, and general doings of the club and of organizations adjacent to the club. For example, in 1908 for a fee of twenty-five cents, you could be part of the Snow-Shoe Section of the AMC and go on organized group trips to locations such as the Adirondacks in New York or Iron Mountain in New Hampshire. In the November 1968 issue, you can find requests for art submissions for an AMC Membership Art Show, or a suggestion to write in to the AMC Trader listing to offer and barter your outdoor gear with other members. In the 1907 December edition, the Bulletin mentions that the AMC library’s classification system is based on that of their late member’s, Charles A. Cutter. Any fellow librarians or library enthusiasts might know that Cutter’s Cutter Expansive Classification is the basis for library classification systems such as the Library of Congress.

When I read this, I was excited to find that a fellow librarian from the past was also interested in the AMC, but I wanted to confirm my findings. So, I turned to another of the State Library’s holdings: The Register of the Appalachian Mountain Club. This publication includes a lot of interesting information about the club and how it is run, including details such as the membership of the AMC, officers and committee members, club by-laws, trails and camps maintained by the club, and recent publications. At the State Library, we have many editions of the Register between the years 1882 and 1951. So, when I read that a Charles A. Cutter of library fame may have been in the AMC, I turned to the register to learn more. After flipping through a few registers and finding a few other Charles Cutters, I finally found our Charles A. Cutter in the 1892 register. The address provided for him is the Boston Athenæum, which is where Cutter served as head librarian, so this is a match! Hopefully this aside is enjoyable to all readers as a demonstration of one method of utilizing resources here at the State Library, even if this is the first time a reader may be hearing of Charles A. Cutter.

The State Library also has many copies of the journal Appalachia from the years 1876 to 1980. The contents of this publication include information internal to the club as well as writing on a variety of topics, such as mountaineering, outdoor equipment, trips, environmentalism, and poetry. Many publications also include detailed maps and diagrams of the outdoors, particularly in the areas where the AMC concentrated their expeditions and conservation efforts. Though the State Library only has copies of the journal up until 1980, the journal is being published to this day. You can find articles at the AMC’s website.

Madison Spring Hut #1, 1892 from the June 1976 issue of Appalachia

The AMC publications are not limited just to serials such as the ones discussed previously. It also puts out many guides and maps useful to outdoor adventurers. At the State Library, for example, we have AMC guides for canoeing in the New England area and walking, hiking, and biking around Boston and the rest of the state of Massachusetts.

For outdoorsy folks such as myself, the AMC is a great way explore the nature around us, find community, and get involved in conservation work. I am lucky to be part of an organization with such a rich history and culture, and I am delighted that my time at the State Library has given me the opportunity to explore the AMC’s impact through a new lens.

Emily Colson

Government Documents Intern

Sources

• About – Appalachian Mountain Club. Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). (2025, March 12).
• Belcher, C. F. (1976). A Century of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Appalachia, 41(8), 5-45.
• Bellerose, G. (1976). The AMC Today. Appalachia, 41(8), 48-80.
• U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Conservation timeline 1801-1900. National Parks Service.

Massachusetts State Library Goes Full DSpace-GLAM

If you've visited the State Library's Digital Collections website recently, you might have noticed some exciting changes! We've officially transitioned to a new DSpace-GLAM digital repository, thanks to our partnership with 4Science— a global leader in open-source innovation and DSpace platform development.

Our digital repository was originally launched in 2009 with a mission: to ensure long-term access and preservation of electronic Massachusetts state publications, as mandated by law. Since then, we've made a wide range of materials available—from Acts and Resolves, bills and legislative documents, House and Senate Journals to city and town reports, state agency annual reports and publications, and historic photograph and map collections—downloaded millions of times by users around the world.

DSpace-GLAM landing page

You’re probably wondering what exactly is DSpace-GLAM? DSpace-GLAM is a version of DSpace built specifically for Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums. It includes features like:

• Smarter Search: more search filters and a user interface that makes browsing easy
• Rich Metadata: more context through people, events, places & concepts (coming soon!)
• Powerful Visuals: More engaging visual features including interactive maps and charts
• High-Tech Extras: Including a built-in Image viewer, Video/Audio streaming, and OCR tools (coming soon!)
• Cloud Power: Faster speed and reliability for accessing items in the repository
• Improved Discoverability: By adhering to international standards, the State Library’s digital resources will be more visible in search engines

So, what is different? While revamping our digital repository’s appearance and visualization of collections, we took great care to preserve the core functionality of our previous platform by ensuring there are plenty of search options to help you find exactly what you are looking for! In DSpace-GLAM you can:

• Use the global “search bar” on the homepage to browse all our digital collections
• Use the “Advanced Search” in the menu if you prefer a targeted multi-field or “Boolean” search 
  
• Explore the publications of a specific Massachusetts State Agency by going to “All of Digital Collections” in the menu (our reinvented “Communities and Collections” page). The “All of Digital Collections” page features a search bar so you can easily narrow it down further to a specific Digital Collection by agency or publication name 
  
• Use the “filters” on the left of each results page help you refine and focus your search if you have too many results
  
• Use the “Search Within Digital Collection” option to add precision to your search after you have selected a Digital Collection

We’re excited to continue expanding our digital collections to showcase even more of the State Library’s holdings, while also rolling out new platform upgrades to enhance discoverability and improve your user experience. We welcome your feedback as we move ahead into a GLAMourous new DSpace future at the State Library!

Technical Services Department